Factory tint legal?

[colonel00]

I've been looking around for an answer to this but I can't seem to find anything.  

 

From what I understand, based on the etching on my windows, the Silverados come with 20% factory tint on the rear and backseat sides.  Here in Kansas, the legal limit for all windows is 35%.  Is it not a true 20%?  I doubt I'd ever have an issue but if I ever did get a ticket I'd be a bit upset.  I'm just wondering why GM does this and apparently never has issues?

[Duelin]

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Edited June 29, 2018 by Duelin

[virtualking]

Most states have a VLT legal limit of around 50% for the front driver windows and windshield,factory tint is only applied to the rear half of vehicles windows to avoid breaking the law

[Supreme Pizza]

I''m pretty sure that if you got a ticket, you could get it waived by mail, assuming that you bought the vehicle new in the same state as the ticket was received. They would re-issue the ticket to the manufacturer or retailer? Maybe not. Anyway, why do you ask about this? 

[rrmccabe]

I don't know the law but willing to bet what the general ships is legal in all 50 states.

[Supreme Pizza]

I think that you would had to buy the vehicle in the state the ticket was issued. For example, importing Cuban cigars. 

[spenpet]

13 hours ago, Duelin said:

I think if you read the law it says that 35% tint has to let more than 35% light pass thru the tint. Which mean that it has to let 65% light pass thru.

 

So 20% tint has to let more than 20% light pass thru. Which mean that i has to let 80% light pass thru.

 

So the 20% tint lets 15% more light pass thru than the 35% tint.

you have this backwards...20% is darker than 35%...for example, I believe limo tint is considered 5%...

 

but to answer your question, are you buying new or used?  if you are buying new from a dealer in the state you reside, they cannot sell you an illegal vehicle...(for example, I live in Oklahoma, and bought my truck from Iowa...OK doesn't have laws against front window tints...but apparently you cannot have any tint on front windows in Iowa...so they couldn't even tint the windows for me after I bought the truck...)

[Black02Silverado]

Vehicles that come from the factory have to meet all federal and state laws.  No worries. The tint laws are there for those that apply aftermarket tint to the vehicle.

[damnthetorpedoes]

this^^

 

The laws are for aftermarket tint. Where I am the law is 50% (basically clear glass) and no one gets attention for stock tint. 

[Duelin]

On 6/28/2018 at 8:51 AM, spenpet said:

you have this backwards...20% is darker than 35%...for example, I believe limo tint is considered 5%...

 

but to answer your question, are you buying new or used?  if you are buying new from a dealer in the state you reside, they cannot sell you an illegal vehicle...(for example, I live in Oklahoma, and bought my truck from Iowa...OK doesn't have laws against front window tints...but apparently you cannot have any tint on front windows in Iowa...so they couldn't even tint the windows for me after I bought the truck...)

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Edited June 29, 2018 by Duelin

[spenpet]

22 hours ago, Duelin said:

I was quoting Kansas Law. I will post it so everyone can read it if they want to.

 

Window tint darkness in Kansas

The percent of visible light allowed through your car windows is called VLT: Visible Light Transmission. The percentage of light allowed through your film and glass in Kansas is very specific and different for sedan cars and SUV cars or vans.

Tint darkness for sedans:

• Windshield: Non-reflective tint is allowed above the manufacturer's AS-1 line.
• Front Side windows: Must allow more than 35% of light in.
• Back Side windows: Must allow more than 35% of light in.
• Rear Window: Must allow more than 35% of light in.

Tint darkness for SUV and vans:

• Windshield: Non-reflective tint is allowed above the manufacturer's AS-1 line.
• Front Side windows: Must allow more than 35% of light in.
• Back Side windows: Must allow more than 35% of light in.
• Rear Window: Must allow more than 35% of light in.

 

 

specifically:

I think if you read the law it says that 35% tint has to let more than 35% light pass thru the tint. <==(this sentence is true) Which mean that it has to let 65% light pass thru.<==(this sentence is false)

 

So 20% tint has to let more than 20% light pass thru. <==(this sentence is not really accurate, but not completely false--20% tint lets 20% light through, not more or not less)...Which mean that i has to let 80% light pass thru. <==(this sentence is false, 20% tint lets in 20% light)

 

So the 20% tint lets 15% more light pass thru than the 35% tint.<==(this sentence is false, 35% tint lets in 15% more light than 20% tint)

 

20% tint only lets in 20% light (not 80%) 35% tint lets in 35% light, (not 65%)...i'm not trying to argue with you, but you were not quoting Kansas law, you were misunderstanding how they measure tint %...this last quote you just posted IS quoting Kansas law.

[colonel00]

On 6/28/2018 at 8:29 AM, damnthetorpedoes said:

 

On 6/28/2018 at 8:29 AM, damnthetorpedoes said:

this^^

 

The laws are for aftermarket tint. Where I am the law is 50% (basically clear glass) and no one gets attention for stock tint. 

 

On 6/28/2018 at 7:52 AM, Black02Silverado said:

Vehicles that come from the factory have to meet all federal and state laws.  No worries. The tint laws are there for those that apply aftermarket tint to the vehicle.

 

Interesting.  Is this stated anywhere?  A buddy of mine is a Kansas City, KS police officer.  Neighboring city and county but obviously still the same state.  I asked him and he said it didn't matter.  Now, I don't expect every officer to know the minute detail of every law.  However, I'd be interested to see where it does actually say in the law that it applies only to aftermarket tint and not factory tint.  That just seems like an odd inclusion in a law.

 

 

Edited July 2, 2018 by colonel00

[spenpet]

13 hours ago, colonel00 said:

 

 

Interesting.  Is this stated anywhere?  A buddy of mine is a Kansas City, KS police officer.  Neighboring city and county but obviously still the same state.  I asked him and he said it didn't matter.  Now, I don't expect every officer to know the minute detail of every law.  However, I'd be interested to see where it does actually say in the law that it applies only to aftermarket tint and not factory tint.  That just seems like an odd inclusion in a law.

 

 

my understanding is that when trucks come from the factory they are ordered from specific dealers in specific states...so 'factory' tint is specific to the state and are held by the laws of the state...again my understanding, when selling a new vehicle it cannot be an 'illegal' vehicle.  

 

as for aftermarket and used...you can go to wal-mart and slap some tint on that is darker than legal...it isn't tough...and there are plenty of legal applications of dark tint that don't apply to the 'law' of what we are talking about (like limo tint)...so it isn't illegal to install dark tint...the industry isn't regulated, you are just to know and understand the law in case you get stopped...does that help?

[Black02Silverado]

20 minutes ago, spenpet said:

my understanding is that when trucks come from the factory they are ordered from specific dealers in specific states...so 'factory' tint is specific to the state and are held by the laws of the state...again my understanding, when selling a new vehicle it cannot be an 'illegal' vehicle.  

 

All vehicles meet federal and state laws when they leave the assembly line.  No way are manufactures going to have select tinted glass sitting on the assembly line to put into specific vehicles as they roll down the line.  Just wouldn't make sense and would slow up production along with there is no place to put all these "state specific" tinted windows along the assembly line.  

 

It is one tint specification nation wide. Also as in our trucks and Suv's for the rear windows only.  That is why you don't see front windows tinted on vehicles coming from the factory on car carriers.  Once the dealer gets them then they tint the  vehicle per the applicable laws of that state.  Like my Cruze, when I got it the sticker had on it that it had dealer installed tint. 

[SarahsGMC]

just run it... I have 5% tint all the way around and don't have issues if a cop stops you over a 15% difference in your rear windows then that's one jerk of a cop.