Car tinting is one of the few places where the old English adage does not hold. Clearly, we get to judge a book by its cover because there is a specific type of people that will get to tint their cars and those that will not. Moreover, drivers in the first category will also fall in further divisions dependent on how exactly they tint their cars.
That said, sometimes the preferences of these drivers gets in the way of the interests of other people and so laws have come up throughout the United States, to help balance priorities including Hawaii.
The state’s window tinting laws first appeared in 1989 making it one of the earliest places in America to legislate on this issue.
There have ever since been modifications thereto as circumstances change but you do not have to worry about the figuring out of it all as I have done that for you already.
This article covers the broad areas of window tinting darkness and reflection before moving on to a host other important clauses say on penalties. Towards the end, I turn to some practical aspects that I believe will help give readers more perspective.
The article also compares the laws explored with those elsewhere from time to time as a way of helping you fit Hawaii’s situation into the broader picture of the country.
All this has been written in very accessible English so no, you do not need a lawyer to read this for you. Think about me as you lawyer instead, I have already done the work for you!
Hawaii Window Tinting Darkness Laws
Whenever we talk about window tinting, most people will think about window tinting darkness i.e. the aspect of tint that regulates lighting in a car by blocking light rays from penetrating through it and therefore the windows onto the occupants of a car.
What folks might not know though is that not all window tinting is the same. The amount of light that comes through the tint for instance, differs a great deal. We can understand this by appreciating what has now come to be termed as Visible Light Transmission or VLT.
It refers to the percentage of light that a film of tint allows into a vehicle on whose windows it is attached.
If a given type of window tinting is 90% VLT for example, and another 20%, then it means that the latter tint allows far less light into the car than the earlier mentioned tint.
Legislators thus will stipulate in the laws governing tinting darkness how much VLT is allowed in different scenarios. These efforts are often determined by two factors the first one usually regarding the car in question i.e. its structure or purpose.
An example here is private cars. Knowing that they may transport people who if they did not have their windows blocked they would from time to time interface with people who would want to touch to them, talk to them, take pictures… as is the case with celebrities, law makers try to be less restrictive with these vehicles as opposed to those which are public.
Doing otherwise would make travel so difficult for some since their privacy would always be interfered with.
The second factor often rotates on the window in issue. Whereas, we might be looking at windows on the same car, they never play the same role. As a case in point, the windshield is a place where the driver gets to see what is happening ahead of him.
It would be dangerous thus to have it tinted as heavily as say the rear window because that would risk blurring the driver’s vision.
Legislators are thus always conservative when it comes to windshields. Following closely are usually the front side windows especially given their linkage with helping drivers figure out what it is that the side mirrors are indicating for vehicles that have them.
That said, the factors mentioned will not always play out in every situation. Things will be different from state to state. For the case of Hawaii however, both are considered. Let us turn to the specifics then;
- SedansWindshield: tint can be used for only the top four inches of the screen. This requirement is a little restrictive in comparison with other states. The usual standard tends to be 5 or 6 inches.
Front side windows: a minimum of 35% VLT must be used.
Backside windows: a minimum of 35% VLT must be used.
Rear window: a minimum of 35% VLT must be used.
- SUVs and Vans: Windshield: tint can be used for only the top four inches of the screen. This requirement is a little restrictive in comparison with other states. The usual standard tends to be 5 or 6 inches.
Front side windows: a minimum of 35% VLT must be used.
Backside windows: there exists no restrictions whatsoever.
Rear window: there exists no restrictions whatsoever.
Hawaii Window Tinting Reflection Laws
The part of tint that is less known is window tint reflection. Mark you, this is not a vote of no confidence in this aspect of tinting. It works just as well as window tinting darkness and will in fact beat it in certain scenarios.
Before you proceed to tint your car because of what everybody else is doing, I suggest that you think about the ways in which you would like the tint to help you.
You can then proceed to work with an expert regarding the answers. I am certainly sure that a considerable portion of you will end up with window tint reflection if you follow these steps.
Window tint reflection is measured by the percentage of the light that comes to a window’s way that will de deflected. The higher the figure percentage, the more the amount capacity a window in question will have for reflecting light.
Members of congress will thus put laws in place dependent on how much reflection they believe will be given off by certain kinds of tinting.
If you closely inquire into the light reflecting phenomenon, you will also quickly discover that window tinting reflection urgently calls for legislation more than window tinting darkness does.
This is because, excesses in this field have the tendency of directly impacting the third parties more than they do the drivers and so arising no incentive for them to restrain their behavior.
Notice for instance, that when too much light is emitted from reflections of light rays coming towards a window, it ends up distorting the vision of road users outside the car hence it is them that would become involved in accidents for instance rather than the person driving the car from which light is being given off.
The factors that determine what amount of lighting is asked of cars are similar to those discussed under window tinting darkness i.e. the position of the window on a car as well as the kind of car that one would be looking at.
While Hawaii is guided by both these aspects under window tinting darkness however, none of them is considered for this section of tinting laws.
Instead, a blanket approach is taken and that is, that all reflective tint used should neither be reflective nor have mirroring capacities.
Other Hawaii Window Tinting Laws
With window tinting darkness and reflections laws out of the way, you can take it that you know the gist of what entails in the tinting laws of the state of Hawaii. It would still not be a complete package however, if you did not know about the parts of the law that I am going to talk about.
To be sure, I have picked these from various places so no, I am not trying to regurgitate everything in the statue but only the stuff that matter. Okay then.
