My question is....from what I can find, MN laws say that tint can be no more than 50%?
As stated several times already, unfortunately that is correct..... for CARS
read on...
My Grand Cherokee I previously owned had the front windows tinted by the previous owner to nearly match the back factory tint, and I really liked it, and had zero problems from the police. What's your take on this?
You were never stopped in your Jeep because of a little loophole in the MN vehicle laws. Your Grand Cherokee actually falls under the Minnesota definition of a "van". Allow me to explain:
MN statute 169.71, sub 4, sec b, 3, ii (found here:
https://www.revisor.mn.gov/statutes/?id=169.71) states: "(a) No person shall drive or operate any motor vehicle required to be registered in the state of Minnesota upon any street or highway....when any side window or rear window is composed of or treated with any material so as to obstruct or substantially reduce the driver's clear view through the window or has a light transmittance of less than 50 percent plus or minus three percent in the visible light range..."
they go on to say: "(b) This subdivision does not apply to glazing materials (aka "tint") which:... (3) are applied to:.... (ii) the rear windows or the side windows on either side behind the driver's seat of a van as defined in section 168.002, subdivision 40.
Section 168.002, Subd. 40. states: "Van" means any vehicle of box-like design with no barrier or separation between the operator's area and the remainder of the cargo-carrying area, and with a manufacturer's nominal rated carrying capacity of three-fourths ton or less.
You never got stopped in your Jeep because all the officers knew you could legally define it as a van.
Your coworker, who I assume is sort of new to the tinting business, probably forgot that Collectors cars, such as the ones he probably has, don't apply to the rule, and can have as low as they want, as long as they have collectors plates.
Sorry to open up an old topic, but I got bored...