Tinted windows in Minnesota

[Hotwheels]

I know there's a fair constituency of MN people on here, and figure you probably have more knowledge about this than I do. A coworker, who is a car enthusiast, and owns a few classic cars, is trying to get in the business of doing window tinting, and approached me about whether I would like to get the windows on my Mustang tinted. He told me he'd bought some nice quality tint - 15% and 20%, but could also get other percentages if I wanted something different. He said he'd do it for $10/window, since he's looking for vehicles to improve his skills on right now. Seems like a pretty good deal, and I'm pretty sure he would do a good job of it.

My question is....from what I can find, MN laws say that tint can be no more than 50%? Trying to look for some pics, 50% looks almost like wasted effort. What kind of tint do you guys have, and have you had problems with getting ticketed? 20% looks nice, and 35% would be a decent compromise I think, but the last thing I want is to be pestered by law enforcement. I've already got enough to worry about driving a bright yellow Mustang

My Grand Cherokee I previously owned had the front windows tinted by the previous owner to nearly match the back factory tint, and I really liked it, and had zero problems from the police. What's your take on this?

[00Beast]

I'm going 50% on my car. I just want to get a little darker, but still be legal.

If you can get an eye doctor to "Prescribe" you tinted windows and get the DOT to sign off on it, you can go as dark as you want, lol.

[bonnevillain]

I have 50%. In cloudy or indirect light it looks great, in bright sun it doesn't even look tinted.

viewtopic.php?f=9&t=10847&hilit=+tint

[olblueeyesbonne]

It also depends on the color of the car -Andrew's blue 00 SSEi w/50% looks like 35% to me.
Same with the black/black/graphite wheels Volvo S60R I was riding in last night -it had 50% and it looked darker than 35% to me.
I got stopped in the white Dodge truck the other day by a state trooper and he measured the drivers door tint at 37% -he pretty much pulled me over b/c I had a Shaded Image Window Tinting sticker in the back window -this particular trooper put Shaded Image out of business in MN. He's also done everything he can to make auto owners pawns to the state with his ultra-liberal views of the general public -he literally STALKS bars in his off time b/c he will do everything he can to catch anyone doing the slightest thing wrong and call in an on-duty officer. He even has his wife do it w/him. Total d-ba.... If you ever are between Maple Grove and Alexandria, and 15-20 miles north or south of 94 in that stretch either he or Trooper Blye (from Buffalo) will take you down. Blye even went so far as to walk up to my drivers window with the hand cuffs in his left hand and right hand on his gun the first time he stopped me for tint in my SSEi (dark green car -35% tint on door glass only -no tint front or rear windshield and my sunroof was wide open in broad daylight). He then proceeded to tell me he was confiscating my car and made me get out on 94, gave me a pat down and put me in the back of his squad car with no need to. I was calm, complient and way too respectful in that situation considering his behaviour and he still laid an egg. He never lowered his voice below screaming even after we got in his car -had to ask him to repeat himself a couple times he was screaming to obnoxiously. Literally a case for the mental ward IMHO.

[vogie01]

You can actually get an type of doctor to sign off on prescription for tint such as an eye doctor, chiropractor, or medical doctor. You must carry it in the car with you as well.

I would not consider 50% a waste of time at all. There is metal in the tint that blocks ultraviolet rays. Tint is essential if you have leather seats. I had a 95 Monte Carlo Z34 that had black leather, and no tint. The leather was dried out from the sun, and as hard as a park bench. It made the car so uncomfortable to drive.

MN state troopers are the only law enforcement officers that I have ever encountered that care about illegal tint, and I have seen them go as far as to scratch it and try to take off your tint on a stop.

I would also tell your friend to not advertise that he will do illegal tint. He can get a huge fine from the state, and shut his business before he even gets going. He needs to get a waiver written up for people to sign that want illegal tint to keep his butt out off hot water. That is what all the tint guys here in St. Cloud do as well.

[Hotwheels]

Thanks everyone so far for the info. This has all been very helpful, since I have never personally gotten a car tinted before. I've always been a law-abiding citizen, and it sounds like I really should keep it at 50%. Looking at Ryan's pictures taken without direct sunlight make it not look so bad. I guess the only pics I dug up were of cars in direct sunlight. I really don't want to create any trouble, and having that peace of mind is worth something to me.

Vogie01, I also had a '98 Z34 with black leather, and yeah....it could sure get warm in there with a black exterior, and sunroof to boot! This Mustang also has black leather, so it would be nice to preserve it, and keep it cooler when the top is up (any time it's sitting out in the sun parked anywhere, it has the top always up). Those are all really good, valid points you've got. Funny thing is, I probably could obtain some sort of prescription for tint, since I have actually had some eye issues in the recent past. Just depends on whether I want to go through the trouble of it all. If I do anything, it probably will be 50% though, just to be safe. Like you say, if it's still helping cool the interior, that's really what I'm aiming for, although it does help the aesthetics as well.

