Mississippi Tint Law

                          MISSISSIPPI CODE OF 1972
                  Revised through 1996 Legislative Session
                                   

SEC. 63-7-59. Windows and window glass generally; windshield wipers.

(1) No person shall drive any motor vehicle required to be registered in
    this state upon the public roads, streets or highways in this state with any
    sign or poster, or with any glazing material which causes a mirrored effect,
    upon the front windshield, side wings or side or rear windows of such
    vehicle, other than a certificate or other paper required or authorized to
    be so displayed by law. No person shall drive any motor vehicle required to
    be registered in this state upon the public roads, streets or highways in
    this state with any tinted film, glazing material or darkening material of
    any kind on the windshield of a motor vehicle except material designed to
    replace or provide a sun shield in the uppermost area as authorized to be
    installed by manufacturers of vehicles under federal law.

(2) From and after January 1, 1989, no person shall drive any motor vehicle
    required to be registered in this state upon the public roads, streets or
    highways in this state with any window so tinted or darkened, by tinted film
    or otherwise, that the interior of the vehicle is so obscured that a viewer
    with vision sufficient to qualify for a Mississippi driver's license cannot
    readily see into the interior of the vehicle by looking into it from outside
    the vehicle; provided, however, this prohibition shall not apply to school
    buses, other buses used for public transportation, any bus or van owned or
    leased by a nonprofit organization duly incorporated under the laws of this
    state, any limousine owned or leased by a private or public entity or any
    other motor vehicle the windows of which have been tinted or darkened before
    factory delivery as permitted by federal law or federal regulations.
    Notwithstanding the prohibitions of this subsection, no person shall be
    charged with a violation of this subsection and it shall be a complete
    defense for any person charged with a violation of this subsection if:

(a) Each window of the vehicle upon which tinted or darkening material has
    been applied has affixed to it a label approved under subsection (6) of this
    section certifying that the window:

(i) Has a luminous reflectance not exceeding twenty percent (20%); and

(ii) Has a light transmittance of thirty-five percent (35%) or more; or

(b) The person has a certificate of compliance for the vehicle issued by a
    law enforcement officer of the Department of Public Safety, as hereinafter
    provided.

(3) Notwithstanding the provisions of subsections (1) and (2) of this
    section, it shall be lawful for any person who has been diagnosed by a
    licensed physician in this state as having a physical condition or disease
    which is seriously aggravated by minimum exposure to sunlight to place or
    have placed upon the windshield or windows of any motor vehicle which he
    owns or operates or within which he regularly travels as a passenger tinted
    film or other darkening material which would otherwise be in violation of
    this section. However, any such vehicle, in order to be exempt under this
    subsection, shall have prominently displayed on the vehicle dashboard a
    certificate of medical exemption on a form prepared by the Commissioner of
    Public Safety and signed by the person on whose behalf the certificate is
    issued. The special certificate authorized by this subsection (3) shall be
    issued free of charge to the applicants through the offices of the tax
    collectors of the counties. Each applicant shall present to the issuing
    official (a) an affidavit signed personally by the applicant and signed and
    attested by a physician which states the applicant's physical condition or
    disease which entitles him to an exemption under this subsection, and (b)
    proof of ownership of the motor vehicle by the applicant, or a signed
    affidavit by the owner of a motor vehicle operated for the use of the
    applicant, for which he is obtaining the certificate.

(4) The windshield on every motor vehicle shall be equipped with a device
    for cleaning rain, snow or other moisture from the windshield, which device
    shall be so constructed as to be controlled or operated by the driver of the
    vehicle.

(5) From and after July 1, 1988, any motor vehicle required to be registered
    in this state with a window therein which has been tinted or darkened with
    any tinted film or other darkening material after factory delivery may have
    affixed to the lower left corner of each such window a label legible from
    outside the vehicle which indicates the label registration number, a
    certification of compliance with Mississippi law, and such other information
    as the Commissioner of Public Safety deems appropriate. The label shall be
    of a type which is pressure-sensitive, self-destructive upon removal, and no
    larger than one (1) inch square in size.

