i got pulled over this morning for havin smoked tailights. I live in MD. The cop said there can be no tint or color on them at all.

Is this true? I believe not once so ever.

are they illegal??

thanks in advance.

Yup. It's the same in all the states. You can NOT cover your stock red, "reflective" lenses with anything. Even a cover with a "cutout" (like a shape, word, bowtie, etc) will get you a ticket for sure. Some states are more strict than others, about enforcement.

If you really want to know what's "legal" in YOUR state.........all states' DMV have have guidelines listed on a DMV internet site. So there's no excuses.

what part of md? I live in md and have tinted tails no issues....yet....



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In fact, if you ever try to argue the point with law enforcement, or DMV officers.........they will inform you that.......You can NOT ALTER ANYTHING from original equipment (that came on your vehicle from the factory), or it's considered "improper or illegal equipment" (instant ticket - if they want to). Better be nice to the man

I lived in CT for 25 years with "clear tails", tinted windows, etc........ When I finally got pulled over, I got a ticket with SEVEN infractions (all for minor mods) on it ($800 worth!!!). They gave me a choice.....to pay the ticket & risk another......or, put everything back to stock for inspection. Failure to comply would result in suspension of registration.

You may think, because you get away with it....it's legal.....do some research!

illegal, but depending where in md you are will determine how long you can get away with it, in rockville i see tons of car with blue and yellow tint on headlight and smoked tails pass by cops all the time with no problems.


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I <3 Michigan! You can get away with just about anything here. Its very rare to hear of someone getting a ticket for anything like this

that bulls*it man. The tint/smoke doesnt hurt anything at all. They're just jealous. lol. great, now i can only hope to find a real cheap pair of new lights ow and not spend 300 bucks on new ones.

im in southern maryland btw

man that sucks lol,i live in nova scotia, canada and up here as long as the light shows through good when you use the brakes they dont really care, and i have tinted tail lights and there fairly dark, ive even seen a couple people with completely blacked out tail lights and not get pulled over.

you'd be surprised whats actually illegal that they let go...

Dont believe a cop when he tells you they dont have a quota.. its a performance review! any employer needs a way to gauge effectiveness... in a cops case, its usually traffic stops... even if its an un-written quota, it exists.. if you havent pulled anyone over all month, that doesnt look good..

and thats when you'll find cops pulling you over for something trivial like that... otherwise they cant be bothered with the paperwork on something that stupid... in a week that same cop will let you drive on by... lol

I have been pulled over a couple times for unrelated things and actually had one cop stop and look at my tails and rub them with his hand. But, didn't say anything.

In the end they are the cops and you did something to your car that you did or should have known was illegal if you get a ticket for it it is your fault not the cops. He's doing his job.

I got pulled over for tint last week. Came up at 44%, 50% is legal here. I got a $135 ticket. I knew it was illegal, I got a ticket. I'll pay it and move on.

Scott (Silver Z) wrote:I knew it was illegal, I got a ticket. I'll pay it and move on.

What he said. No point in crying over something you cant change

Heres how you get away with the tinted windows thing. The law says it was to be a certain limit, unless it is stock from the factory. So buy tinted windows that would fit your car straight from the factory as dark as you want them, or as dark as they will tint them, keep the receipt and you are good to go. My friend did this on his sunfire and anytime he's gotten pulled over, all he has to do is wave the receipt in the cops face and the cop can't touch him. As for the other stuff, sorry man. I got a $95 ticket for improper exhaust.


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thats true. but I put this tint on 3 years ago. ha. Plus my door windows are 35% and the back are 30%. He checked my driver window and it came out 25%. I seriously believe that since it was 7 in the morning and still have dark cou;d've caused it to read a darker tint.

my friend went to his doctor and got his doctor to write a perscription for tinted windows due to headaches from headlights so now he can legally have his door windows tinted

Brandon Payne wrote:my friend went to his doctor and got his doctor to write a perscription for tinted windows due to headaches from headlights so now he can legally have his door windows tinted

Ive heard of doing this.

You have to remember, most windows already have a slight tint to them, even if you can barely tell. When you put tint on top of it you have to add up both the stock tint and the tint you put on.

Brandon Payne wrote:my friend went to his doctor and got his doctor to write a perscription for tinted windows due to headaches from headlights so now he can legally have his door windows tinted

I know a lot of people that have that paper too. I tried it at the eye doctor a while ago and if it was that bad he wanted to run a bunch of other tests. I didn't do it.

SpeedDemon (Steve) wrote:You have to remember, most windows already have a slight tint to them, even if you can barely tell. When you put tint on top of it you have to add up both the stock tint and the tint you put on.

Yep, thats what got me. The tint was 50%. Cop said they will give a it -/+3%.

it sucks, but the law is the law.

it's up to you to choose weather or not you care to follow it.

That is funny. I've seen some drivers around West Central Fla with smoked and clear tails. Even I personally have projector headlights with custom painted inserts (black btw) with HID system and I don't get into any trouble. Somehow, I think it all depends from state to state.

I live in MO and i have sprayed my taillights with nightshade with the cutout of a bowtie emblem and have not been pulled over once for it.


-00Cav-

I have a set of tails from my 03 cav if ur interested

OhDatCav wrote:I have a set of tails from my 03 cav if ur interested

who is that directed to?


-00Cav-

firegrillincavy wrote:That is funny. I've seen some drivers around West Central Fla with smoked and clear tails. Even I personally have projector headlights with custom painted inserts (black btw) with HID system and I don't get into any trouble. Somehow, I think it all depends from state to state.

That's what I love about Florida, nobody really cares. FHP cracked down on tint a while back but it was more of a publicity stunt