Tint % in TX??
 

Whats legal and whats not?? im plannin on getting this done soon!

Tint 35% front 5% BackSides
15%Back

where about? im near houston.

im from north of dallas...but ive been down near Katy alot!

i heard 20% or 25% in front and whatever in the back is legal

u have to allow more than 25% in... http://www.tintlaws.com/laws/TX/

35% front windows the back window doesnt matter

wow..the misinformation....
chapter 4 code 32 of inpspection manual " inspect and fail front side windows if : tint is LESS THAN 20% , blue,red,amber, or mirror in color" rear and rear sides have no limit and can be spray painted if you want.
there is no give or take 5% and i dont know where these places tell you guys 35 cus they are WRONG..i can scan and copy the code if you want...inspectors simply have a little box that slides over the top of the glass and reads the light..if it says 19 you fail..if its says 20 or up you pass...that simple...any inspector or shop that says otherwise needs reported or better yet smacked in the face for not know how to do their job.

hey i put up reference to back up wut i said...:cssNET:

oh..dont take MY word for it..im only an inspector, what do i know...you want reference? the site you posted was not a goverment site...HERE is the TX state inspection site.....this is the tint law AS IT APPEARS in the inspection manual at ALL inspection stations..print this page out and take it to WHOEVER told you it was differnt and smack them with it..............
http://www.txdps.state.tx.us/vi/insp...ejectsubmit=Go
20.32 Window Tinting. All 1988 or newer model vehicles that have window coating, tinting, or sunscreening applied to the windows must be inspected for the following:

1. Inspect for and reject if:

a. Glass coating or sunscreening devices on windshields:

1) Extends downward beyond the AS-1 line or more than five (5) inches from the top of windshield on vehicles without an AS-1 line. Measurements shall be taken from inside the windshield; or

2) Is red or amber in color.

b. Glass coating or sunscreening devices on windows:

Windows immediately to the right and left of the driver, which open, have less than 20% light transmittance.

c. Check calibration before rejecting vehicle.

yes...i AM the man.

From what I have seen in the texas laws, 20% is legal on the front two and all others have no limit. However, from my experience, a lot of shops will not tint the fronts at 20% due to tempered glass causing it to not read at 20 % and the angle of the glass making it appear darker causing extra attention. Many shops will tell you 30% is legal for the front to protect themselves. On GM vehicles, the glass is tempered with a 2% tint effect. Therefore, if you put 20% on there, it would technically be 18%, but many light meters are not calibrated to pick up the tempered glass, and will still read 20%, most of the police machines do not read tempered glass, only the tint. I am trying to find a tint place in my area that will tint the fronts at 20, but no one will yet, got one more shop to go before I look in the next town over...Good luck with the shops, but I would definitely goto the link posted above for the texas laws and print that section to take with you to argue the 30% they will try to put on there. :)

hey scott.. so if i get 20 and a cop tells me to take it off ur gonna reimburse me right?:cool:

for texas it is 25%front and the back doesnt matter

Actually, by law, if you take it to a shop and they tint it beyond the limit, they are supposed to have a waiver signed by you releasing them of liability for it. Otherwise, they are supposed to receive a ticket as well for installing an illegal application as well as having their business license reviewed and possibly suspended. Which is why many shops will only go down to 30%, I know it is either 20% or 25% for sure, but most won't go that low cause of liability.

I think that if they want to know for certain, they should just go look at the texas vehicular code at the address listed above earlier. Then they have what it says on the official Texas Laws website and that is updated within 30 days of the end of the quarter.

the law might have change cuz all the places i went told me that 35% was the darkest u can go. Even the dealership here in texas only put 35% because thats whats legal

in San antonio they'll only go as low as 30 in the front

no..what you do is just bring it to me(or any inspector) and just have it inspected..if it passes they have to drop the ticket..pretty simple huh

seriously..can some of you people read? i just posted the website..the UPDATED CURRENT website for STATE inspections..not "city" or "county" inspections...STATE inspections..it is current and updated..and being an inspector my self i would be the first one to be notified about such a law change........so print out the law i JUST linked you to..take it to the shop that told you 35....roll up the paper, and smack them accross the face with it !

lmao... good deal then.... wut about the instances that they make u rip it off right there?

never seen that happen personally..but if they DID..i would leave a piece on the window..go to an inspection station to have it inspected..and if it comes up 20 or higher there then take that to the police station(or court) and tell them you want your tint payed for.......but in all honesty..20% isnt that dark...i have 20 all the way around on My car that i got in NC ( which is too dark for legal limit there..but guess what, THEY STILL INSTALLED IT ) and ive never had a problem with cops and my tint down here..and ive been pulled over several times,once for street racing.....just use some common sense and make sure your window is down by the time the cop gets to your door !! so he wont give you crap about it !

lol good info. ill probably just get 25 then to be safe. i noticed that the glass is already slightly tinted so 25'll be good enough for me.

Oh so they test this at inspection huh? Time to make some new friends... :cool:


Nevermind, mine is 20% :D

well like he said the stock windows are already pre tinted at like 2% i compared my windows to another car and i could see that it still has tint to it, so u may be at like 18%

when you get your inspection simply roll your front windows down..and pull the fuse or even harness from the switch..that way they cant roll them up to check them...an inspector is NOT gonna WASTE time trying to get windows up when thats not what your paying for...and with the windows down he cant test the front tint....then simply put your fuse back in when you leave..good for another year :)

Actually, some will refuse to inspect you, especially if the vehicle is newer, they know you wouldn't have taken the windows out of a new vehicle...but I'm sure there are some places that won't mess with it

when i took my state inspection lisence, the instructor said 20 percent is legal limit

thats cool, i call for a MiniMeet! lol