Window tinting is now a big feature of the car life. People do it for the looks but also stuff such as, privacy, keeping the environment on the inside at desirable temperatures etc. It is important that you check with your state laws however, before deciding to join this fraternity.
This is especially so because every territory these days has its own tint regulations which are often distinct from everyone else. Keeping with this theme, we will today explore laws for Oklahoma.
Oklahoma’s legislation is fairly recent if contrasted with most states as it was passed in 2005. As a result, the state had the benefit of how things had played out elsewhere in the United States as they went about enacting this law.
It is no surprise then that the window tint regulations in Oklahoma are fairly unrestricted. We look at the details of these below.
This article explores window tint darkness provisions as well as those on window tint reflection plus those that are either incidental to the two broad divisions or complementary.
You can be sure too that I will share about other general knowledge concepts that should be useful in your appreciation of the holistic picture.
Window tint darkness in Oklahoma
Window tint regulations are broadly categorized into window tint reflection and window tint darkness. Window tint darkness is about the amount of light that the tint that one adopts allows in the car. It does so by literally blocking sunrays from penetrating through the car windows.
Darkness of tint is measured through a quantity known as Visible Light Transmission also VLT. VLT is measured in percentages with the highest figures meaning that the tint used allows more lighting while the reverse is equally true.
Tint can get as dark as five percent or allow in light that is as much as 95%. Those are the extremes though. Most state states including Oklahoma will have their requirements somewhere in the middle of this scale.
Regulators depend on a number of factors to determine what VLT percentage is to be allowed for cars. The major one that almost every state will follow is about the window on the car in question. Because these screens serve different purposes, it follows that different standards are required of them.
Often, very minimal tint if any is allowed on windshield for instance because it is there that a driver interacts with the road directly. Distorting one’s view would hence raise the risk of accidents to levels that are uncomfortable for most legislatures.
Window tint darkness is also in some cases determined by the kind of vehicle that one owns. In that case, the law will stipulate different VLT percentages for windows positioned similarly on different cars. This is in many cases determinate on the buildup of a car as well as their purpose.
That said, many states in America have not always considered this attribute though as we will soon see, Oklahoma has been very deliberate in considering it. Okay then, here we go:
Sedans
Windshield: Tint is only allowed when used for only the top five inches at maximum.
Backside windows: At least 25% VLT is allowed.
Front side windows: At least 25% VLT is allowed.
Rear window: At least 25% VLT is allowed.
SUVs and Vans
Windshield: Tint is only allowed when used for only the top five inches at maximum.
Backside windows: No VLT restrictions imposed.
Front side windows: At least 25% VLT is allowed.
Rear window: No VLT restrictions imposed.
Passenger vehicles
Windshield: Tint is only allowed when used for only the top five inches at maximum.
Backside windows: At least 25% VLT is allowed.
Front side windows: At least 25% VLT is allowed.
Rear window: At least 25% VLT is allowed.
Multipurpose vehicles
Windshield: Tint is only allowed when used for only the top five inches at maximum.
Backside windows: No VLT restrictions imposed.
Front side windows: At least 25% VLT is allowed.
Rear window: No VLT restrictions imposed.
Window Tint Reflection in Oklahoma
Window tint reflection achieves objectives similar to those of window tint darkness just that it does so in a much more subtle way. Instead of blocking light, reflection diverts the rays coming towards it to elsewhere instead. That said, occupants of the car will still realize cooling, privacy etc.
Reflection tint is able to carry these properties thanks to the metallic properties that are built within e.g. silver. In terms of measurements the higher the degree of reflection attached to a mirror, the more amount of light it is able to reflect.
Notably, less reflection means more visibility of the environment outside by the person on the inside of the car. By contrast, even at reasonably low reflection degree the people outside will usually not see what is inside the vehicle.
Like with tint darkness, window reflection is determined by the position that a given window occupies on a car as well as the type of car in question. Unlike under window tint darkness however, Oklahoma chose to adopt a general standard for all cars in relation to window tint reflection. It does not matter then that you drive a Sedan, Van, or SUV.
