domin8_gt

iTrader: (1)

So, as most of you VA peeps know, my wife and are moving to VA very soon. In Utah the legal limit for tint is 50/5. In VA it is 50/35. Well, I think I found a way to shut the police up once and for all. All you have to do is have proof of your car at the track. It can then be classified as a multi-purpose vehicle. There are 2 requiements: 1) It has to seat fewer than 10 people. 2) It has to be constructed for occassional offroad use.

I have been doing some work on this since June. Here is the word straight from the DMV's mouth:

-----Original Message-----
From: connor hendricks [mailto:**************************]
Sent: Thursday, June 12, 2008 10:07 PM
To: Safety Division
Subject: Military personnel/vehicle safety and window tint

Can I please get a little help here? I have been to your website and read all the material concerning vehicle equipment safety laws. However, I was unable to find one very important piece of information. How does it a apply to Active Military Personnel and their spouses who choose to maintain residency in a state other than Virginia ? Currently, my wife and I are residents in Utah which allows for window tint to measure 50% on the front door windows, and 5% on the rear windshield and side glass. We are allowed to maintain vehicle registration and residency in Utah pursuant to Utah and Virginia law while she is active military. This would prevent us from needing to subject our vehicles to testing in Virginia . The main concern is whether or not I would need to change the tint on my windows, or if I would need to carry a copy of the Utah statutes in both cars.

A timely response would be much appreciated as we are under a deadline to submit her duty preference list to her recruiter.

Thanks in advance,

Connor K. Hendricks


--- On Mon, 6/16/08, Evans, Robert L., Sgt. <*****************************> wrote:

From: Evans, Robert L., Sgt. <*****************************>
Subject: RE: Military personnel/vehicle safety and window tint
To: "Safety Division" <***********************>
Cc: **************************
Date: Monday, June 16, 2008, 9:18 AM

Dear Connor K. Hendricks:

Virginia law prohibits vehicles from operating on the highways of the Commonwealth with sunshading materials, which lower the light transmittance levels below 50% on the front side windows and 35% on the rear side window or windows. The statute applies to ALL vehicles, not only those registered in Virginia . However, 46.2-1052 of the Code of Virginia does not prohibit applying to the rear side windows or rear window of any multipurpose passenger vehicle or pickup truck sun-shading or tinting films that reduce the total light transmittance of such window or windows below 35 percent. A multipurpose passenger vehicle would be considered as any motor vehicle that is (i) designed to carry no more than 10 persons and (ii) constructed either on a truck chassis or with special features for occasional off-road use.

In 1993, the Department of State Police repealed its regulations relating to the inspection of sunshading material. Currently, the light transmittance levels of motor vehicle tint film are not considered during a safety inspection; however, sunshading is routinely monitored by all law enforcement in Virginia .

You may review the current Virginia window tint law at http://leg1.state.va.us/cgi-bin/legp...+cod+46.2-1052

Thank you for contacting the Safety Division.

Sergeant Robert L. Evans – Virginia Department of State Police
Safety Division – Motor Vehicle Inspection
7700 Midlothian Turnpike – Richmond VA 23235

****************************** w ****************************************

From: connor hendricks [mailto:**************************]
Sent: Monday, June 16, 2008 6:28 PM
To: Evans, Robert L., Sgt.
Subject: RE: Military personnel/vehicle safety and window tint

Sgt. Evans,

Are you telling me that a first generation Dodge Durango/Jeep Grand Cherokee 4x4 is allowed to have tint on the rear windows below 35%? It is both of a body-on-frame construction and has a part-time 4wd system with both 4 High and 4 Low modes. However, it does carry passengers and would be an everyday driven vehicle on public highways.

Please help me on clarifying this. Thank you in advance.

Connor Hendricks

--- On Tue, 6/17/08, Evans, Robert L., Sgt. <*****************************> wrote:

From: Evans, Robert L., Sgt. <*****************************>
Subject: RE: Military personnel/vehicle safety and window tint
To: **************************
Date: Tuesday, June 17, 2008, 4:14 AM

Mr. Hendricks,

The vehicle you described would be considered a multipurpose passenger vehicle. These vehicles are unusually SUVs, pick-up trucks, and vans.

Sergeant Robert L. Evans
Virginia Department of State Police
Safety Division - Motor Vehicle Inspection
7700 Midlothain Turnpike
Richmond , VA 23235

I'm trying to get a specific response for the Cobalt SS's.

But, I'm will to bet that your Cobalt will have an exemption under this law on Virginia books. But, do this at your own risk. I have yet to test this out. However, I will definitely try. I don't anticipate any problems since the SS/SC was built for and used in the Grand Am Koni Challenge Series for racing.

edit: I found some info that may solidify this for several makes and models for various cars. Take a look at pages 7-9 in this link: http://media.grand-am.com/assets/KONIRules.pdf

HellbillySS

Hell, id try it. The worse they will do is give you a fix it ticket. It will run ya like $90. But if you pull out all this info and start reading the officer the law as its written he will prob just give up. If you have aftermarket exhaust they might bust you for it. They will always find something lol

YellowSiren

umm.... good luck with that... while generally interpreted as a reference to SUVs.... it's worth a try... However, they'll try to get you for using off-road use vehicles on a public highway. even if you take off what made it off-road, they'll then claim it's no longer off-road. Now what you could do is convert to AWD and actually set up for rallying... or just drive with the front down like me.... there's no way for them to check the quarter panels...


or just get the dr note