Illinois Window Tint Basics: What You Should Know
Permitted Tint Levels for Your Vehicle
Passenger Vehicles
According to Illinois law, the legal tint percentages for passenger vehicles are as follows:
Front Windshield: 70%VLT
Front Side Windows: 35%VLT
Back Side Windows: 35%VLT
Rear Window: 35%VLT
Multipurpose Vehicles
According to Illinois law, the legal tint percentages for multipurpose vehicles (SUVs, vans, trucks, etc.) are as follows:
Front Windshield: 70%VLT
Front Side Windows: 35%VLT
Back Side Windows: 35%VLT
Rear Window: 35%VLT
Special tint conditions:
As stated in the window tint law , "For multipurpose vehicles manufactured beginning in 1997, adhesive stickers with the information in paragraph (a)(1)(B) displayed in ink that can be read when viewing the sticker at a distance of 20 feet with a high-beam strength light source shall be affixed to the glass at clear sight on lower corner of the driver’s side windshield and rear window." This requirement may be used at the discretion of the vehicle owner.
Illegal Tint Penalties in Illinois
Avoiding the penalties that come along with getting your windows tinted illegally is simple really. Just do it the right way, and have it done legally. Should you be caught driving with illegal tint on your vehicles in Illinois, the penalties are relatively slight. You will have to pay a fine, and will be required to remove the tint making you not so happy overall. If you are caught driving with illegal tin, you will be subject to immediate fines ranging from $50 up to $500 depending on your county of residence. Penalty fees are usually handled by the circuit court clerk where you live, and the fine amount levied may go up if you get caught a second time.
Some municipalities like Chicago do have a tint variance system where motorists may petition the court for a variance freeing them from the legal tint restrictions in Illinois based on medical necessity. Motorists will have to file their petition to the court no later than 90 days after receiving the initial ticket for violating the law. Upon receiving the petition, the court will conduct an inspection of the vehicle’s tinted windows. It is important to note that the existence of a written medical statement will not open the individual to have darker tint, only those with an in-person medical consultation and inspection. However, motorists do have recourse in addition to going through the courts. Those motorist who are unsure if they are in violation can request a Stata Police Inspection through the Illinois Department of State Police which is held at certain locations.
While this may not be desirable for the busy person, the state police will know if you are in compliance or not but will not take action against you until you receive a ticket in the mail around 30-90 days later. The petitioner has 30 days to respond to the notice. If the tint is deemed not to meet the state requirements, the petitioner will have 10 days to remove or correct the tint. If they fail to do so within 10 days, additional penalty fees may be assessed by the court. Interestingly enough, if you have already filed for an inspection once and had to pay the fees to do so, you will only need to pay a $10 fee per inspection, which is a $15 savings from the normal fee. The best way to avoid any penalties is to know the law, and have your window tint applied in accordance with the law.
Tint Law Exceptions in the State
Recreational vehicles and trailers manufactured to have a removable window tint for the purpose of blocking ultraviolet rays, which are also known as UV rays, may have a window tint that is darker than allowed. Not only do these types of vehicles need to be tinted when the owner is in them, but also when they are parked, in order to shield their interior from the effects of harmful UV rays and heat. Tinting service companies that offer window tinting for vehicles such as police cars, military vehicles, ambulances and rescue vehicles, are allowed to tint the front windows of these vehicles to the allowed amount of tint on the back window. Law enforcement tactical teams, and paramedics with the appropriate type of medical equipment, are found in trucks that are manufactured by individual companies. These trucks are equipped with a purpose-built rear compartment where this equipment is stored and in these cases, the law exempts these trucks from following the tint laws set forth by the state.
How to Measure the Tint on Your Windows
Many people equate window tint darkness with its light transmission percentage. However, they are two different things. For example, say you have a very dark one-way mirror tint with 70% light transmission. Despite having 70% light transmission, the tint is still not legal for the windshield under Illinois law.
So how do you measure your window tint to make sure that it’s in compliance with Illinois law?
