Advice on tinting windshields

There is, or should be, no debate.......because you don't know what you are talking about.
Tinting a windshield is absolutely illegal.
And unsafe because of reasons given.
THAT trumps whether or not it helps with heat inside......or is should for anyone with more than 3 brain cells.

 

It's not just Australia from the comments above - apparently is also the law in Alabama. I googled a few other US states at random and most also said only the top 5" or above the AS-1 line.

 

Most websites talk about tinting laws, but don't talk about laws for 100% clear film. For example, most websites like AAA don't mention that North Carolina law has a specific law allowing clear film on the windshield:
"an untinted clear film which does not obstruct vision but which reduces or eliminates ultraviolet radiation from entering a vehicle may be applied to the windshield'
https://www.ncleg.net/gascripts/statutes/statutelookup.pl?statute=20-127

But unfortunately, I couldn't find an example of this for other states.
The Alabama law states:
"a person shall not operate a motor vehicle registered in this state under either of the following conditions:
(1) With material or glazing applied or affixed to the front windshield which reduces light transmission through the front windshield."

If a UV filter film on the windshield doesn't reduce light transmission at all, would that be legal?

Note that fix-it tickets are cheap, but getting the film off, then taking time off work to drive your car to get it checked for fixing the problem is not cheap. I know because I have received a fix-it ticket for a tinted window. A clear window film is not likely to be noticed, unless it starts peeling, or, as antiglare mentions, you get in an accident which cracks the window (which can then be used against you).

Edit add: jinxed by hill's post above, who also mentions the possibility of 0% tint being legal, since the law only addresses actual tinting.

Edit 2: Alabama law also mentions medical exemptions--can you get a doctor to say that you can be harmed by UV exposure?

 

be prepared to join my 3 brain cell lowbrow Club of disagreement.

And now that I've turned up the squelch as Bob Wilson calls it, here's a heat rejection chart that photosync publishes;

Their SPH75 is so virtually & very close to clear, you'd swear it is. It's just the arm and a leg that it costs we found as a downside.
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I would never have any kind of tint applied to the front windshield. To each his own. It does get hot when driving East in the morning, so I just turn South. And I do now regret getting the side windows so dark, makes it difficult to see clearly at night. But, it's easily changed or removed by the tint shop guys.

 

Many states say the front passenger & driver window can't be tinted at all. You can't even use these cool roll up or stick on goodies in many states.........


..... unless you have a medical exemption, BUT - you didn't hear it from me - the walking 3 brain-cell'ed scofflaw

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When I got my back and side windows done, I specify the lightest tint. I can't detect much difference in performance over darker ones. I well remember about '85, my father-in-law, in his 60s I guess, vision only "ordinary" bought a new wagon - it was the first car I had anything to do with which was tinted - and it was quite dark. He was wary about taking it out at night, and on occasions we went out together, would hand me the keys. Long time ago, but if I remember right, he had the front doors re-tinted lighter, but wanted the back done, but they were wary of taking it off a heated rear window and not damaging the heating elements.

 

California says you can have the rear 3 windows as dark as you want. I got "Limo." So I'm okay there. It's great when I take my Old Man naps in the car, with the AC running. And good that thugs and thieves can't see what I may have in the back seat.

It's my two FRONT windows that are not legal. They can be tinted, but very lightly. Guilty as charged, officer. (Just a fix-it ticket.) And fortunately, I don't have to drive at night if I don't want to.

 

Some 8 years back, I got caught by a real crime buster - a fix-It ticket - he wrote it up - front (almost clear, light) driver & passenger window tint. off it came - but only after watching YouTube videos on how to do it, because if the glue stays behind, it's a real nightmare. These bad boys worked great, film and glue all in one Fell Swoop. A mini/hand-held steamer.

Anybody remember from decades ago, that nasty film that would turn purple? And then bubble? Oh yeah, those were the days.
Here's another favorite illegal activity i did a few months back, because, who wants to drill holes and lose that perfect low drag coefficiency;
Laser printer certified, non photo chemically reactive, vinyl label license plate;



BuaaaHahaha . . .
Everyone that sees it, scratches their head, and then Smiles. But someday, some crime Buster will likely pull me over and make me peel it off. But i got more ...

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Heres yet another thought, my cousins windshield was tinted before she got her car, in FLORIDA so its hot down here too. After a few years, it started to bubble. Her windshield was a real mess till she scraped every inch of that crap off with a scraper.

 

here's our metalic coated, OEM - factory tinted windshield;

take legality up w/ their 3-brain cell manufacturers. Explain to them they don't know what they're talking about.

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I have 20% 3m tint all around and 40% 3m ceramic tint on the entire windshield. The Tint really helps out alot.

 

I'm sorry for the wording of my post.
I mis-read your sentence.....and by the time I realized it the edit time had expired.

A "coated" windshield is quite different from a "tinted" one......or can be.
This discussion is/was about after-market tinting.

Pretty sure that the OEM equipment has different rules.

 

I'm suddenly quite jealous!