Perhaps the rationale is that all reflections appear the same on the outside provided they are of the same percentage regardless of the car that a bystander looks at yet under window tint darkness, it is not the vision of the person outside that we are looking at but those inside. Here are the specifics of window reflection requirements.
Front side windows: Light can only be 25% reflective at maximum.
Backside windows: Light can only be 25% reflective at maximum.
A unique concern under color reflection is the shade of colors used. Some colors tend to be so disorienting that even if used on a car with supposed low percentages their net impact would still do no good.
Alive to this fact, Oklahoma has completely banned the usage of red and amber as window tint reflection colors.
This limit is not that much harsh if you asked me. There still remains a host of colors for you to choose from if you are going to tint your car in the state.
Other Window Tint Regulations in Oklahoma
Having understood what you should expect under window tint darkness and window tint reflection regulations in Oklahoma, the next thing to know is the other provisions are related to either or both concepts.
Otherwise, neither operates in a vacuum so as to mean that once you have understood its general standard you are good to go.
Note that this list too is still not exhaustive though I have endeavored to get you the most salient of these laws so you should be good to once you become fully alive to the implications that each of them brings with it:
- Side mirrors. For vehicles whose rear window is tinted to the extent of allowing in no light at all, the drivers must have side mirrors installed on both the left and right sides of the car. Further, these mirrors should be attached in a way that allows the driver to see at least two hundred feet of the road to the rare of the car.
Recall that for SUVs, vans, and multipurpose vehicles, Oklahoma allows owners to tint the rear windows of their cars without restrictions whatsoever thereby creating a possibility for fully closed interface with the environment behind the car if no mechanisms are put up to check the same.
- Manufacturer certification. Ensure that you only buy tint film from a company that is able to prove that it is certified to produce film in Oklahoma. Doing otherwise means that you would be flirting with illegality.
The beauty here is that once this requirement is met, then law enforcement will not ask for stickers or other proof for following the state’s window tint law as is often is the case elsewhere. Certification is not asked of police vehicles however, as well as those registered elsewhere in the country.
You should also make sure that you obtain a written contract from the manufacturer as it is incumbent upon them to warn you in bold terms about how it is the that the tint acquired may be illegal in other states.
This sentence must be captured in bold letters. Think about it in the same way that tobacco manufacturers indicate on their products the fact that their consumers could suffer from cancer.
- Medical exemptions. The window tint darkness and reflection standards as explained notwithstanding, drivers with medical challenges will be allowed more consideration should they show that their health depends on it.
In order to benefit under this provision however, one has to obtain certification from a physician first in attestation to their condition upon which they can apply to the state particularly the Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV).
Common examples issued that will benefit under this provision include; Porphyria, Albinism, Lupus, Xeroderma Pigmentosum, Bloom syndrome etc.
Once the DMV certifies the condition of the applicant to be genuine, then a commissioner will issue them an exemption.
- Penalties. For one thing, violation of tinting regulations is not a crime but an infraction. This means that you can be sure that there is no jail term for it. Instead, the state has devised other means of ensuring that people comply with this law.
Mainly this has been through orders to fix the excess tinting especially when the driver involved is a first time offender. Should you ignore the direction, then you will be asked to pay a fine on top the next time.
A difference of $100 more from the last time that a driver was stopped for failing to heed to tinting laws usually accrues.
Ultimately however, the determination of the penalty that one meets is up to the law enforcers’ desecration on the ground. If you have a valid excuse thus, e.g. the fact that you have a health issue, then you can always politely engage them.
You can then go on to apply for an exemption through the formal process should you be lucky to be excused.
Otherwise, it is important that you do not abuse such allowance as a citizen because while you might be doing what you do because of laziness, forgetting, busy schedule etc., there are in fact disingenuous actors that who through disguise place the lives road users at stake.
Others
Here are some facts and figures which though not being part of the laws of Oklahoma are instrumental in appreciating the practical aspects of the tinting. Take it as bonus content for my readers.
