State Trooper Troubles Anyone??

polishmafia · 12-19-2011

Quote:

Originally Posted by TwoTalons

Only if you're talking about the driver and passenger windows. The rest of the glass on a truck/suv or van is exempt from the law that applies to cars.

Lets play "Fix That Incorrect Post"!

No truck/van/SUV is exempt from the window tint law. The way the law is written is that if - any vehicle from the factory with windows tinted is exempt from local state laws. Most trucks/SUVs come with tinted windows except for the front two, and so they are exempt.

Want to change the law? Become the owner of a car maker and tint all the windows. That is the way to get around the law.

TwoTalons · 12-21-2011

Quote:

Originally Posted by polishmafia

Lets play "Fix That Incorrect Post"!

No truck/van/SUV is exempt from the window tint law. The way the law is written is that if - any vehicle from the factory with windows tinted is exempt from local state laws. Most trucks/SUVs come with tinted windows except for the front two, and so they are exempt.

Want to change the law? Become the owner of a car maker and tint all the windows. That is the way to get around the law.

Sure let's play! My turn:

Subd. 4. Glazing material; prohibitions and exceptions.
(a) No person shall drive or operate any motor vehicle
required to be registered in the state of Minnesota upon any
street or highway under the following conditions:

(1) when the windshield is composed of, covered by, or
treated with any material which has the effect of making the
windshield more reflective or in any other way reducing light transmittance through the windshield;

(2) when any window on the vehicle is composed of, covered by, or treated with any material that has a highly reflective or mirrored appearance;

(3) when any side window or rear window is composed of or treated with any material so as to obstruct or substantially reduce the driver's clear view through the window or has a light transmittance of less than 50 percent plus or minus three percent in the visible light range or a luminous reflectance of more than 20 percent plus or minus three percent; or

(4) when any material has been applied after August 1,
1985, to any motor vehicle window without an accompanying permanent marking which indicates the percent of transmittance and the percent of reflectance afforded by the material. The marking must be in a manner so as not to obscure vision and be readable when installed on the vehicle.

(b) This subdivision does not apply to glazing materials
which:

(1) have not been modified since the original installation,
nor to original replacement windows and windshields, that were originally installed or replaced in conformance with Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard 205;

(2) are required to satisfy prescription or medical needs
of the driver of the vehicle or a passenger if the driver or
passenger is in possession of the prescription or a physician's statement of medical need; or <-------------

(3) are applied to:

(i) the rear windows of a pickup truck as defined in
section 168.011, subdivision 29;

(ii) the rear windows or the side windows on either side
behind the driver's seat of a van as defined in section 168.011, subdivision 28;

(iii) the side and rear windows of a vehicle used to
transport human remains by a funeral establishment holding a license under section 149A.50; or

(iv) the side and rear windows of a limousine as defined in section 168.011, subdivision 35.

Notice the "or" highlighted in red with the arrow pointing at it?? Such a small word yet so important. Trucks and vans are EXEMPT! PERIOD! Has nothing to do with whether they came from the factory with tinted windows. Cars yes. Trucks and vans NO.

polishmafia · 12-21-2011

Quote:

Originally Posted by TwoTalons

Notice the "or" highlighted in red with the arrow pointing at it?? Such a small word yet so important.

Well I stand corrected. Thank you for the information. I read the law as;

(1) have not been modified since the original installation, nor to original replacement windows and windshields, that were originally installed or replaced in conformance with Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard 205;
...
or <--- that is what you posted.
...
(3) are applied to:
(i) the rear windows of a pickup truck as defined in section 168.002, subdivision 26;
(ii) the rear windows or the side windows on either side behind the driver's seat of a van as defined in section 168.002, subdivision 40;
(iii) the side and rear windows of a vehicle used to transport human remains by a funeral establishment holding a license under section 149A.50;
(iv) the side and rear windows of a limousine as defined in section 168.002, subdivision 15; or
(v) the rear and side windows of a police vehicle.

So a truck can only have the rear window, and a van can have rear and sides, as well as a herse or police vehicles.

Trucks then with the side windows tinted from the factory are legal, but not if they are tinted after leaving the factory.

Good info. I love confusing laws!

TwoTalons · 12-22-2011

Well I would take it to mean rear door windows on a truck as well since it says "rear windows" and not "rear window". Definitely a gray area. Where is a SUV classified? As a truck or van? Confusing indeed.