NYS Tint Law Question
 

We all know the law for tinting in NYS:

Front Windshield, Front / Rear Driver's / Passengers Windows: 70% VLT
Rear Windshield: Any, or 70% if no side mirrors present
Top 6 Inches of Front Windshield: Any

Does this apply to Vinyl? i.e. is the law a Tint-specific law or a general window covering law?

My question related to my second car that has only two seats and is a hatchback, but has rear quarter windows for some reason. I wanted to blacken them out completely to get some privacy for my hatch when it's parked.

Because there is no mention of rear windows in the law you can paint them black if you want, same goes for the rear window as long as you have 2 mirrors.


John

Rear side windows are mentioned in the law.

Rear quarter windows are considered rear side windows, are they not?

They are.....and I speak from exprience when I tell you, the police frown upon ultra dark rear quarter windows. Regardless of weather the car has two or four seats.

My question is, are vinyl's ok or are they also illegal? i.e. is it a tint law or a window law?

From my personal experience, here in upstate NY... 35% on door windows.

Rear quarter windows and rear window are anything. It's more of a safety thing for the police, they want to be able to see you as they're walking up to the car.

Windshield can be any % of visibility, as long as it doesn't exceed the AS1 line on your windshield applied by the manufacturer.

I have 5% from my door windows back on my 01 Stratus R/T coupe and I've been told by countless state troopers that I need to bring my door windows down to 35% to be legal and not get pulled over for it.

I would assume it is more of a "window visibility" law. The police want to have an unobstructed view through the side windows of any possible occupants in the event of a traffic stop. However, in the case of vans/SUV's/pickup caps.....It's totally legit to have covered/dark tinted side windows for the cargo area.

From what I understand in SUV's, Wagons' and the like, the back is fair game, but for everything else you basically can't even have it, so you are at the mercy of the officers.

Front and side rear windows can be tinted at 70% in NY. I'm not 100% clear as to what the back can/can't be tinted as I've never actually written a window tint ticket. I only recently learned that we could write for the rear side windows, as a friend of mine acquired a ticket in his Acura 4-door sedan. The front windshield can NOT be tinted at all:

(Sect 375-30: It shall be unlawful for any person to operate a motor vehicle with any object placed or hung in or upon the vehicle, except required or permitted equipment of the vehicle, in such a manner as to obstruct or interfere with the view of the operator through the windshield, or to prevent him from having a clear and full view of the road and condition of traffic behind such vehicle.)