Can't seem to get away from this, called the dmv office today, woman told me something like this " the federal government makes all cars with 70% tint (70% light passing through the window) - thats the base" Then she says in PA the law is that all windows must be 70%.
She also explained to me that the expemtions are for medical reasons ONLY and for COLORLESS uv blocking materials ONLY (this is all very vauge in the documents ive read).
I'm no lawyer but reading this I can't comprehend how it could be interpreted any other way, note the italicized stuff is "sort of" irrelevant.
PA Vehicle Code Title 75:
http://www.dmv.state...e/chapter45.pdf
Sun screening and other materials prohibited.--
(1)
No person shall drive any motor vehicle with any sun
screening device or other material which does not permit a
person to see or view the inside of the vehicle through the
windshield, side wing or side window of the vehicle.
(2) This subsection does not apply to:
(i) A vehicle which is equipped with tinted windows
of the type and specification that were installed by the
manufacturer of the vehicle or to any hearse, ambulance,
government vehicle or any other vehicle for which a
currently valid certificate of exemption has been issued
in accordance with regulations adopted by the department.
(ii) A vehicle which is equipped with tinted
windows, sun screening devices or other materials which
comply with all applicable Federal regulations and for
which a currently valid certificate of exemption for
medical reasons has been issued in accordance with
regulations adopted by the department.
(3) A certificate of exemption shall be issued by the
department for a vehicle which is:
(i) Registered in this Commonwealth on the effective
date of this subsection and is equipped with a sun
screening device or other material prohibited under
paragraph (1) on the effective date.
(ii) Equipped with tinted windows, sun screening
devices or other materials for a physical condition that
makes it necessary to equip the motor vehicle with sun
screening material which would be of a light
transmittance or luminous reflectance in violation of
this section.
(A) A certificate of exemption for medical
reasons shall be issued only if the owner or
registrant of the vehicle, or a person residing in
the household of the owner or registrant who
regularly drives or is driven in the vehicle, suffers
from a physical condition determined by the
department, in consultation with the Medical Advisory
Board, to justify the exemption.
( 
Any person requesting an exemption for
medical reasons shall have his physical condition
certified to the department by a licensed physician
or optometrist.
(4) A certificate of exemption issued under this
subsection shall be carried in the vehicle and displayed on
request of a police officer.
(5) Upon the sale or transfer of the vehicle to any
person who does not qualify under paragraph (2)(ii), the
exemption shall be null and void. Prior to the sale or
transfer of an exempt vehicle, it shall be the sole
responsibility of the owner or seller of a formerly exempt
vehicle to remove all sun screening or other materials from
the vehicle. At the time of the sale or transfer of a
formerly exempt vehicle, the owner shall remove and destroy
the certificate of exemption for physical reasons and provide
the purchaser with a notarized statement setting forth the
name and address of the owner or seller, the vehicle
identification number, year and model, and the business
entity and process used to remove the sun screening or other
material.
(f) Exception.--This section does not apply to mobile video
recording equipment installed in a vehicle exclusively used for
official police purposes.
(Feb. 15, 1980, P.L.12, No.8, eff. imd.; Dec. 8, 1982, P.L.842,
No.234, eff. Apr. 1, 1983; July 10, 1984, P.L.679, No.146, eff.
60 days; Nov. 21, 1990, P.L.556, No.137, eff. 180 days; June 22,
2001, P.L.559, No.37, eff. 60 days; June 11, 2002, P.L.370,
No.53, eff. imd.)
-- So this is the PA Vehicle law- it says NOTHING about specific tint regulations. It simply states that a person must be able to see through to glass.
So this could be interpreted multiple ways, as I see it, if 70% tint is allowed then 30% should be too- BOTH allow you to see through it. In fact, in accordance with this law, 1% tint would be the legal limit... as you could still
theoretically see through it. (Not that this should be allowed lol) again it states
My next realization was that there is a different set of rules here that aid to the confusion.
Ironically (as mentioned in previous posts) state inspection stations CANNOT fail a car for tint AT ALL unless it is on the windshield (also from the discussion with the lady from the state)
However this document is for the state vehicle inspections for passenger cars/light trucks, which is :
http://www.dmv.state...5/section_e.pdf
if you search for "sun screen" the first result:
175.67. GLAZING. ->
(d) Obstructions ->
A sun screening device or other material
which does not permit a person to see or
view the inside of the vehicle is prohibited,
unless otherwise permitted by
FMVSS No. 205,
or a certificate of
exemption has been issued in compliance
with §175.265 (relating to
exemption provisions) .
See Table X for
specific requirements for vehicles
subject to this subchapter. Passenger
car requirements relating to the rear
window are delineated by vehicle model
year in Table X.
So I've been trying to hunt down this federal guideline, I've found this:
http://edocket.acces...9cfr571.205.pdf
But I would like an official government source for it.
I will get to the bottom of this. I am sick of the state having a bunch of bullshit laws, passing them as VAGUE as possible and letting the law enforcement screw us by interpreting it as they wish... If the law book (title 75) said no tint beyond 30% (as many states do this, just a specific number in the law book, done.) then fine. But it does not, cops are privileged to cite us and convict us as they please with laws THEY literally make up.
Currently it almost looks as if that "table x" contradicts the actual law... and no where have i found the "table x" as being an actual law, it has been mentioned on a few sites to simply be yet another
interpretation.
Sorry for my rants... just get wired on this... perhaps should of been a lawyer...
its fucking time:
Edited by pcguru000, 29 November 2011 - 06:58 PM.
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