Window tint ticket advice

[huffhinesce]

I was just on my way home and got pulled over. It was a little after 9 pm. Long story short, I got a ticket for the tint on my driver side window. The Missouri law the last I heard was 35% plus or minus 3% for error. I have heard that at night or if the window is dirty that the tint checker thing can give a faulty reading. Is the ticket or tint that big of a deal? NO. I just think it is bs because when my wife took the car to get the tint she asked for the legal limit exactly and the officer told me it was at 24%. Hard to believe it is that far off or that the place she took it to would put a darker tint than what we asked for. Anyways, just wondering if there is anyway to fight the ticket. I'm not trying to weasle out of it or anything but when I ask for legal tint and would assume it is, kind of sucks to get a ticket for it. I'm thinking get a receipt of some sort from the place it was done at and see if it states what tint they installed. Any more ideas?

[WS6]

The shop should have given you an invoice for their work. That invoice should have stated it was legal limit. Do you still have that invoice?

We have strict laws in GA too. They apply to everyone but cops and those with the blue stripe stickers(which indicates cop or family member) because cops get to break the laws. Anyway, I had 20% put on the front windows of my trailblazer to match the rest of the windows which had factory tint. The invoice I got specifically states the customer was notified that the tint was illegal. The invoice also stated 20% tint plus the 5% I put across to top of the windshield.

If you don't have an invoice or a cop friend who you can ask about the night versus day testing, just pay the ticket and cross your fingers as you drive past the police

[huffhinesce]

I don't have the invoice anymore but I'm sure I can get a copy of it. As far as asking the cop, my buddy is one in another city but he told me that he never writes tickets for tint so never uses the tester. Most cops down there where he is at never do either.

[67 ls1 vert]

removed do to smart a$# commits

[derekf]

When I got my tint ticket, I pled not guilty.

18 months later when it finally came up for pretrial, I told the ADA that I'd scraped the tint off; that was sufficient to get the ticket dismissed with a 10$ fee.

Now, had I not scraped it, and got another ticket for it later, that could have gone badly for me.

[Ash]

Two things to look into, in regards to "Missouri Revised Statutes"
Chapter 307 Vehicle Equipment Regulations Section 307.173

#1. part five states that "Any vehicle licensed with a historical license plate shall be exempt from the requirements of this section." If you were driving a classic, and have a historical plate, I'm pretty sure this is saying the tint rule does not apply.....but clarification on this vague statement is needed.

#2. Well, it's a shot in the dark, but do you or do any immediate relatives have a medical condition that would "require" darker tint? (maybe even medicine that is necessary to be with you at all times, that is photosensitive or heat sensitive)

Missouri law states:

"A permit to operate a motor vehicle with front sidewing vents or windows located immediately to the left and right of the driver that have a sun screening device, in conjunction with safety glazing material, which permits less light transmission and luminous reflectance than allowed under the requirements of this subsection, may be issued by the department of public safety to a person having a serious medical condition which requires the use of a sun screening device if the permittee's physician prescribes its use. The director of the department of public safety shall promulgate rules and regulations for the issuance of the permit. The permit shall allow operation of the vehicle by any titleholder or relative within the second degree by consanguinity or affinity, which shall mean a spouse, each grandparent, parent, brother, sister, niece, nephew, aunt, uncle, child, and grandchild of a person, who resides in the household. Except as provided in subsection 2 of this section, all sun screening devices applied to the windshield of a motor vehicle are prohibited."

Here in Florida, all you have to do is mail off a affidavit, signed by your doctor, stating it's a nesesity. Then you receive your exemption sticker in the mail. You might get pulled over on the daily for having mobbed out windows, but all you do is point to the sticker


Here's the link http://www.protintwizards.com/MOregulations.html

[CarlC]

Now, had I not scraped it...

No need to scrape. Take a black trash bag and cut it so that it overlaps the window by an inch or so. Single layer. Spray the window thoroughly with a soapy water mixture. Spray the bag as well. Put the bag on the window so that there is a thin layer of water between the film and the bag. Leave the window facing the sun for about 1/2 hour. The film should release and peel right off.

[Damn True]

you know, this topic really pisses me off!!! I wish all states had the same laws. I live in California and you can not have anything on your windows but if you go next door to Arizona, you can. We have a max speed of 65mph for most of our highways but you drive to other states and you see 70, 75mph. I use to drive cross country and with big rigs there is so many different laws for oversize, over weight limits, and height limits, that you really have a hard time remembering them all. I think it's just a way for the law makers to rape us. I am done venting. as you were. Sorry.

So you'd just toss the 10th Amendment into the trash eh? I'm not ready to give up any more "states rights" than we already have.

