I'm moving from Miss. and there are pretty much no laws stating that you can't have 5% window tint unless you want to get your inspection sticker which isn't illegal if you don't have it. Sweet right! Well now i'm getting stationed in Little Creek, Va. and i don't wanna get harrased every time i drive so i wanted to find out what the laws are in the Hampton-Virginia Beach areas are like. I don't have the cavy tinted yet but before i go spend money on the tint i wanna make sure i don't have to remove it once i move up there.
basically law goes, if they can't see you, it's illegal, VA laws suck, let me warn you, if you have cleared out/blackout/redout lights make sure they are the right colors, and can be seen when used, if not you'll get ticketed.
I'm not going anywhere just yet
R.I.P. Jimmy "the Rev" Sullivan '81-'09
What if i keep my mississippi plates you think i will still get bothered by them.
You can keep your mississippi plates for a little why, but you have to get new ones within 60 days, also if cops notice you frequently, they might eventually pull you over. Oh, and hope you don't have a loud exhaust, engine or music....it seems like that's illegal too, cops hate it and will pull you over. My friend got pulled over because he had a loud exhaust and got a ticket for it for a 'improper exhaust system" and only had to pay ten for it.
I'm not going anywhere just yet
R.I.P. Jimmy "the Rev" Sullivan '81-'09
The actual % law is
50% sides, 35% rear windows. That is VA law.
I just got my roommate's cars done recently, Scion tC 35% all the way around, no hassle, too light for me personally. The Tundra we did 20%? to match the factory tint in the rear. It's a truck, even back home in MI they didn't mess with trucks. My newly acquired Cobalt SS has 5% rear 20% sides, I love it but yeah I'm being cautious.
I just came down here to Hampton in February, nice area.
The law says, one thing.
Even living in VA I wouldn't do less than 20%. A lot of shops will offer free re-tint if you get fix it ticket for it.
-Chris
Unless the cop is being an @!#$, when my friend had legal tint on his rear window, ((he even got it checked byan officer and this is the same friend who got pulled over because of the exhaust same cop too :p)) told him that the tint was too dark and gave hima ticket. When something like that happens, fight for it, you'll win it. I did for him, and we won a revok on both tickets.
I'm not going anywhere just yet
R.I.P. Jimmy "the Rev" Sullivan '81-'09
Joe Schulte wrote:The actual % law is 50% sides, 35% rear windows. That is VA law.
I just got my roommate's cars done recently, Scion tC 35% all the way around, no hassle, too light for me personally. The Tundra we did 20%? to match the factory tint in the rear. It's a truck, even back home in MI they didn't mess with trucks. My newly acquired Cobalt SS has 5% rear 20% sides, I love it but yeah I'm being cautious.
I just came down here to Hampton in February, nice area.
This is the CORRECT law... however both of my cars are 35 all the way around and ive never been harassed and i live in Virginia Beach and have been here for many years...
As for the windshield you can tint down to the AS1 line with anything you want as long as its not opague...
Mini-vans and SUVs have no restrictions on their rear windows. just 50% on the front sides and AS1 on the windshield...
let me know when you get in town, little creek is down the street from me...
EDIT: also for state inspection here, we only look at the windshield... AS1 and above it passes, below the AS1 or its so blacked out you can't see through it at all, and it fails. you could run 5% on every other window and you'll pass inspection... but you'll be open for tickets...
State inspection here sucks...
EDIT 2: As for your mississippi plates.... if you are in the military you can keep the plates indefinately... just claim dual citizenship between the states... When my dad was in, we kept florida plates on our cars regardless of where we moved, even considering we spent all but one year of the 90s here and hadn't lived in florida since the 80s... .... However, if the cop pulls you for something else, and realizes you live here (like if you have a VA license), he can then get you for tint... otherwise he'll probably leave you alone,... you'll have a reduced chance...
As for all the other laws.... Aftermarket mufflers will get you a ticket in all most every part of the state regardless of plates, loud stereos are mainly an issue in Norfolk and Newport News, as they have the 50 feet rule and consider it a felany to have music louder than 50 feet away from your vehicle. Altered suspension is an issue that comes up... ive never been hit by it, but i know people who have. You have to mount a front license plate on your front bumper somewhere... All form of Neon lights are illegal.
Edited 3 time(s). Last edited Friday, June 26, 2009 1:23 PM
From the sound of it i'm gonna have to be careful up there. Thanks alot. All this info was very helpful.
