Tennessee Tint Law

HOUSE BILL 1187  
By Jimmy Matlock 
 
 
AN ACT to amend Tennessee Code Annotated, Title 55, 
Chapter 9, Part 1, relative to motor vehicle window 
tinting. 
 
BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF TENNESSEE: 

 SECTION 1. Tennessee Code Annotated, Section 55-9-107, is amended by deleting 
subsection (a) in its entirety and by substituting instead the following language: 

(a)   
(1)  It is unlawful for any person to operate, upon a public highway, street or road, 
any motor vehicle, in which any window that has a visible light transmittance equal to, 
but not less than, that specified in the Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard No. 205, 
has been altered, treated or replaced by the affixing, application or installation of any 
material that: 
  (A)  Has a visible light transmittance of less than thirty-five percent (35%); 
or 
  (B)  With the exception of the manufacturer's standard installed shade 
band, reduces the visible light transmittance in the windshield below seventy 
percent (70%). 
  (2)  Any person who installs window tinting materials in this state for profit, barter, 
or wages or commissions is defined as a "professional installer" for the purposes of this 
section, and it is unlawful for a professional installer to apply tinting materials to any 
motor vehicle so as to cause such motor vehicle to be in violation of this section.
  (3)  All professional installers of window tinting materials shall supply and shall 
affix to the lower right corner of the driver's window an adhesive label, the size and style 
of which shall be determined by the commissioner of safety, which includes: 
   (A)  The installer's business name; and 
   (B)  The legend "Complies with Tennessee Code Annotated, § 55-9-107." 
  (4)  All professional installers of window tinting materials shall supply each 
customer with a signed receipt for each motor vehicle to which tinting materials have 
been applied that includes: 
   (A)  Date of installation; 
   (B)  Make, model, paint color and license plate number and state; 
  (C)  The legend "Complies with Tennessee Code Annotated, § 55-9-107, 
at date of installation"; and 
  (D)  The legend "This receipt shall be kept with motor vehicle registration 
documents." 
  (5)  The owner of any vehicle in question has the burden of proof that the motor 
vehicle is in compliance with this section. 
  (6)   

(A) The restrictions of this subsection (a) do not apply to any of the 
following motor vehicles: 
(i) Any motor vehicle model permitted by federal regulations to be 
equipped with certain windows tinted so as not to conform to the 
specifications of subdivision (a)(1)(A) with respect to those certain 
windows; 
(ii) Any motor vehicle bearing commercial license plates, or 
government service license plates that are used for law enforcement 
purposes, for those windows rearward of the front doors; and 
(iii) Any motor vehicle that is registered in another state and meets 
the requirements of the state of registration. 

(B) This subdivision (a)(6) shall not be construed in any way to exempt 
the front door windows of any motor vehicle of any kind from the specifications of 
subdivision (a)(1)(A). 

 SECTION 2.  This act shall take effect July 1, 2009, the public welfare requiring it.