[derekf]

67LS1, you need to be telling your (state) elected officials these things, that you'd prefer the CA laws be less restrictive; that you want tint allowed and the state speed limit adjusted, and all that.

Venting here doesn't help any, and the rest of us REALLY don't want the CA laws inflicted upon us.

[BritishGreen68]

No need to scrape. Take a black trash bag and cut it so that it overlaps the window by an inch or so. Single layer. Spray the window thoroughly with a soapy water mixture. Spray the bag as well. Put the bag on the window so that there is a thin layer of water between the film and the bag. Leave the window facing the sun for about 1/2 hour. The film should release and peel right off.

worth reading for this right here! Didnt know that...

[huffhinesce]

Sorry for the late reply, I was at a funeral today. To answer a few questions. No I wasn't in a classic, mine is still under construction. It was my daily driver. My family nor I have any medical conditions that would permit a darker than legal tint. But this is not really the point of my posting. The problem is that I received a ticket for my tint that when I got it, was supposed to be the legal limit. It does not seem too dark to me, which is what I was going for. I was not trying to black out my windows or nothing, just keeps the inside of the car a bit cooler in the summer. Also, since I got the ticket and I think that maybe due to the lack of light and dirt on the window, that maybe the tint checker was giving a false reading. I don't see a tint place putting a darker tint on than I asked for. If there are any police officers on here maybe they could jump in here and give me some clarification on this as well as what I can do. Can I go get it checked by my local police station during the day to double check the percentage to get the ticket thrown out, or get the tint redone lighter then go to court to show that it has been corrected? I can get the tint redone for free, which is better than $125.

[justasquid]

I'd go down to the local police department and ask. Im sure if the tester is something they use and have readily available, they won't have a problem testing your windows in the day light with a clean window. In fact, when you get a fix it ticket around here, thats the course of action is to go to the police department and have it ok'd. And at least that way, it will rule out the possibility of the dirty window at night causing the problem, good or bad, at least you'll be more informed for your next decission.

Lord knows cops make mistakes. Its not hard to imagine the cop used the tester improperly.

[minendrews68]

My daughter has gotten a ticket like this too. I think what really makes me mad is that the average Joe cannot tint his windows past XX%, yet the police around here has privacy tint all around. Shouldn't it be the same laws for everyone? Yeah I know......

[Iamtheonlyreal1]

You know... I dont understand why California has a problem with window tint, officer security I am sure.. Couldnt it be argued that is a Green improvment, less use of Air Conditioning? ha ha.. I thought at one point they were trying to limit the sales of darker colored cars because of waste of fuel for cooling issues.

California has no sense in their B.S. rules. They are contridictory in so many ways, I am glad I got out of there.

[2ndgenhunter]

As being legal your car could have lite tint stock. Could be the reason for illegal reading.

[68Formula]

As being legal your car could have lite tint stock. Could be the reason for illegal reading.

Very true. Factory tint + legal limit aftermarket tint = illegal tint

I went slightly lighter on the front because the factory + aftermarket tint would have put me slightly over the limit and I didn't want to worry about redoing them.

My old state didn't allow any on the front, so I put the lightest available on it - think like 50% (still made a huge difference on driver fatigue on sunny days), and went darker on the rest (35% on rear sides, 20% on rear quarter windows, 35% on back). Not only was it subtle, but the mild front/rear contrast helped mask the fact. However, I didn't go really dark the other widows though because the fronts will visually appear darker as you limit light through the other windows. Probably wouldn't change an actual reading, but would make you more likely to get pulled over. I also don't like going too dark on the rear because it makes it more difficult at dusk to see what exactly is behind you. I do put on a little to help with headlight glare.

I don't think it would hurt to have them recheck your windows on a sunny day after they've been cleaned. (Remember to not use ammonia-based cleaners - usually only water is recommended).

In case anyone is interested, here's a good reference site:

http://www.tintcenter.com/laws/

[Tom 72RS/SS]

Usually, the only cops that bother to hassle you for tint in MO. is the Highway Patrol. I would go back to the tint shop for a copy of your receipt stating the correct percentage was installed and stop by your local police dept. for verification. It it matches what the law allows it will be dropped in court.

[PT Sportwagon]

In about 1990 I was driving home from leave. I stopped at a rest area and had a Mich state trooper pull up and ask if I had a letter? I asked" Letter?"
Yeah a letter? For your tinting. I said no I am in the Air Force and live in South Dakota. ( my plates where MI)
He gave me a fixxit ticket. Which I just had a local South Dakota Law Enforcement Officer sign off as the tint being legal, Which the tint was in South Dakota. I could have done it myself as I was a USAF cop but I figured to get an outside agency to do it.
I wonder what the MI cop would have done if I signed it off in front of him and handed it back.

Tim