- Restriction on colors: Hawaii allows drivers to use any colors of their choices if they are going to tint windows. This quite a liberal take if contrasted with most states. Usually, most of the colors are allowed and then red and amber are banned.
The rationale here is usually that certain colors are too shouting such that if they are used on windows, the will reflect too much light thereby causing the problems that we discussed under tint reflection. It appears however, that Hawaii is confident that all tint colors are okay provided they have no metallic or mirroring properties.
- Side mirrors: Hawaii mandates that if a driver places tint on the rear window of their vehicle then side mirrors are installed on either side of their car. This is a pretty standard approach which is geared at ensuring that a driver does not completely get out of touch with the objects/road users behind them altogether.
The only deviation from the norms perhaps is the fact that Hawaii asks this to of all drivers that tint their rear windows. More liberal states on this issue usually only ask car owners who take the extreme option of painting their rear windows with 0% VLT tint.
- Certificates and Stickers: Hawaii does not require manufactures to issue certificates to owners who install their films on vehicles. In the context of tinting, certificates refer to proclamations by manufacturers confirming that the tint they have given to a particular individual conforms to the laws of the state whose laws are applicable.
Related to certificates are stickers which more or less serve the same purpose as certificates with the major difference being that stickers can be attached on the windows of cars without taking up to much space. This would mean that car owners would not have to worry about keeping paper work if they have stickers. Like with certificates, Hawaii also does not mandate stickers.
This is a very liberal stance to take since there are states that mandate both the issuance of certificates and stickers to start with, and then the average situation being that states will at least ask that drivers have one of the two.
- Tint variance:this concept refers to the room of grace that tinting laws usually allow in relation to the actual standard that is required. In the case of Hawaii, the figure is 6%. It is important to note however, that in order to benefit under this bracket one has to point to good faith e.g. when their cars were tinted in a state that allows lower VLT or higher reflection percentage.
- Medical exemptions: Hawaii does not allow any exemptions whatsoever in relation to health complications. Now, this is certainly one of the state’s most restrictive window tinting provisions. Moreover, there are states whose VLT requirements are lower those of Hawaii and yet still allow for this ground.
Health exemptions are usually extended to individuals who have issues with too much lighting or heat from the sun coming their way due to a health condition. Most common are complications that arise from eye and skin problems.
Should you be one of the persons in this bracket and you intend to drive in Hawaii, you might have to adopt to mechanisms outside window tinting itself. For folks with skin issues, you could take to sunscreen and wearing clothes that cover most body parts and sunglasses for those with cases to do with eyes. The most proactive of you however, can take to advocacy. It is possible to challenge this law as discriminatory.
Also
Okay, we now know everything we need to know about the law. Asking you are to do with the information?
Here are some relatable practical aspects which if understood might prove useful in guiding you on how to take the next steps i.e. concluding with whether tinting is in fact something that is for you or not.
- Subtle benefits: there are the usual things that we all know about tinting; privacy protection, control of how much light comes into your car, you know. You will be surprised however, how much more there is actually is. Moreover, the other benefits can prove as useful as those that are common if not more.
Tinting can help reduce the fuel and energy that you use for your car. One way it achieves this is by ensuring that the car is cool when it reduces the level of heating that comes in from the outside. In return, you will find that you will not have to use your air conditioning system that much.
Tinting is also protective of the car from cases as minor as scratches to the minimization of cracks during accidents. Of course you would still have to replace the windows in the latter case especially if the incident is major but the tint will have prevented the splattering of glass all over the place there by reducing its chance to cause injury.
- High VLT levels can still intercept of UV rays:This is especially important for Hawaii especially in relation to the situation of medical exemptions. Please note however, that in order to block this lighting, transparent tint should be of a very high quality. We are talking of an expenditure of roughly $400 in a place you would have paid $100. If it is something that you can do though, it very much worth it.
Hawaii State Info
The state has a number of surprising facts about it. For example, it is the last to have joined America (this was in 1959). Hawaii is also the only states in the country that is entirely made up of islands.
This in companion with its climate has made it attractive to tourists looking to spend a good time but also the nerds looking to make inquiries into the nature of its different physical features.
Hawaii expands across approximately 28,000 km sq and is inhabited by about 1,300,000 people. The state’s capital is Honolulu. Other cities found in Hawaii include; Kula, Hawaiian Paradise, Waimalu, Mililani, Waianae, Kailua etc.
Cities in Hawaii: Honolulu, East Honolulu, Pearl City, Hilo, Kailua, Waipahu, Kaneohe, Mililani Town, Kahalui, Ewa Gentry, Mililani Mauka, Kihei, Makakilo, Wahiawa, Schofield Barracks, Wailuku, Kapolei, Ewa Beach, Royal Kunia, Halawa, Waimalu, Waianae, Nanakuli, Kailua, Lahaina, Waipio, Hawaiian Paradise Park, Kapaa, Kalaoa, Kaneohe Station, Maili, Aiea, Waimea, Waihee-Waiehu, Ahuimanu, Holualoa, Ocean Pointe, Makaha, Haiku-Pauwela, Pukalani, Waikele, Napili-Honokowai, Makawao, Hickam Housing, Lihue, Kula
Counties in Hawaii: Hawaii, Maui, Kalawao, Honolulu, Kauai
Tint law references:
Hawaii Revised Statutes section 291-21.5: Regulation of motor vehicle sun-screening devices; penalty