Tinted window laws in Minnesota?

[Finlander]

I just purchased a used Tahoe that has dark tinted windows and was wondering if anybody has any idea what is legal or illegal?

If illegal, can the tint be removed as I really don't care for dark tinted glass?

[jentz]

I got ticketed in a used truck I bought in texas,It was in 2008 and the ticket was from the Mn.highway patrol near Albertlea.It was stated then that the tint was to dark it had to be light enough for the authorities to see inside the vechile while in motion.I removed the tint,went infront of a judge and pleaded my case of just buying.I was forgiven and no fines were applied.

[Tom7227]

Minn. Stat 169.71

Subd. 4.Glazing material; prohibitions and exceptions.

(a) No person shall drive or operate any motor vehicle required to be registered in the state of Minnesota upon any street or highway under the following conditions:

(1) when the windshield is composed of, covered by, or treated with any material which has the effect of making the windshield more reflective or in any other way reducing light transmittance through the windshield;

(2) when any window on the vehicle is composed of, covered by, or treated with any material that has a highly reflective or mirrored appearance;

(3) when any side window or rear window is composed of or treated with any material so as to obstruct or substantially reduce the driver's clear view through the window or has a light transmittance of less than 50 percent plus or minus three percent in the visible light range or a luminous reflectance of more than 20 percent plus or minus three percent; or

(4) when any material has been applied after August 1, 1985, to any motor vehicle window without an accompanying permanent marking which indicates the percent of transmittance and the percent of reflectance afforded by the material. The marking must be in a manner so as not to obscure vision and be readable when installed on the vehicle.

( This subdivision does not apply to glazing materials which:

(1) have not been modified since the original installation, nor to original replacement windows and windshields, that were originally installed or replaced in conformance with Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard 205;

(2) are required to satisfy prescription or medical needs of the driver of the vehicle or a passenger if:

(i) the driver or passenger is in possession of the prescription or a physician's statement of medical need;

(ii) the prescription or statement specifically states the minimum percentage that light transmittance may be reduced to satisfy the prescription or medical needs of the patient; and

(iii) the prescription or statement contains an expiration date, which must be no more than two years after the date the prescription or statement was issued; or

(3) are applied to:

(i) the rear windows of a pickup truck as defined in section 168.002, subdivision 26;

(ii) the rear windows or the side windows on either side behind the driver's seat of a van as defined in section 168.002, subdivision 40;

(iii) the side and rear windows of a vehicle used to transport human remains by a funeral establishment holding a license under section 149A.50;

(iv) the side and rear windows of a limousine as defined in section 168.002, subdivision 15; or

(v) the rear and side windows of a police vehicle.

[LightningBG]

I say just leave it be. If you get a ticket, take it off.

I even went out of state to have my windows tinted (darker than they could do in MN)

Last thing I need is more gawkers looking at how beautiful I am, when they should be paying attention to the road.

Are the front windows tinted, or just the rear?

[Ryan_V]

Last thing I need is more gawkers looking at how beautiful I am, when they should be paying attention to the road.

Now thats funny

[Finlander]

All windows are tinted except the windshield! I tried backing up my boat in the dark and i could hardly see the boat! I'm taking it off!

[fishinfey8]

I had a Little Canada city police officer pull me over while I was pulling out of my college apartment parking lot for my window tint being too dark. I told him that I bought the vehicle that way (which I did), and his response was, "well, now that I know where you live, I am going to park outside your apartment tomorrow and if you don't have the tint removed, I will ticket you." The next day I got pulled over and sure enough, got a ticket for around a hundred bucks! I will never try and call a cops bluff again!! After getting the ticket I still had to remove the tint...if I were you, I would just take it off!

[shortfatguy]

A friend of mine got pulled over for window tint in a truck he had just bought at a dealership. When he told the cop he just bought it he asked where it was purchased from and told my friend he was going to give them the ticket. I dont know if he ever did but I thought that was interesting.

[slammer]

SHOW ME YOUR PAPERS, Please.

[MJBaldwin]

I know plenty of people that have been pulled over for this issue including myself. Legal limit is 35% I believe. This is supposed to include the factory tint. This is only the front windows that have to be like that so a police officer can see the drive/passenger. I have 10% but when they scanned it was closer to 7-8%. I think it’s all about preference and the officer if they want to pull you over they can for just about anything you might as well add one more thing!

Backing up a trailer/boat is very hard at night with tinted windows but it’s doable.

Front windshields cannot be tinted in MN, I know that you can get the upper portion of the front window tinted though I know a few people who push their limit on how far down that can go as well.

[MJBaldwin]

On a side note the ticket for window tint is either pay the 80 bucks (thats what it was when I got it) or remove the tint one or the other I chose to pay the ticket. Another side note I havent had an issue with it yet.

[LightningBG]

I had a Little Canada city police officer pull me over while I was pulling out of my college apartment parking lot for my window tint being too dark. I told him that I bought the vehicle that way (which I did), and his response was, "well, now that I know where you live, I am going to park outside your apartment tomorrow and if you don't have the tint removed, I will ticket you." The next day I got pulled over and sure enough, got a ticket for around a hundred bucks! I will never try and call a cops bluff again!! After getting the ticket I still had to remove the tint...if I were you, I would just take it off!

Remember, Protect and Serve! (not really sure who they are protecting or serving though. Maybe the depts budget.)