What is the legal acceptable tinting percentage for windows in California? How much did it cost you to get your windows tinted on the G35 sedan?

Thanks!

 

Legally, no tint on front doors, anything goes on rear. I paid 215 for all 4 doors and rear.

 

Mcastlejr is right nothing allowed on the front side windows but that doesn't stop most people. you could use a light tint on the fronts then slightly darker in the rear or you could go 35% all aorund like I did.



Dark enough to make it hard to see through but not totally blacked out to raise the suspicion of the law.

 

How bad is visibility at night/rain with tints?

 

Obviously anytime you tint your windows, you are reducing the amount of available light coming through. On my Taurus SHO I had 50% which is really light. At night I was still able to identify crown victoria's from other cars. If it's truly a concern, go by a tint shop and grab some scraps. Put them up on you windows and check out the visibility at night.

 

The people saying that no tint is allowed on the front side windows are wrong. A very light tint, 70% and higher is allowed. You can check the vehicle code. That being said, it is not very strictly enforced from what I can tell. I know lots of people who've never had a problem with an illegal tint, myself included.

 

Your partially right but they can still nail you. California law states no window tint on the front sides unless you have a doctors note and it cannot be used during night time.

Here is what the code says
26708. (a) (1) No person shall drive any motor vehicle with any
object or material placed, displayed, installed, affixed, or applied
upon the windshield or side or rear windows.

(2) No person shall drive any motor vehicle with any object or
material placed, displayed, installed, affixed, or applied in or
upon the vehicle which obstructs or reduces the driver's clear
view through the windshield or side windows.

(10) Sun screening devices meeting the requirements of Section 26708.2
installed on the side windows on either side of the vehicle's front seat,
if the driver or a passenger in the front seat has in his or her
possession a letter or other document signed by a licensed physician and
surgeon certifying that the person must be shaded from the sun due to a
medical condition, or has in his or her possession a letter or other
document signed by a licensed optometrist certifying that the person must
be shaded from the sun due to a visual condition. The devices authorized
by this paragraph shall not be used during darkness.

 

California law aside, I have had 35% all around and 20%. I prefer 20%.I'm having my G done tomorrow. In MD, 35% is the limit, but I've been driving the Alti around for 3 years with 20%, and no probs, even when getting pulled over for something else. They are not real strict on it here. 20% makes a huge difference in the interior temp of the car on a sunny day. The 35% not that much.

 

10% all the way around, with sunstrip. no problems. as long as you don't get stupid around cops, they have no reason to pay attention to you. or do what i do, realizing that somethings just stick out, when you pull up next to a cop, put your fronts down. no tint!!! it's like magic. hey, it kept me out of trouble in cali for 7 years now.

 

I have 50 front, 35 rear... pulled over twice (for other reasons) and tint wasn't mentioned. However, technically it could be a citation... the bottom line is in this car if you act respectful you probably won’t have a problem unless it's "limo tint".

BTW, I wish I had gone a little darker all around - paid $250 for four sides and rear, it's the best tint job I have had in any of my cars!

 

You didn't read the rest of the section, although I was wrong on the 70% - it's 88% (yest, I do have an overwhelming need to be right ) :

 

You guys are in the right area of the vehicle code, but the bottom line is unless you have specific circumstances that most (if not all) of us do not; you are subject to a citation. It does not normally happen though.

To clarify - even if you had a medical need to refrain from sunlight and a doctor provided a verifiable "note" it's only valid during daylight. See: 26708 paragraph 10: The devices authorized by this paragraph shall not be used during darkness.

To clarify how much tint is allowed even if you had a medical condition that would legally permit the use during daylight only see: 26708.2 (b): Devices utilizing transparent material shall be green, gray, or a neutral smoke in color and shall have a luminous transmittance of not less than 35 percent.

The bottom line is: 26708.5.(a) No person shall place, install, affix, or apply any transparent material upon the windshield, or side or rear windows, of any motor vehicle if the material alters the color or reduces the light transmittance of the windshield or side or rear windows, except as provided in subdivision (b), (c), or (d) of Section 26708.

It is highly unlikely that you will get a ticket for moderate tint. Period. Unless you have other noteworthy citable issues and a bad attitude.

 

Paragraph 10 to which you are referring is part of 26708(a). 26708(d) specifically says "Notwithstanding subdivision (a)..."

Once again, read the end of your own quote: except as provided in subdivision (b), (c), or (d) of Section 26708.

In addition to an overwhelming need to be right, I do this for a living. California Codes are my home page at the office.

Now that's the bottom line.

 

35% on all windows except the windshield. The code is difficult to understand, like most code, but Gdream is correct. Windshield is either factory tint or a lesser percent, I think, from the top down to the index mark which is about 6 - 8 inches down (at the line that says ANSI ?). That being said you see a lot of cars with much darker tint and I don't know anyone personally with darker tint who has ever been cited.

 

wow...I've been to CA and enjoyed it. But the law (read above) and the crappy 91 octane gas would prevent me from moving to The Peoples Republic of California.........

comletely overboard.