Question about Michigan window tinting law
02-12-2003, 12:58 PM
#1
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Question about Michigan window tinting law
I went to my local shop (first class auto) and asked them about mirrored window tinting. The man who helped me said they will do the tinting, but it is illegal and most people who have it get harassed by police about it. He also told me the price of the ticket is more than the tinting, and he didn't think it was worth it.
If i remembor correctly you can have any darkness of tinting on your back windows, but cannot have more than 35% on the front windows. Today i thought i remembered something about having a 6" strip along the top of the window. I dont remember if you could tint the whole window except a 6" strip, or could only tint the strip.
I was thinking if you could tint everything but the strip i could get the mirrored tinting, and leave the top couple inches untinted, or get them darkened a little.
If anyone knows the law, or where i could find it that would be a huge help.
If i remembor correctly you can have any darkness of tinting on your back windows, but cannot have more than 35% on the front windows. Today i thought i remembered something about having a 6" strip along the top of the window. I dont remember if you could tint the whole window except a 6" strip, or could only tint the strip.
I was thinking if you could tint everything but the strip i could get the mirrored tinting, and leave the top couple inches untinted, or get them darkened a little.
If anyone knows the law, or where i could find it that would be a huge help.
02-14-2003, 05:45 AM
#2
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You could paint your rear windows black if you wanted to, but you can not have ANY tint on the side windows (side windows meaning the front driver and passanger windows) EXCEPT for the top 6 inches. Personally, I think just having the top 6" tinted on the windows looks like crap. Seems to be popular with the 89 Escort crowd. The mirrored look seems to be most popular with the 86 Camaro and
In photos, having just the rear 3 windows tinted looks a bit odd, but in person I really like it - especially with the WRX's dark interior. My buddy Brian has his car like this and I always thought he had all 5 windows done. Maybe I was too busy looking under his hood at the VF30?
That being said, I have all 5 windows on my car tinted. I have a medium tint because the dark WRX interior makes the tint look darker than it is. The reason that cops don't like tint is because when they approach your car, you could be getting a gun and they wouldn't see. It has nothing to do with your ability to see out - otherwise dark sunglasses would be illegal. So, in the one time I was pulled over since having tint, I rolled down ALL 4 windows, put on the dome light and put my keys on the dashboard. That lets the cop know you aren't going to run or pull any surprises. If the officer asks why you rolled down the windows, admit that you have tint and you wanted him to be able to see in. If you even hint that you rolled down the windows hoping he wouldn't notice you have tint, you'll go home with a ticket. Cops hate liars and they can tell if you aren't being honest from a mile away.
But... in Michigan, you can now be pulled over for tinted windows. The law used to dictate you could only be cited for tinted windows if you were pulled over for something else, but now it's considered a moving violation. So, if the reason you are getting pulled over IS the tinted windows (like you got too dark of a tint or got that mirrored junk) you might not be able to get your way out of the ticket. I do know of a few friends that got out of that ticket when they scheduled a court date and showed up to court with the tint removed from the front windows. So, if you do get ticket, you may just have to remove the tint from the front windows to get out of paying.
In photos, having just the rear 3 windows tinted looks a bit odd, but in person I really like it - especially with the WRX's dark interior. My buddy Brian has his car like this and I always thought he had all 5 windows done. Maybe I was too busy looking under his hood at the VF30?
That being said, I have all 5 windows on my car tinted. I have a medium tint because the dark WRX interior makes the tint look darker than it is. The reason that cops don't like tint is because when they approach your car, you could be getting a gun and they wouldn't see. It has nothing to do with your ability to see out - otherwise dark sunglasses would be illegal. So, in the one time I was pulled over since having tint, I rolled down ALL 4 windows, put on the dome light and put my keys on the dashboard. That lets the cop know you aren't going to run or pull any surprises. If the officer asks why you rolled down the windows, admit that you have tint and you wanted him to be able to see in. If you even hint that you rolled down the windows hoping he wouldn't notice you have tint, you'll go home with a ticket. Cops hate liars and they can tell if you aren't being honest from a mile away.
But... in Michigan, you can now be pulled over for tinted windows. The law used to dictate you could only be cited for tinted windows if you were pulled over for something else, but now it's considered a moving violation. So, if the reason you are getting pulled over IS the tinted windows (like you got too dark of a tint or got that mirrored junk) you might not be able to get your way out of the ticket. I do know of a few friends that got out of that ticket when they scheduled a court date and showed up to court with the tint removed from the front windows. So, if you do get ticket, you may just have to remove the tint from the front windows to get out of paying.
02-16-2003, 12:26 AM
#3
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Under the MVC, a person may not drive a motor vehicle with a sign, poster, nontransparent material, window application, reflective film, or nonreflective film upon or in the front windshield, the side windows immediately adjacent to the driver or front passenger, or the sidewings adjacent to and forward of the driver or front passenger, except for tinted film along the top edge of the windshield and the side windows or sidewings which does not extend more than four inches from the top of the windshield, or lower than the shade band, whichever is higher.
That is what I found. The thing is, the first ticket is I believe $75. The next one is x2. The next one is twice that.
They shouldn't write you for vision obstruction for it. It looked like one guy went to court in about it in my findings and got it dropped.
I have had tinted windows in the past and all it is an excuse to pull you over. You just have to wiegh the balances of "looking cool" or getting pulled over.
A trick I used with one of my pickups was not having the rear window tinted but the side ones were. It wasn't that dark inside and they didn't bother me much with that done. "Much" meaning pulled over a couple times and had them mentioned but never got a ticket for it.
That is what I found. The thing is, the first ticket is I believe $75. The next one is x2. The next one is twice that.
They shouldn't write you for vision obstruction for it. It looked like one guy went to court in about it in my findings and got it dropped.
I have had tinted windows in the past and all it is an excuse to pull you over. You just have to wiegh the balances of "looking cool" or getting pulled over.
A trick I used with one of my pickups was not having the rear window tinted but the side ones were. It wasn't that dark inside and they didn't bother me much with that done. "Much" meaning pulled over a couple times and had them mentioned but never got a ticket for it.
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