No aftermarket front window tint in California.

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(BethlehemPrius @ Jun 27 2007, 07:46 PM) [snapback]469173[/snapback]</div>

For your information, a large percentage of routine traffic stops end up being felony arrests. Criminals that don't care about felony crimes also don't care about traffic laws. This attitude ends up getting them stopped initially for minor traffic issues, which then end up in the discovery of major felony violations.

Front window tinting has been illegal in California for well over 15 years and with good reason. During a routine traffic stop if a cop can't see inside a vehicle due to the tinting, his/her life may very well be in jeopardy. Past law enforcement deaths are proof of that. With this in mind I have no problem following the tinting laws in my state.

 

In California you can tint the rear windows (past the B pillar) as much as you'd like to, I used to have a Toyota Tercel with limo tints on all windows (not on the windshield!) when I lived in FL, as soon as I moved to CA I was told by a local cop that I had to remove the tint from my driver and passenger doors, but the rear tints could stay.

BTW, I'm living in Korea right now and I am not entirely sure if they have tint laws here as the Korean law code is confusing even to native speakers of the language, let alone for an Yangnom like me, but I have seen cars here with limo tint ALL around the car, even the front windshield, I sat in a car like that once and you could barely see anything inside the car during the day; at night it's a cave in there! Crazy to drive like that at night...!

 

I've had all my windows except the windscreen tinted to 30%, I believe, and I've driven about 45,000 of my 60,000 miles on California highways without being pulled over for it.

That said, I'm quite aware that it's an illegal amount of tint, I'm just saying nobody's pulled me over for it, for what it's worth .

 

that sux bro, im not a bog fan of TINT, but some car, including the prius with all the huge windows really do need it

i live in SoCal and i am planning on tinting the windows, very very light on the 2 front ones

and something like 30%-40% on the rears and hatch

 

The place where I got my previous car tinted would charge $10 to remove the tint after you got the ticket, and charge another $10 to re-install after the inspection. I thought that was a pretty clever deal.

 

Tinting the front side windows has been illegal for over 20 years because I got a fix it ticket for it in 1985 in Citrus Heights. I had to remove the tint and show it at a CHP station plus I had to forfeit $50 or appear in Sac Co Court (I lived in the Bay area at the time, so I sent the check).

The tint was so light that I didn't even realize it wasn't factory until the CHP officer pointed it out to me. I had only bought the Toyota truck a few weeks before.

I agree with others that there is probably some selective enforcement on this; in my case I was in an area where there was a lot of cruising activity, and the officer might have thought I was drinking (I wasn't). So I got a fix it ticket instead of a DUI.

 

I posted this on a different thread, but I'll repost it here, as there is such thing as CA-legal front window tinting, it's just not that dark:

For North California drivers, I got a quote for tinting the Prius for $210 using Suntek Carbon, which never fades and does not interfere with GPS or cell phones. The quote includes 35% tint on the rear windows and hatch, plus CA-legal tint on the front windows. The film used on the front windows is 90%, therefore CA legal and they will provide a certificate which can be shown if ever harassed by the law (this is legal according to CA vehicle code). They gave me a quote for $159 without tinting the front windows. These prices include taxes and lifetime guarantee. You can see them at Window Tinting Plus: The Professional Touch. They are located in Fremont and Oakland.

 

Relevant section of the CA vehicle code is 26708(d)

V.C. Section 26708 - Material Obstructing or Reducing Driver&rsquo;s View

 

Thanks for the link, pay special attention to subdivision (d) on the link above, and further (d) (4), which specifies the certificate from the company installing the window tint. I would print this part of the vehicle code and carry it with the certificate in my car's glove box if I tinted the front windows in CA, just in case you get approached by a cop who's foaming at the mouth to give you a ticket.

 

When I see those with tinted front side windows so dark that I cannot see the face of the driver or passenger, I MUST presume they do not see me. Furthermore, I believe they are acting as foolishly as those who drive excessively-lifted pickups or SUVs and who may think the world revolves around them. BTW, I drive a pickup and a jeep (and formerly rode a motorcycle), but I understand the basics of physics so they are not lifted. (Real off-road racing vehicles are lifted only enough to provide sufficient ground and tire clearance.)

It is sad, but I figger those who drive those tinted-window/lifted vehicles will someday join creation's other mistakes. I do hope they take out only themselves when the inevitable happens.

 

Airblue on my windshield, but I doubt any cop could ever tell unless they were told

 

I agree, Airblue 80 on the windshield, Pinnicle 50 on all the rest!! The UV was KILLING the interior!!!

 

I had tint on my front windows for roughly 150K miles. My wife drove my car to a meeting once and got pulled over for the tint, boy was she mad hahah. Anyways long story short I removed it myself with no issues, took a razor blade, some goof off, windex and about 30 minutes time. One tip i learned though was to do it on a hot day, leave the car parked in the sun with all the windows up for a few hours to soften the adhesive.

Went to the local police station to get the fix it signed off, cost me another $15 administration fee and she didnt even check the car......