hey everybody...
story starts like this

I purchased my 04 rx8 with some pretty dark tint not sure the exact level of tint but it's dark... anyway I took the car to Walmart one day saw a cop and and got an ok from him... got transferred to ca and **** hits the fan even though I'm registered in Nevada any insight?

 

for got to mention I go it from a dealer

 

Nevada Tint Laws:
Rear windows - No Restriction
Front Windows - 35% or higher OK.
Front Windshield - Non-Reflective any darkness above AS-1 line.

California Tint Laws:
Rear windows - No Restriction
Front Windows - 70% or higher OK.
Front Windshield - Non-Reflective any darkness not to extend beyond 4" from top of windshield.


Got that from a 10 second Google search dude...

If the cars got Nevada plates then you can have 35%.

 

**** hits the fan? Been pulled over? Ticketed?

Is it the car's registered location, the state of license or the state of permanent address/residency that matters?

 

if the car is yours and you live in CA but are keeping the car registered in NV you're in for a whole different kind of **** hitting the fan

 

That's kind of what I was thinking... Isn't part of registration supposed to be having an address associated with that vehicle? If so, it would make sense that there could be problems with keeping it registered in a different state if your permanent residence has moved to the new state.

And I thought the way that state laws were applied was dependent on the state of residence. I'd imagine you could get away with it if you still have your license from another state, though if an officer is able to determine that your permanent residence is within the state, there might be issues.

 

well I'm only here on military orders... I'm not keeping it registered in NV just for the tint... mostly because I just paid registration and then I had to transfer... anyway I know the 35% in NV is legal. my registration and license is NV but I was told by my insurance company that I need CA insurance. it's actually cheaper lol. anyway I got pulled over and got a "fix it ticket" and i really don't want to pay to get the tint removed then pay again when I leave CA to get it back seems like a wast of time and money.... and I deploy soon so the car won't be on the road for most of the time I'm actually in CA... I don't know I guess I'm just venting because CA laws are rediculess and I'm technically a NV state resident here in CA on military orders

 

What you will find in CA is that the cops and judiciary couldn't possibly care any less about what the laws actually are.
I received a tint ticket on my way home to AZ from San Diego a few years back. The cop didn't care that I didn't live in CA or that my car was registered where I do live or that, because of this, the ticket had no legal basis.
The $250 ticket quickly inflated to a $1400 ticket that triggered quite a few dunning letters over the years before it simply went away.

I pity anyone that lives in that state and owns a car.

 

A couple quick notes:

1- Military personnel are allowed to register their cars in the state they deem their home state. If thats Nevada, then your fine in vehicle registration. However there is nothing that says you can keep your Nevada license. If your stationed in California and living here, you need a California drivers license.

2- California vehicle code (and most states) say vehicles operated on their roads must conform to the laws. It does not exclude vehicles registered in other states. It doesn't even exclude vehicles passing through on vacation. Now, common sense and the spirit of the law is that the equipment laws only be enforced on vehicles here for an extended stay, 90+ days. So Jeff's experience shouldnt have happened, but there are always a few cops and judges who are special.

 

This would be a violation of the Interstate Compact.

Restricting movement of the population through the various states because of non-conformity to individual state laws is a violation of Federal statute.
The highway system is Federal ground. The States are essentially custodians, not owners of the interstates.

Tint is a restriction of registration and a mechanical ticket. They can only use the registration of the vehicle as leverage in enforcement.
To write a moving violation in the "other" category and pencil in my tint (without even using any sort of calibrated measurement, no less) is just a complete abuse of resources.

 

I am uneducated on the Interstate Compact, so I can not comment.

A Calibrated Measurement is not required. California vehicle Code simply states: 26708. (a) (1) A person shall not drive any motor vehicle with any object or material placed, displayed, installed, affixed, or applied upon the windshield or side or rear windows.

There are many exceptions, none of which allow a tint material to be applied to the drivers windows.

 

That, essentially, makes all window tint illegal.

 

Yep. The exception is glass that is manufactured with tint.

