Hey guys I will be moving to the bay area this summer and I had some questions about the laws on tinting in Cali. What are they for windows and is the law pretty strict about it?

Also what about tinting of headlights? I was thinking of going with JDM yellow headlight armor for my head lights but i want to double check maybe you guys might know if it is illegal.

Thanks and looking forward to hitting up some of the Fit Freak Meets over there in the west.

AK

 

Look the laws up online, they will be updated faster them anything people see on paper.

My guess is California will be pretty strict.

California DMV or DOT websites are your sources for required information!

 

No tint is allowed on the front windows, rear you can do whatever you want.

Tinting of headlights is illegal, headlights have to be whitish.

Lots of people don't follow these rules and never get hassled. I lasted one week exactly without a front plate. I was thinking of starting a game on here

 

I have 30% on my front windows and i have plate covers too that are tinted but do not block the camera flash. I have been hassled here in VA but there is no law. I will take my chances I guess.

I was looking at getting some yellow tint for my headlights but I think i will wait to see how i do with the window tint and plate cover. my car will not be registered in CA so i don't know if that will mean anything or not with the law. I would take a guess and say no…

 

If it's not registered here and you are not a "resident" of CA they can't hassle you. Are you coming here for military service?

 

I don't think that's true. I know that I've been told/read in a couple places that people are required to comply with local traffic laws when crossing state lines for vacation, so I would guess that's likely true of any time you cross state lines with your vehicles. That said, depending on how nice the cop is that pulls over, you may be able to sweet talk your way out of it by being extra nice and pleading you didn't know better. Honestly, cops are so used to getting hassled when they pull you over, you'd be amazed what you sometimes can get away with just by being polite, respectful and not argumentative.

Depending on how long you plan on being here (and/or if you end up eventually registering here in Ca), you may not need to sweat it too bad, as long as you're not doing anything else to draw attention to yourself. Things ranging to how far above or below speed limit you are, the color of your Fit and how flashy/distinct it is can make a huge difference. If you have a "somebody else's car" color like black, white, silver or maybe even the blues, without much in the way of decoration and staying within the ten-over to just below the speed limit range that seems to be flow of traffic around here, without an excess of lane changes and weaving, the cops usually have better things to worry about than ticketing you for tint and plate covers.

 

Well I asked about military service because I know guys in the military that have cars in CA that are absolutely not street legal in CA but drive them from their home state to use here and that's perfectly legal.

If you are driving through California in a car that's legally registered in another state they can't ticket you. They can hassle you yes. You know how I know? I got pulled over when I first moved here with a car registered in Nevada, they couldn't give me fix it tickets for anything since I had been here less than 30 days and I could prove it.

If you have an address in CA, get mail there and reside there you "have" to get California plates within 30 days. I know people who skirt this and smog laws by sending mail to an address in another state and have residency in the other state, so register their car there.

Just my experiences on the matter. I've done a fair amount of homework on it because of my personal encounters and that's what I understand as the law here.

 

yes i am in the military. My cars are both registered in Alaska and my license as well. I will be living "temporarily" in California due to military service. I will be renting and yes most likely getting utilities because of that as well. I will not be changing my residency due to Alaska Requirements… (long story). I guess I can test the water when we get there, if i get hassled then so be it. I don't need any tickets.

 

Ah you're good then man, you can do whatever you want. Even if they stop you they won't ticket you. Lucky you are.

 

I moved to SoCal for five months and brought both my cars from Utah, I instantly removed my front plates (as I hate them) and had a couple things that didn't jive with CA laws, I had cops flip Uturns and follow me for several blocks just to have them eventually pass me or turn back around once they realized I didn't have CA plates and wasn't breaking any "moving violation" laws.
i'm not military
I wasn't going to register my cars in CA till I found a job that would keep me there - never did and returned to SLC - I still have my name all over utilities and a three bedroom house down there and visit as often as I can, the key is obey all traffic laws and you probably will never get bothered

 

Cool thanks for that info. I don't heat or anything on my record, here in DC and Maryland they have stupid speed cameras, which I fell victim to and my wife fell victim to a red light camera. I've been pulled over for my plate cover in Virginia but he only gave me a warning because there is no law.. He said that they, law Enforcement, didn't like them. haha oh well I never took it off and I won't till they show me the law where it states i can't have it.