One Door-Jamb Sticker Can Decide Hundreds of Dollars
That tiny FMVSS label isn’t decoration; it declares “Passenger Car” or
“MPV/Truck.” Passenger? Every side window must keep 70 percent visible
light. MPV? Only the windshield and front doors stay bright; anything behind
the B-pillar may go limo-dark if both mirrors work. Even crossovers sold as
SUVs sometimes wear a Passenger tag, so check before you tint or pay twice—once
to peel illegal film and again for re-inspection.
Factory glass averages 75 percent VLT. Add a “light” 50 percent film and the
stack crashes to the thirties. Smart tint shops meter bare glass, choose
compliant film, apply the legality sticker, and staple a photo of the meter
reading to your invoice. That bundle becomes your roadside or courtroom defense
if a trooper’s handheld meter looks suspicious after sundown.
Fine Print That Prints Fines
Mirrored coatings are banned statewide. Skip the sticker, flirt with
reflectivity, or dip below 70 percent and today’s fine tops out at $150—yet
Assembly Bill A4026 could set a mandatory $200 first hit, $500 repeat, and
plate suspension after strike three. Add removal labor, re-inspection fees,
missed work, and insurer surcharges and that “cheap” tint morphs into a
four-figure ordeal.
Need the full checklist, waiver walkthrough, and
wrap-tint timeline?
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