Any other comments are welcome and appreciated! Just trying to educate myself, since I'm new to this

[SSEi95]

Also keep in mind that there may be a slight factory tint to the windows already. Adding exactly the legal limit may in fact put you over it. Someone posted a link to a formula not too long ago on here with that information. Not sure where it is though....

[00Beast]

Factory windows aren't really tinted, but polarized. On a meter it reads about 76% light transmittance, depending on the car.

[harofreak00]

In my sig, 50% on blue, 32% on tan.

[WhiteArrow3800]

Legal limit here in Virginia is 50% on the fronts and 35% on the rears. I don't like the two tone look so to stay legal I would have to do 50% all around. But I didn't think that was worth doing, so I got 35% all around. It's been about 6 months here and I haven't had any trouble yet. But it's a 50/50 deal here, I've heard many people being busted for illegal tint, in some cases multiple times. While I've heard just as many others getting away with it. It seems around here as long as you're not doing anything else illegal or that catches their attention then they'll leave you alone.

[mawint]

From what I have read, anyone doing window tint in MN can't have their clients sign a waiver. Anyone who applies illegal tint will also be in trouble. They changed it a little while back I believe. Some info: https://www.revisor.mn.gov/laws/?id=235 ... &year=2008

[vogie01]

From what I have read, anyone doing window tint in MN can't have their clients sign a waiver. Anyone who applies illegal tint will also be in trouble. They changed it a little while back I believe. Some info: https://www.revisor.mn.gov/laws/?id=235 ... &year=2008

You are partly correct, and the law was changed. If you read the added language of the law it only specifically states a motor vehicle dealer or lessor. Meaning, the dealer can not have a vehicle on their lot for sale with illegal tint. The dealer can cross sell tint through a provider, such as a tint shop though. There is not a dealer in St. Cloud that sells a car with illegal tint, but they all have a provider that the service is done by and sold by someone else.

If what you are saying is the case, then every tint dealer in St. Cloud is operating illegally. I know many of the tint guys in St. Cloud, and they all have told me they have consulted an attorney, and the waiver is still a viable option. The waiver does not make it legal to have the dark tint, it is just a shift in liability away from the tint provider to the vehicle owner.

[00Beast]

The waiver just says they know what they're having done is not legal and they could be penalized, and they won't hold the shop accountable, since they knew what they were getting into. Just allows the shop to do it w/o the risk of backlash from a customer or the penal system.

[vogie01]

The waiver just says they know what they're having done is not legal and they could be penalized, and they won't hold the shop accountable, since they knew what they were getting into. Just allows the shop to do it w/o the risk of backlash from a customer or the penal system.

Exactly!!!

[mawint]

Found this too: http://www.house.leg.state.mn.us/hinfo/ ... oryid=2226. Whether it went into effect or not I don't know.

[BFF_Larry]

$10 a window!
dang, i wish i could find someone in cinci tht would do it for around tht price.

[SSEiMan01]

The limit here is 35% all around or 50% rear, 20% front. I had mine done to 35% all around because I too like the look of them all being the same darkness.

[05joenov]

Okay I'm in MN too (Redwood Falls) and have an 05 GXP with no tint. There aren't any shops around here (that I'm aware of anyway) that do tinting. Are you guys aware of any between here and Cloud?

[Hotwheels]

Without taking a look online to see what shops are in your general area, I'd look into contacting any shops that install car/truck accessories, or do car detailing. Up on this end, Ziebart (now Z-tech, at least locally) does tinting beside their undercoating and detailing. They also do remote starters, and truck accessories. Usually any shop that does any of these kind of things will at least know of where to go, if they don't do it themselves. Also, you could contact a dealer in your area to see where they send customers' vehicles.

[zigger21]

I know there's a fair constituency of MN people on here, and figure you probably have more knowledge about this than I do. A coworker, who is a car enthusiast, and owns a few classic cars, is trying to get in the business of doing window tinting, and approached me about whether I would like to get the windows on my Mustang tinted. He told me he'd bought some nice quality tint - 15% and 20%, but could also get other percentages if I wanted something different. He said he'd do it for $10/window, since he's looking for vehicles to improve his skills on right now. Seems like a pretty good deal, and I'm pretty sure he would do a good job of it.

My question is....from what I can find, MN laws say that tint can be no more than 50%? Trying to look for some pics, 50% looks almost like wasted effort. What kind of tint do you guys have, and have you had problems with getting ticketed? 20% looks nice, and 35% would be a decent compromise I think, but the last thing I want is to be pestered by law enforcement. I've already got enough to worry about driving a bright yellow Mustang

My Grand Cherokee I previously owned had the front windows tinted by the previous owner to nearly match the back factory tint, and I really liked it, and had zero problems from the police. What's your take on this?

On my 2005 Bonneville GXP has 20% tint, which means that the windows only let 20% light through. I was harrassed once but I never got a ticket. Ive passed numerous cops in Fergus Falls and they havent looked twice, so I guess it all depends on the Officer and his mood. I hope this helps. Take care