Traffic warning for "tinted windows"?

[chason62]

I purchased a luxury vehicle (which came with very dark tinted windows) in Florida nearly 1.5 years ago.

While dark tinted windows are legal in Florida, they are apparently illegal (to some level) in the Commonwealth of Virginia... where I live.

Yesterday, I was stopped by an officer and received a "warning" for the tinted windows. The warning was issued under the condition that I have either a) the tint completely removed or b) changed to legal standards within two months. The officer also informed me that he'd add the warning into my record.

If I were to "misunderstand" the warning and don't fix the tinted windows (as it really looks nice), what would be the potential repercussions if I'd get stopped again? Could they impound my vehicle or would I simply have to accept the risk for a ticket?

I'm a law-abiding citizen... and I can see why's it's for their safety.... I just don't want to change my very nicely looking vehicle. [Last statement may sound contradictory].

Does anyone have some advice?

Thanks!

[caomh]

well where you live is what you got to go by not how nice it looks I would take it down to a window place and have the light test done on it if it is at legal standards for Va. take the results along with the ticket to DMV and show them they should quash the "warning" (always keep the legal test in car) 2 if it is illegal then do what is right and have it removed and lighter put on. if you get pulled over again after the two months and you didn't lighten or prove it is legal they could pull your car plates tag and tow your car as being unsafe so I guess it is up to you, just ask yourself if it is worth it

[gillian59]

How would you feel if you were an officer approaching a stopped vehicle you couldn't see inside. How is the officer to know there isn't a loaded 9mm behind the tinted glass? It may look good, but it is an officer's nightmare.

[orson19]

tints are only allowed on rear side windows in the uk
If its just a film,id take it off and live with it,cause the cop will be on a mission to catch you again
If its privacy glass,then its gonna be expensive

[zackary42]

you do it their way or noway/as long as its official warning when cop runs your id it will come up and the fine will get huge/so let it sit in the driveway and look cool

[gustav]

Unfortunately, tint laws vary widely from one state to another. In Florida they seem to allow a darker tint, probably because it reduces how much the interior of the car heats up in the hot summer months, while in Virginia that's not as much of an issue, so they can require a lesser tint for safety reasons. But, what it boils down to really, is a small fine. It's not a moving violation, it doesn't add points to your license or affect your driving record, it's simply a defective vehicle ticket. Here (Colorado) it's a paltry fine, somewhere around $35-50, and it's not a primary offense so they can't pull you over for it, but they can attach it with another ticket. I don't know if it's the same in VA or not. One thing I would argue, though, is the validity of their claim that it's too dark. Did they test the light transmission with a meter, or was he just eyeballing it? I would debate that visible light transmission can't be estimated by the human eye if he didn't measure it and I'd request a test, because it's as the car was sold to you.