Outside
The best way to measure window tint is to use a tint meter. However, the trim of the glass commonly gets in the way of a clean measurement. That’s why you need an external mounting frame that attaches to the outside of the glass . Then the tint meter can securely set up the test. Make sure the frame width doesn’t exceed the states max of 2 inches. Most states like Illinois want the test done on the film itself but some states like Arkansas allow for testing on the glass.
Inside
This is the quickest way to take a measurement but it’s crucial that the tint is installed properly. The window tint must be flat, with no distortion. If it’s not perfectly flat, it will interfere with the test. You must place the tint meter directly on the window tint itself. The tint meter will ask if the tint is on glass or plastic. Be sure to select "Glass."
Do You Have an Illegal Tint Violation?
When you get pulled over for illegal tint and receive a ticket, it’s important to understand your options. While your initial instinct may be to get your vehicle up to standard and pay the fine, factoring in potential legal options can save you money. Often, officers can be understanding at both the time of the stop and when they issue the ticket. If you meet Illinois tint requirements with a simple modification, they may even allow you to fix the problem without a ticket. If you’re already looking at a ticket, you also may have important legal options. You may be a good candidate to argue against the ticket on two key principles. First, you can explain that your tinted windows don’t reflect light, and are therefore not illegal. Second, you may be able to assert that Illinois state law requires that officers take additional steps before issuing a ticket to ensure the tint is in fact illegal. The tint-reflection theory applies to many times of tint. As described above, Illinois tint laws require that tinted windows not only have a certain level of light transmittance, but that they also have a certain level of reflectiveness. This creates two clear tiers of tint bans: first, the $120 ticket for windows with less than 35% visual light transmittance, and second, the $250 ticket for tint that is too reflective. In practice, most tinting bans tend to be based on tint darkness rather than tint reflectivity. Any window tint with a visual light transmittance of less than 35% will receive a ticket, and at 20 percent they can be as dark as 15% heat rejecting, or 66% heat absorbing, which is considerably darker than legal. However, if your tinted windows pass the darkness test, but the reflected light exceeds 20%, then the tinted windows do not violate Illinois law. It is also important to note that the Illinois tint law does not always apply. There is a narrow exemption for "private passenger vehicles," which essentially covers private cars used by drivers and passengers who do not perform state-approved duties as part of their employment, and does not include taxis, police cars, or other commercial vehicles. In order to issue a citation, Illinois law requires officers to first issue a written warning to clear the tint. A warning will usually come with a deadline, around 7-10 days, by which time the tinted windows must be repaired and/or replaced before a fine is issued. Failure to do so will result in a $250 fine for windows tint that was too dark and a $120 fine for windows that were too reflective. This means that in order to issue a ticket, the officers must have already observed a violation and provided a warning. Therefore, you may be in a good position to fight your ticket. Under no circumstances, however, should you tamper with your tint. If you remove the tint, burn it off, or switch back to a lighter set of windows prior to the deadline, it’s possible the officer will justify the ticket by altering the fine or recommending other penalties. If you’re cited for illegal tint, you have options. Even if you simply choose to pay the ticket, it’s a minor inconvenience with the potential for much larger savings down the road.
Choosing a Legal Tint: Facts to Consider
When selecting the appropriate window tint for your vehicle, it’s important to remember that the tinting must comply with the Illinois window tint laws. Illinois law mandates specific darkness (or VLT) restrictions for the front and back windows, which vary depending on the type of vehicle. There’s also a limit on how much reflection a tint can have. In order to ensure compliance with Illinois window tint laws, you must carefully consider the percentage of tint you want to place on your windows. Manufacturers typically list the VLT on the label of the tint or on the package.
In addition , you must remember that the tinting can have no more than 35% reflectivity according to Illinois window tint laws. Reflectivity refers to the amount of light that becomes visible after shining a light source on the tint, so this measurement indicates whether the tint is too dark or not. A window film, which is tinted, has a much lower reflectivity rating.
When shopping for tint, be sure to meet with an experienced professional who can help you choose a legal tint for your windows. We recommend visiting The Tint Shop in Oak Brook for your tint needs. Normally, your final choice of tint will be a personal preference that will blend with your vehicle, but when dealing with a significant legal issue like Illinois window tint laws, getting professional help can make all the difference.