- Subtle benefit. One thing that tinting helps without many people realizing is the fact that keeping sunrays out reduces the degree to which fading happens. When you enter a car next time and it appears new then, you might as well first ascertain with the darkness of its doors.
- Pricing. The price of tint varies per two major factors i.e. quality and the question of whether you are to install it yourself or hire a professional. In the latter case, high quality tint will go for approximately $400 while doing it yourself may cast you $100 roughly.
It also matters the size of the car that you intend to tint since if it is big or has many windows, it would mean that you would have to part with considerable more sums of money.
- Types of tint. Tint does not come in one blend so let us look at a couple of the options available so you can be sure which of them fits best in your preferences.
- Metallized window tint. This tint carries particles of metal which enable it to reflect light rays. Further, a car that gets in an accident will have its windows break up less if its windows are covered by this tint.
The problem that has often come with employing this tint however, is that it interrupts connectivity with devices and networks elsewhere e.g. with radios and GPS.
- Dyed tint. This variation is made from dye just like it’s name implies. The way it goes about its job is by absorption of both heat and light whenever they come towards the windows its covering.
- Ceramic window tint. This tint carries ceramic particles instead of metallic ones thereby realizing the purpose of tinting without having to interrupt other signals. Please note that ceramic window tint is quite significantly expensive. If you can purchase it however, it is certainly worth the money.
Oklahoma state info
Oklahoma sits on approximately 69,800 km sq of South West America. And with a population of 6,900,000+ people, this state is not that populous in comparison with her peers.
To be specific, she occupies number twenty eight on a list of fifty.
That said, Oklahoma has a pretty impressive economic capabilities with the leading industry there being oil and gas.
Energy, agriculture, and telecommunications are some of the other sectors that are doing just as well. Indeed, Oklahoma is high up on the list of the fastest growing economies because of this.
The state is also strong when it comes to research and science. The fields at the forefront in this area are Aviation and Biotechnology. The capital of Oklahoma is Oklahoma city.
Tulsa follows closely in being a hub of numerous opportunities.
Here are some other cities found in Oklahoma state; Midwest City, Miami, Sandy Springs, Enid, Broken Arrow, Altus, Owasso, Pawhuska, Cushing, Moore, Sapulpa, Jenks, Woodward, Boise City etc.
Cities in Oklahoma: Oklahoma City, Tulsa, Norman, Edmond, Broken Arrow, Stillwater, Lawton, Moore, Fort Sill, Muskogee, Enid, Bartlesville, Owasso, Tahlequah, Ardmore, Midwest City, Claremore, Altus, Anadarko, Ada, El Reno, Guthrie, Shawnee, Picher, Hollister, Yukon, McAlester, Ponca City, Durant, Weatherford, Chickasha, Sentinel, Cushing, Toppers, Elk City, Broken Bow, Okay, Tishomingo, Miami, Jenks, Duncan, Del City, Sapulpa, Pawhuska, McLoud, Sand Springs, Boise City, Pryor Creek, Valliant, Woodward
Counties in Oklahoma: Adair, Alfalfa, Atoka, Beaver, Beckham, Blaine, Bryan, Caddo, Canadian, Carter, Cherokee, Choctaw, Cimarron, Cleveland, Coal, Comanche, Cotton, Craig, Creek, Custer, Day, Delaware, Dewey, Ellis, Garfield, Garvin, Grady, Grant, Greer, Harmon, Harper, Haskell, Hughes, Jackson, Jefferson, Johnston, Kay, Kingfisher, Kiowa, Latimer, LeFlore, Lincoln, Logan, Love, Major, Marshall, Mayes, McClain, McCurtain, McIntosh, Murray, Muskogee, Noble, Nowata, Okfuskee, Oklahoma, Okmulgee, Osage, Ottawa, Pawnee, Payne, Pittsburg, Pontotoc, Pottawatomie, Pushmataha, Roger Mills, Rogers, Seminole, Sequoyah, State Level Sites, Stephens, Texas, Tillman, Tulsa, Wagoner, Washington, Washita, Woods, Woodward