Moving to IL - concerned with car tint laws

[tonythetuna]

Originally Posted by SD3

I heard a story on NBC 5 last night that the City of Chicago now refuses to abide by these new tinting guidelines under Illinois State Laws and will continue to give $250 tickets for any front tint.
This is 1000 % unconstitutional. Chicago cannot operate as its own state and override the laws from Springfield.

Cities and towns are well within their rights to make more restrictive laws than their state. Ever heard of a dry county or precinct?

[Drover]

Originally Posted by tonythetuna

Cities and towns are well within their rights to make more restrictive laws than their state. Ever heard of a dry county or precinct?

Municipalities are creatures of the state, and as such they can only exercise that power which is granted to them by the state. The City of Chicago has been granted authority by the state to create and enforce its own moving traffic ordinances. However, the state HAS NOT granted the city any authority to enact equipment ordinances stricter than those at the state level.

Nonetheless, the city continues to issue tint tickets for one of two reasons: 1) because the revenue agents are simply ignorant of the new law, or 2) because they know that many recipients are unclear about the new law and will simply pay up rather than fight it. I tend to lean toward #2 since the oridnance is still on the books even though it has been technically unenforceable for over a year now. And not only that, but tint tickets went from $25 $250 a pop right after the statewide law was passed. "When tint violations cost $25, the city brought in $736,000 in related fines. When fines jumped to $250 a pop, the city reaped $2.6 million in the same category." -- Tough Times for Tint | NBC Chicago

[billybones]

I bought a used Geo Tracker that had the windows tinted. It was a custom tint job with very dark tint towards the front bottom of the window that was made to look like a splash coming back with lighter, legal tint over the rest of the windows. I got pulled over several times over the tint because the cops would see the dark area near the front and think the whole window was dark. 3 times I was stopped the cop would see that 75% of the window had a very light tint to it and let me go. I got tired of the stops so I removed the tint. I just took a razor to get a corner started and sprayed window cleaner on the tint as I went along. Go real slow and allow the cleaner to soak on the tint film as you go. Both sides came off in one piece. Slow and steady wins the race here.

As far as being pulled over, I keep all my docs a cop would want to see in a little folder. When I'm pulled over I shut off the car, put on my e-flashers, get out my license, put my keys, wallet and folder on the dash. If it is dark I put my interior lights on and put both hands on the wheel. This might seem like I'm going overboard but I'm trying to send a message. I'm not going anywhere. I have nothing to hide. My hands are in clear view and I'm no threat. Cops are trained to scan situations and they do see these things. Of course being polite and repectful goes a long way also.

[Drover]

^^ Even when it was illegal it was still pretty rare to get pulled over for a modest tint unless the cop was using it as a pretext to pull you over for something else because they had a hunch/suspicion. Or unless you had the front windshield tinted as well -- that's a nearly guaranteed ticket too, and probably still is. Since the OP is moving to DuPage County, he probably won't encounter any issues. However, I would advise him to take the train if he ever wants to visit the city of Chicago, because if he drives into the city and parks his car, there's at least a small chance that a bored and/or stupid and/or malignant revenue agent will slap a $250 tint ticket on it. And you have to know exactly what statutes and case law to bring with you to fight said ticket, and even if you do there's still a good chance you will lose.

[she she]

I just moved to Chicago from Texas and my windows are tinted low grade, my car was parked and not moving can i still be cited.

[Drover]

Originally Posted by she she

I just moved to Chicago from Texas and my windows are tinted low grade, my car was parked and not moving can i still be cited.

Yes. Any equipment violation can be cited whether the car is moving or not when the car is located upon any public roadway. And best I can tell, the city has a very expansive interpretation of "public roadway" including any parking structure that is open to the public and/or subject to city inspection. And in a couple of cases, it has interpreted "public roadway" to mean my driveway.

[binger54]

Hello all,

I have to stay away from sunlight at all costs due to a skin condition. Though I advised my dermatologist that i stay out of the sun, she recommends tinting my car windows, since the drive to work on a sunny day (no matter what season it is) can worsen my condition, as well as put me at a very high risk for skin cancer. If I tinted my windows and kept a "doctors note" in my car, can i avoid a ticket for tint? I'm in Illinois and unsure of the law for window tint. Thoughts?

[binger54]

Originally Posted by ofcjim40

IL changed the tint laws in 2011. Still no front windshield can be tinted. Front windows can now be 30% or something like that. I have to relook it up, I'm a Police Officer, but tint was never really a big reason I pulled someone over. But with the tint change law, we would have to now measure the side windows with a Tint Meter to see if you are in compliance. First off 9/10 PD's don't have the Meters, second, what a waste of my time. As long as the car is still registered and legal in Texas, then no you can't be ticketed for it. But once you relocate up here, change your DL and plates to IL, then yes you must comply.

But here is my main reason for saying get rid of the fronts, and that's for safety. It's hard enough to see out your windows when they are all salt covered, etc. Tint just makes it tougher to see left and right. It's not that sunny here and not that hot that you need it for cooling reasons. Around here it can be dark and your windows get grimy from rain, so do it for your own visibility.

Hi ofcjim40,

I'm an Illinois resident and have a question. If a car has all windows tinted and is pulled over for it, would a doctor's note stating that the owner/driver of the car has a skin condition that doesn't allow sunlight be something that would allow the officer to avoid giving the citation?

i have a skin condition that, though i stay out of the sun entirely, I drive to and from work in a car with no tint. i was advised by my dermatologist that driving in the sun (no matter what season), my skin condition will worsen and i will be at a high risk for skin cancer. she is willing to write this for me so i can keep it in the glove compartments of my cars. Please let me know, thanks!

binger54

[mattywo85]

The law is 35% tint all around but if you have 30% the cops most likely won't stop you. Since the new tint laws have come into effect most cops I have noticed don't care as much.

[relaxed50]

Originally Posted by mattywo85

The law is 35% tint all around but if you have 30% the cops most likely won't stop you. Since the new tint laws have come into effect most cops I have noticed don't care as much.

Since films don't need to be certified by manufacturers in Illinois I wouldn't go over 30% just to be safe, even though 35% is legally allowed. Also wasn't mentioned if you drive an SUV or a van you can use any darkness on your back and rear windows.
source: [URL="http://www.cartintlaw.com/illinois/"]Illinois | Car Window Tint Laws[/URL]