With the year-end vehicle buying season underway, Colorado drivers are being reminded that the state imposes strict limits on how dark vehicle windows can be. Rocky Mountain Window Tint, a Colorado Springs-based company that has provided window tint colorado springs drivers since 1999, issued the reminder as many new and used car owners discover that tint installed by a previous owner may not meet state requirements.
Under Colorado Revised Statutes section 42-4-227, windows other than the windshield on a vehicle registered in Colorado may not be treated so that they allow less than 27 percent light transmittance. The windshield must allow at least 70 percent light transmittance, with tinted material permitted only along the top four inches. Violating the statute is a class B traffic infraction for the driver, while installing film that fails to meet the light-transmittance requirements is a class A traffic infraction.
The importance of these rules is heightened during the year-end buying period, when thousands of vehicles change hands and buyers may inherit aftermarket tint without knowing its specifications. A class B traffic infraction can result in fines and points, and a class A infraction carries higher penalties for installers. For consumers, an illegal tint job can mean unexpected costs and the hassle of removal or replacement.
"We see a lot of cars that came off the dealer lot with tint someone else put on, and the new owner has no idea how dark it is," said Bob of Rocky Mountain Window Tint. "If you're not sure what's on the car now, have it checked before you add anything darker."
For drivers comparing colorado springs window tint options, the company advises asking how the installer measures finished light transmittance and whether the film carries a warranty. These questions can help buyers avoid non-compliant installations, especially when purchasing a vehicle that already has tint.
Vehicle owners protecting a new purchase often pair window film with paint protection. Rocky Mountain Window Tint installs clear bra and ppf colorado springs drivers use to guard against rock chips, road debris and weather on Colorado highways. For those seeking to change a vehicle's appearance or add branding, the company also designs, prints and installs vinyl graphics and car wraps in its own shop.
"Tint is one of the first things people want on a new car in Colorado because of the sun and the heat," Bob said. "It's worth taking a minute to get it right the first time so it doesn't turn into a ticket later."
Rocky Mountain Window Tint operates two Colorado Springs locations and a Littleton location serving the Denver area. The company was founded in Colorado Springs in 1999 and provides automotive, residential and commercial window tint, clear bra paint protection film, car wraps and graphics from locations on Motor City Drive and East Woodmen Road in Colorado Springs and on South Broadway in Littleton.
