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Tinting your vehicle’s windows is beneficial for a few reasons.
Firstly, tinted windows reduce glare while you’re driving, keeping you and other drivers safe. They also create some privacy while driving. More notably, they can even prevent glass from shattering in the event of an accident.
However, due to the nature of tinted windows, there are certain laws in New Jersey restricting them. The two central aspects of tinted windows that are regulated is their reflectiveness and darkness. Which windows in your car that you are allowed to have tinted is restricted as well.
This article will go over the various tinted window laws in New Jersey and how to follow them.
Tinted Window Laws in NJ
Which Windows Can You Tint?
In New Jersey, you cannot have window tint on the front passenger sides or windshield unless it meets three specific requirements:
● Tint must have come with the vehicle and have a light transmittance of below 70 percent
● Meets medical exemption qualifications
● Intended for law enforcement reasons
The rear window and back passenger windows, however, can have any level of tint with no restrictions.
The Darkest Legal Tint Allowed In New Jersey
Medical exemptions are given out usually due to skin cancer or light sensitivity. With these waivers, the maximum darkness of tint permitted is below 70% for the windshield and 35% for front windows.
In general, the maximum visual light transmission in your vehicle for window tint is 35%.
Non-Reflective Vs. Reflective Tints
For passenger vehicles without medical exemptions, the front windshield cannot have a dark tint. However, a non-reflective tint is allowed for the top six inches of the window.
Multi-purpose vehicles, on the other hand, cannot have any sort of tint in the front windshield or front windows, even on the top six inches of the car.
Other Laws And Regulations
There are a few other regulations in place regarding window tinting in New Jersey. Keep these in mind when considering getting your windows tinted.
If your back window is tinted, then dual side mirrors are required.
There are no color restrictions on window tint.
Film manufacturers do not need to certify the film that they sell in New Jersey.
You do not need to utilize stickers to identify legal tinting in this state.
How Much Is A Tinted Window Ticket In NJ?
Unfortunately, you can get pulled over for tinted windows in New Jersey.
The first offense is a minimum fine of $100 with a maximum of $1000. On second or third offenses, you can expect to be paying anywhere between $1000 and $5000.
The most important thing is to ensure that you’re following the laws when tinting your windows. Checking that the technician doing the tinting is certified and knows the laws is an important step.
To ensure that everyone involved knows the laws in New Jersey, a sign stating the front windshield and front side window rules is required in every window-tinting shop. It states the following:
NJ STATE LAW PROHIBITS ADD-ON TINTING ON WINDSHIELDS AND FRONT SIDE WINDOWS
This required sign is just another precaution to help you avoid fines and other problems.
(If you need to pay a tinted window ticket go to the NJMCdirect payment portal.)
Can You Fail Inspection In NJ For Tinted Windows?
This is a good question, but the answer varies depending on where you go. Some car inspection agencies really only test emissions and the check engine light.
Others, however, may send you to a tinting shop if they find your windows are too dark. The best thing to do is ensure that you’re following the laws in the first place.
If you do decide to tint your windows, know the rules. Even better, stay below the limits of darkness on your windows. It’s best to be proactive to avoid both tickets and a failed inspection.
Are There Exceptions To NJ’s Tinted Window Laws?
Other than medical exemptions, there are few exceptions to New Jersey’s tinted window laws.
You may notice that police cars sometimes have tinted windows that appear to be pushing the limits. This is permitted because these vehicles are used for law enforcement.
For any other reason, however, you will probably be out of luck.
How Do You Beat A Tinted Window Ticket In NJ?
If you do find yourself with a tinted window ticket for one reason or another, there are ways to fight them.
One New Jersey man decided to protest the verdict of his $54 window tint ticket in 2014. An open-records activist, this man made an Open Public Records Act request for every tinted window ticket in the year preceding his arrest.
It revealed that 223 tickets had been issued throughout the year. The man insisted that the law’s requirement that “no person shall drive any motor vehicle equipped with safety glazing material which causes undue or unsafe distortion of visibility” was too vague.
Since there was no exact mechanism to decide whether a car’s window tint caused unsafe distortion of visibility, the man argued that he should not have been forced to pay the ticket for that reason.
Ultimately, the man paid the ticket, but his guilty verdict was dropped. This was a landmark ruling for drivers with window tint, as it meant that without a direct witness of something unsafe, drivers should not be charged with a crime.
Conclusion
For some, the benefits of tinted windows outweigh the risks of being charged with a tint violation. Keeping harmful rays of light away from your person as well as maintaining a sense of privacy are appealing perks for many New Jersey drivers.
However, knowing the laws regarding window tint is the most important way to keep yourself and others safe. Though the story of the man who fought his verdict is inspiring, you still don’t want to be in his situation in the first place.
Whether or not you want to tint your windows, like any other customizable aspect of your car, is up to you. Just be sure to check that you’re being safe and law-abiding to avoid complications down the road.