What Does the Law Allow in Indiana?

Indiana Legal News: Drivers may be tempted to permanently tint their windows if they are fed up with the occasionally hazardous glares of sunlight reflecting off of oncoming traffic or, in the winter, the blinding white snow along the edge of the road.

But did you know that in Indiana, depending on the type of car you drive, there are restrictions on how dark you can tint your windows and which windows can be tinted?

Window Tint Law

According to Indiana attorney Mark Nicholson, "If you're going to have window tint, the law requires that you're not allowed to have any window tint on the windshield that goes below what the manufacturer already has, and it's not allowed to be reflective."

According to attorney Nicholson, sedans' front driver's side, front passenger side, and rear windows can be tinted to block up to 30% of incoming sunlight. While the rear windows of SUVs may be tinted without restriction, the driver's side front glass and the front passenger window may only have a 30% tint.

Indiana State Police

The superintendent of the Indiana State Police wants the general public to be able to see troopers when they drive patrol cars in public. Therefore, it is the current ISP policy for patrol cars not to have tinted windows.

The police can stop you if you have a mirror effect on the outside of your window. Mirro effect is illegal in the state of Indiana, and the police can force you to remove that from your windows.

There are some drivers who must have their windows tinted owing to a medical issue. Those people must obtain the necessary medical exemption waiver, which must be renewed annually, to show the police.

When performing a traffic stop, officers frequently have technology on hand that enables them to detect the tint percentage of a window, letting them know when a ticket is necessary.

If a driver is concerned about the amount of window tinting on their car, they should bring it to a window tint expert so they can measure the amount of light reduction. There is, however, a quick and easy technique to check the window tint.

Window Tint Self-Test

Take your driver's license, crank the window down partially, and press the license against the inside of the window to see if your window is tinted too dark. Through that window, you ought to be able to view your license. If you are unable to do so, the window tint on your car will be too dark for Indiana. That's the straightforward and easiest way to go about it, but the best way to be sure is to take the car to a specialist, who can tell you whether or not the window is illegal in Indiana.