Driving with windows tinted too dark is still against the law

Four to five times a day, Ryan Weller of Tint Pros says vehicle owners come to his shop in Medina to have their windows tinted.

“There is a big demand,” Weller said, noting it’s a popular service because people want to make their vehicles look cooler and to stay cooler while in them.

Several Drive readers in recent weeks have noticed that lots of vehicles — even unmarked vehicles allegedly driven by ICE agents — have heavily tinted windows. The readers have asked about state law governing windows that are too dark and wonder if it ever gets enforced.

“I know there was a law passed long ago that prohibits people from driving with [tinted] windows, but like cell phone while driving law, it seems law enforcement are doing nothing to enforce the window issue,” Jane Kennedy wrote in an email.

In Minnesota, drivers of any vehicle may not have a tinted windshield. For sedans, front, back and side windows can be tinted to 50% light transmittance, which means half the light must be able to pass through the window and any film applied to it.

The rules are different for pickup trucks, SUVs and vans. Like with sedans, the windshield may not be tinted and front side windows must meet the 50% threshold. But with other windows — rear sides and back — there is no limit, meaning they could look like they are blacked out and be legal.

The tint law does not apply to law enforcement vehicles, limousines and vehicles used by funeral homes to transport human remains.

Weller, of Tint Pros, said he educates each customer about state law, and some people “are unhappy” with it.

A recent change to state law allows drivers with a medical condition to have windows tinted that allow less than 50% of light to shine through.

Those drivers must have a prescription from a medical doctor and carry proof in the vehicle to show an officer if they get stopped, Lee said.

A medical exemption is good for only two years.

State troopers carry a tint meter that measures how much light is passing through a window. If the device indicates less than 50% of light is passing through, a driver can be cited, Lee said.

“Imagine driving at night with sunglasses on, it’s hard to see,” Lee said. “Say you are making a lane change and your window is too dark, you could be cited for unlawful equipment and be at fault for a crash.”

The law is also aimed at protecting those outside the vehicle. Dark windows make it hard for pedestrians to make eye contact with drivers, one of the cardinal rules to follow when crossing a street.

“There are still too many cars with heavily tinted windows and eye contact is just not possible,” wrote Drive reader Tom Holm. “The law seems to be frequently flouted. I would like to see this law enforced.”

While definitely not ranking up there with drunken driving and speeding tickets, law enforcement in Minnesota has issued nearly 19,000 citations for the infraction in the past five years, according to court data.