Passing State Inspection - Tint

[Montana Bronco]

Learn something new every day. Up until this thread, the concept of the government being able to crawl around in your car without a warrant was alien to me. Never heard of it, but sounds like plenty of you submit to it, so I guess you are not making it up.

It still seems to me like a government agent plugging into your OBD port, while the government inspector is being watched on a live webcam by another government official is some really totalitarIan stuff.

Montana is very much a libertarian state. Each person gets to decide how to live their life. I like it here and can’t imagine living in the places you are describing.

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[indio22]

Some states, in my case MA, you have to get a vehicle safety inspection every year. They check that all safety equipment is working as well as the integrity of tires, wheels, suspension components, exhaust/emissions, frame, and body.

You can make a case for it being government meddling, but it legitimately does keep a lot of dangerous jalopies off the street.

Does it though? In my area of Illinois, we don't have a so called safety inspection. And I'm not aware of a significant increased safety threat due to dangerous vehicles. I'd want to see some solid evidence that there was a real hazard situation occuring, to warrant imposition of an inspection scheme.

 

[IanC]

I don’t know about other states but in MA you can get a medical waiver for tint. Claim you’re light sensitive or, in my case, I was concerned about skin cancer and needed the tint to block excess UV transmission. Fill out the right form and get your doctor to sign and you’ll get a letter from the registrar that you keep with your registration that allows you to tint your side windows to any level.

 

[Headsong]

Learn something new every day. Up until this thread, the concept of the government being able to crawl around in your car without a warrant was alien to me. Never heard of it, but sounds like plenty of you submit to it, so I guess you are not making it up.

It still seems to me like a government agent plugging into your OBD port, while the government inspector is being watched on a live webcam by another government official is some really totalitarIan stuff.

Montana is very much a libertarian state. Each person gets to decide how to live their life. I like it here and can’t imagine living in the places you are describing.

The easterners think it's normal and that there's something wrong with the rest! That's the divide we've come to.

 

[pan-y-cerveza]

Learn something new every day. Up until this thread, the concept of the government being able to crawl around in your car without a warrant was alien to me. Never heard of it, but sounds like plenty of you submit to it, so I guess you are not making it up.

It still seems to me like a government agent plugging into your OBD port, while the government inspector is being watched on a live webcam by another government official is some really totalitarIan stuff.

Montana is very much a libertarian state. Each person gets to decide how to live their life. I like it here and can’t imagine living in the places you are describing.

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vehicle_inspection_in_the_United_States

 

[attworth]

I’m really surprised so many seem to be surprised by these inspections. The US EPA has so many restrictions on manufacturing automobiles, and these smog inspections serve to enforce the continued compliance with these laws. Safety and Smog laws are enacted in each state (specifically referring to tint,) for various reasons based on that state’s socio-political standings. Texas for example requires basic safety equipment to operate as required (ebrake, tire wear, etc.), and in more populated counties (where there’s a risk of excess smog/pollution related to auto traffic) requires a vehicle to pass smog checks.

Have you ever had to conduct a traffic stop on a vehicle in the middle of the night with tint so dark you can’t see inside? Talk about pucker factor.

I am not saying I agree with the rules, but just like anything else in this world, if you wanna play, you have to abide by the rules, or find a way around them (medical waiver mentioned above.)

 

[pan-y-cerveza]

I don’t know about other states but in MA you can get a medical waiver for tint. Claim you’re light sensitive or, in my case, I was concerned about skin cancer and needed the tint to block excess UV transmission. Fill out the right form and get your doctor to sign and you’ll get a letter from the registrar that you keep with your registration that allows you to tint your side windows to any level.

Can you still? My wife is a doctor and has been asked about things like this. She recommends sunglasses and sunscreen if it's a real concern. Both are far better for protection than tint anyway. Not all tints protect from UVA and UVB.

I remember when there were exemptions but I haven't heard of anyone actually receiving one in years.



Her grandfather had a medical exemption for not wearing a seatbelt because it was "too hard on his heart." The "good" old days.

 

[Stitches1974]

Can you still? My wife is a doctor and has been asked about things like this. She recommends sunglasses and sunscreen if it's a real concern. Both are far better for protection than tint anyway. Not all tints protect from UVA and UVB.

I remember when there were exemptions but I haven't heard of anyone actually receiving one in years.



Her grandfather had a medical exemption for not wearing a seatbelt because it was "too hard on his heart." The "good" old days.

Yes, you can still get it.

https://www.mass.gov/how-to/apply-for-a-tinted-glass-waiver-for-your-vehicle#


Tinted glass waivers are issued by the RMV and allow additional tinting to the front side windows, rear side windows, and/or rear window of vehicles only. Windshields may not be tinted below the AS-1 line (upper most six inches).
A vehicle is eligible for a tinted glass waiver if:

• The vehicle is a private passenger vehicle
• The person diagnosed by a physician as being photophobic/photosensitive owns or operates the vehicle
• The owner or operator of the vehicle has signed certification from a physician that proves that he/she is photophobic/photosensitive

 

[Haystack]

Learn something new every day. Up until this thread, the concept of the government being able to crawl around in your car without a warrant was alien to me. Never heard of it, but sounds like plenty of you submit to it, so I guess you are not making it up.

It still seems to me like a government agent plugging into your OBD port, while the government inspector is being watched on a live webcam by another government official is some really totalitarIan stuff.

Montana is very much a libertarian state. Each person gets to decide how to live their life. I like it here and can’t imagine living in the places you are describing.

In California most auto repair garages can do a smog check. No government agent, no camera, just a plain ol grease monkey.

 

[Desert_6G]

Can you show up with no top(maybe have soft top/bimini on) no doors and pass inspection to avoid getting failed for tint?

You have tint inspection? lol never heard of it. Just tell a tint shot to do a legal tint.

 

[attworth]

You have tint inspection? lol never heard of it. Just tell a tint shot to do a legal tint.

The problem is, some states don’t allow ANY tint on front windows. Even in Texas which is hot and sunny a lot, 20% is as dark as you can go on front windows.

 

[Stitches1974]

You have tint inspection? lol never heard of it. Just tell a tint shot to do a legal tint.

A few states have them, like NC for example.

https://www.ncdot.gov/dmv/title-registration/emissions-safety/Pages/window-tinting.aspx

" Vehicles with applications of after‐factory window tinting must be checked, at an additional charge of $10 during a North Carolina safety inspection to ensure they meet specifications set by the state in G.S. 20-127). "

 

[tlowell01]

AZ does an emissions test if your car is older than 5 years old. It’s not overly strict here, and on days when you see the haze against the mountains, you realize it’s probably a good idea.

No inspection of window tint here. You see some cars with tints so dark, I’m pretty the windows are actually opaque, haha.

 

[Haystack]

The problem is, some states don’t allow ANY tint on front windows. Even in Texas which is hot and sunny a lot, 20% is as dark as you can go on front windows.

California is 70% on front windows, which is basically clear.

 

[Desert_6G]

California is 70% on front windows, which is basically clear.

Typical CA. I'm sorry for ya haha

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