Texas is one of the most beautiful and arguably the best states in the United States. The city is full of expansive homes, large open spaces, good food culture, a thriving economy, and good living quality.
The citizens of Texas love their vehicles and prefer a truck or SUV rather than a sedan or hatchback.
However, the city is always sunny, and the sun is quite harsh in summers which entices many citizens to opt for car-window tinting.
Not only does the excessive sunlight make it difficult to see the road and the cars ahead, but it also causes harm to the interior of the car in the long run. In addition, the UV rays and the heat get trapped inside the car, which often renders the air conditioning ineffective.
Texas tint laws were introduced in the state in 2009, wherein the state imposed a fine on people getting tints above a certain level of darkness on their cars.
Here is everything one needs to know about tint laws in Texas.
1. What kind of tint is legal in Texas?
To get your car tinted, you must only consider opting for one installed below the AS-1 line.
For those who do not know, the AS-1 line is a narrow strip almost five inches across the top of the windshield. It is the area above the rearview, and it is referred to as the visor strip in many parts of the world.
So, the tinted one applied on the windshield must end at least five inches below the top of the windshield for it to be considered legal.
2. What percentage of tint is illegal in Texas?
If you think getting just a 5 – 15% tint would not get you under the radar, that is not the case. If the authorities put the tint under the emissions tests, it increases the chances of you getting pulled over and fined.
3. Is tint on the back legal?
Yes, there are no rules regarding tinting the back of the car’s window. So, people can consider getting that window tint instead of the windshield, where they have to leave 5 inches for the AS-1.
4. Who is exempted from such laws?
The Texas tint laws do not apply to vehicles from law enforcement, buses, and medical patients.
Besides, commercial vehicles such as limousines and other types of vehicles for hire are often exempted from the law to provide more privacy.
5. What is the darkest permissible tint in the state?
The darkness of the tint is measured in terms of net visibility light transmissions, known as VLT.
So, if you are going for the 25% tint, only 75% of the light would pass inside the vehicle.
Anything darker than 25% or any tint that reduces the light by more than 75% can be deemed illegal.
This rule applies to all the windows and glasses of the vehicle except the rear windows, as they could be as dark as you want them to be.
If you do not want to pay a hefty fine to the state, it is highly recommended that you keep the tint below the limits.