 

except when you read the rest of the statute:

http://dmv.ca.gov/pubs/vctop/d12/vc26708.htm

 

Still doesn't allow window tint film to be applied to the drivers windows because it will not confirm to Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard No. 205 (49 C.F.R. 571.205).

Basically you can glaze the glass but you can not apply a film.

 

true, but does make exceptions for tint on other areas.

I guess it's just me, I find the detail of the law interesting. Makes me wonder all the things that went on with a law to add all the subsections.

 

Interesting? Try frustrating. Sometimes I get a headache trying to read and understand the law. I read one thing and think I understand, then I read another and I am confused, read another and think "ok I got it now" until someone points out something else that I didn't see and it superceeds everything else.

If there is one thing I know for a fact, is that I am not sure about anything.

 

at least you think it went away. don't be surprised if you have a warrant in california.

as far as the law, anything above totally clear glass in california will get you pulled over if a cop doesn't have anything better to do and notices you. even the 70% rule goes out the window if it's even remotely tinted and they notice it.

in nevada you can have completely blacked out windows and cops do not care, completely reverse of how california is. even loud exhaust cops usually do not care about in nevada.

now if you are staying in california for an extended period of time, more than 10 or 14 days i forget, you must register in california and conform to california law. if you get pulled over like MM did and get written a ticket while just driving through, at least go through the process of writing the court for a trial by mail, stating you are not a resident so you are not bound by local law. expecting people to detint their windows before entering the state is unrealistic, the court will throw it out and i would tell the officer that as well(as mentioned there will be special cases but if you prove you live out of state i can't envision it sticking). he is just wasting both of your time, unless you are being a dick about it which will certainly still get you the ticket to most definitely waste YOUR time.

if you are military you can keep your home state of residence outside of california, the cops may have some jurisdiction that you have to remove the tint since you are staying in california for an extended period of time but i have never had any of my customers complain about being reffed for emissions while retaining out of state residence nor even have an issues with tint. most military also retain their out of state license as well but mainly use their military ID. this is the first i have heard of such a cop hassling an out of state military personnel living in california. what did you do to get on his bad side? i have had dozens of military customers over the years while i lived in california.

 

I went back-and-forth with the courts in CA over this ticket until, one day, they just stopped contacting me.
In their system, the citation went inactive and unavailable.
The last time I had my license run in CA, it didn't raise a flag, so I have no reason to believe it is still on the books.

 

Where the car is registered generally means nothing. Some states will not ticket out of state drivers but quite a lot of them will it just depends how their tint law is written. Some tint laws(utah for example) say in them "ANY vehicle" can be ticketed and some state laws (colorado) say the car must be registered in colorado for the laws to apply to it.


I know cops in Las Vegas really do not care about window tint. Mine is not super dark but it is 15% on the driver and passenger windows. I have driven by and next to several cops with my windows up and never had any trouble out here. On my last trip through Utah I was in the damn state for maybe 4 hours and I get pulled over for illegal tint but managed to only get a warning.

 

ah, the way you worded it sounded like you ignored it completely.

most of the time they will let it go, but usually this requires a lengthy back and forth through the mail process or showing up in court to state your case. complete waste of time and taxpayer dollars for the sake of revenue. i definitely do not miss living in that state and i'm sure my trips to california will still net me some hassle from cops, usually the highway patrol leaves NV residents alone on the mojave run through death valley though, they know we're broke and have to deal with the ****** that come here just to visit vegas and have to wait on them as their "entertainers".

 

I didn't do anything to get on his bad side besides having dark tint lol he saw me on at a 4-way stop light he was to my left my light turned green I went and he signale to pull over I did and I handed him all my info including my military ID. he said I'm stopping you for your tint wrote me the ticket said remove it get it inspected and you will be fine then he left

 

Obviously he had nothing better to do. Tint and front plate are usually by
1. A cop that's **** about everything and hates life so much he has to put his hate onto others or
2. The cop has nothing else better to do but stop a "suspicious" car.

Just pay the fine an call it a day

 

Or 3) owns an inferior piston powered POS lol anyway any reliable tint shops in the central valley?

 

this is why they give you a ticket for tint
they cant see what your smoking.
thats it plain and simple