Our car has specially tinted windows. It came with slightly darkened rear windows (standard stuff) but due to my daughter's illnesses, her doctors wrote a prescription for darker front windows, and our state allows darker tinted windows with a properly certified medical exemption. They meet state laws and we always carry the medical certificate with our registration in our car. We've never been questioned about it, though.
We will be moving later, near the end of the year, to a different state (still in the USA). The state we're moving to does not allow darker window tinting for any reason, and refuses car window tinting for medical reasons.
As far as I can tell, our car will not pass inspection in the new state, and we won't be able to register it. Will we have to pay to have the window tint removed? Can that even be done? The window tinting was done by a professional vehicle glass company and was intended to be permanent. We keep our cars a long time and planned to keep this car for many years. The tint is not just a cling film - it was permanently applied and was pretty expensive.
Has anyone had any experience with moving to a place where the vehicle laws are so different? Has anyone ever had window tinting removed? How much does it cost? Is there anything I can do, such as contact a physician in the new state, or call a congress person or anything?
Window tinting with a proper medical certification seems like a pretty basic thing - for people with cancers or skin diseases or Lupus. I'm surprised that there are some states that don't allow it at all. Never knew that before yesterday and now I think I'm going to have a problem. Thanks for any advice or thoughts.
You may have to have each front window changed. I don't know of the cost but it can easily be done. Any body shop could do it.
Is it the windshield and the side windows?
I would start by contacting the company that did the tint to see if it can be removed and how much it would be if they can do it. It may be easier and cheaper to simply replace the windshield.
You may, with time, be able to see change in the laws in your new state, but not in time for your move so I would plan on removing the tint or replacing the windows.
Does the new state disallow ALL windows to be tinted dark, or just not allow the driver/passenger front/windshield to be tinted so dark? I believe in our state, the windows can be tinted dark as long as they are not one of those 3 windows. Reason? Cops cannot identify drivers if they are looking for someone, cannot tell if they are texting and driving (illegal in our state), etc. They need to see the driver at a minimum when pulling up along side of them.
If this is the case, your daughter could easily sit in the 2nd (or 3rd if that is what kind of car you have) row and not be directly exposed to the light. While this doesn't solve what to do about your current tinting issue, it may help resolve your concerns about this. You could have the other 3 windows changed out (it would cost, but probably cheaper than selling the vehicle?) to meet the tinting requirements of the new state. I would also check into tinting of windows that is lighter but has "better effect" as I understand that tinting has come a long way in that area. Your medical insurance may cover the new windows - I would definitely check.
Good luck!
Is there an organization related to your daughter's illness (Like the National Diabetes Association) that you could contact? Perhaps they've had experience with this kind of thing and this particular state, or maybe can point you in the right direction.
You'll probably have to replace the front windshield.
There are companies that do this and it's easier than you think.
Google 'replace car windshield' for your area (and the area you're moving to - see which one is cheaper) and you'll find a number of companies that do this.
PA has laws regarding how tinted your windows can be. Many people do tint them darker and if cited by the police you typically have 24-48 hours to have it removed, yes it can be done.
As far as sunshine, we're pretty overcast here so you may be comparing apples to oranges depending on what state you're moving to.
Just googling 'PA car window tinting laws' states that there are colorless ultraviolet screening materials for medical exemption. Maybe you could have the old tinting removed and have the colorless product put on instead.
I would find out who made that law and try to contact that office for clarification. Let them know this would mean your child is not allowed to leave the home.
Or you could buy a different style of vehicle like a van where she could sit further into the vehicle away from the front windows.
You might even find someone that needs a vehicle with extra tinted front windows.
Yes, it is a concern for law officers. Their personal safety can be affected by illegally tinted windows, so they have reasons not to allow it.
When my husband purchased his most recent car, it already had windows tinted (after market) and we had to have it removed, bc it was too dark for the laws of our state. It was the applied stuff, though, so not that big of a deal to do, and we had it replaced with a legal level of darkness. They can pull you over JUST for that and ticket you. Some areas they may be more inclined to stop you than others... you won't know. Husband drove his car for 3 weeks after purchase and no one stopped him or even looked twice that we know of. But, if they had, he'd have been fined.
I would find out the exact laws of your new state and check around for someone to retrofit your car to meet the requirements. (unless you think you may move again while you own that car, in which case you might want to look around for the most restrictive rules you can find, and use those as your guideline.)
And I'd do it before you go, so you don't have to worry about it when you cross the state line. Here, unless I'm terribly mistaken, you don't have to even have your vehicle registered in this state... if you drive it here, you can be ticketed if you have illegally darkened windows. There are percentages and it is different for the front and rear passenger windows. The front (windshield) window can ONLY have a strip across the top.
Can you sell you car in TX?
That's what I would do.
Of course you might have trouble finding someone else with a medical excuse there as well. You might want to trade it in.
Aren't there less permanent alternatives for this?
I had my tinting removed. I forget what it cost. If it was a a ridiculous amount I would have remembered how much.
Have you thought about calling the DMV of the state you are moving to and ask these questions?
Since you don't give us the state you are moving to, we can't help you with our personal experience in the state.
If you call the DMV of the state you are going to and they say NO. Then call the representative for that state and start getting a law passed that will allow darker windows for medical conditions.
If worse comes to worse? This is wrong -but people do it - keep the house you are living in, use that address to register the vehicle. YES! this IS wrong, it's lying.