(6) Before shipping or making any tinted film or darkening material
    available for installation on a motor vehicle in this state, the
    manufacturer shall apply to the Commissioner of Public Safety for approval
    and registration of its tinted film or darkening material and the label
    which may be used in the identification and certification of compliance with
    the light transmittance and reflectance standards established under
    subsection (2) of this section. The commissioner shall approve no tinted
    film or darkening material or any label to be used upon the window of a
    vehicle unless the manufacturer demonstrates that the film and label comply
    with the provisions of this section.

(7) With every delivery of tinted film or darkening material for
    installation upon the window of a motor vehicle in this state, the
    manufacturer shall provide the label as approved by the Commissioner of
    Public Safety with written instructions indicating the proper location for
    placement of the label as required by this section.

(8) Any labels approved by the Commissioner of Public Safety under
    subsection (6) of this section may be affixed to the windows of a motor
    vehicle which have been tinted or darkened with any tinted film or other
    darkening material after factory delivery. The presence of such label upon
    the window of a motor vehicle shall indicate that the person who affixed the
    label certifies that the window meets the restrictions of subsection (2) of
    this section as to luminous reflectance and light transmittance.

(9) From and after July 1, 1988, no person shall install any tinted film,
    darkening material, glazing material or any other material upon the
    windshield or any window of a motor vehicle which, after the installation
    thereof, would result in such vehicle being in violation of subsection (1)
    or (2) of this section if driven on the public roads, streets or highways of
    this state after January 1, 1989.
    
(10) No motor vehicle inspection certificate shall be issued from and after
    January 1, 1989, for a vehicle on which the windshield or any window of the
    vehicle has been darkened by the installation of tinted film or by other
    means, except as authorized under this section. Inspection certificates
    shall be issued to motor vehicles which have labels affixed pursuant to
    subsection (8) of this section and to motor vehicles for which a certificate
    of compliance has been issued by a law enforcement officer of the Department
    of Public Safety pursuant to subsection (12) of this section.

(11) It shall be unlawful for any person to alter or reproduce any label
    approved by the Commissioner of Public Safety under this section for the
    purpose of misleading law enforcement officers or motor vehicle inspection
    stations, or to knowingly use any approved label except as authorized by
    this section.

(12) Motor vehicles which do not have labels affixed pursuant to subsection
    (8) of this section shall be tested for compliance with the light
    transmittance requirements of this section by law enforcement officers of
    the Department of Public Safety. Such tests shall be performed with
    specially manufactured cards designed for such purpose and issued to
    officers by the Department of Public Safety. Motor vehicles in compliance
    shall be issued certificates of compliance in a form prescribed by the
    Department of Public Safety.

(13) Any person violating subsection (9) or (11) of this section, upon
    conviction, shall be punished by a fine of not more than One Thousand
    Dollars ($1,000.00), or imprisonment in the county jail for not more than
    three (3) months, or by both such fine and imprisonment.

(14) Any violation of this section other than a violation as described in
    subsection (13) of this section shall be punishable upon conviction as
    provided in Section 63-7-7.

(15) Violations of this section shall be enforced only by law enforcement
    officers of the Mississippi Department of Public Safety and municipal law
    enforcement officers of municipalities having a population of two thousand
    (2,000) or more on the public roads, streets and highways under their
    jurisdiction.

(16) The Department of Public Safety shall initiate a public awareness
    program designed to inform and educate persons of the provisions of this
    section. Funds for such public awareness program shall be available through
    the office of the Governor's representative for highway safety programs.

SOURCES: Codes, 1942, Sec. 8253; Laws, 1938, ch. 200; 1983, ch. 416; 1988,
ch. 521, Sec. 1; 1990, ch. 438, Sec. 1; 1992, ch. 320, Sec. 1, eff from and
after July 1, 1992.