The Minnesota window tint law

169.71 Windshield.    

    Subdivision 1. Prohibitions generally. No person shall drive or operate any motor vehicle with a windshield cracked or discolored to an extent to limit or obstruct proper vision, or, except for law enforcement vehicles, with any objects suspended between the driver and the windshield, other than sun visors and rear vision mirrors, or with any sign, poster, or other nontransparent material upon the front windshield, sidewings, side or rear windows of such vehicle, other than a certificate or other paper required to be so displayed by law, or authorized by the state director of the division of emergency management, or the commissioner of public safety. 

    Subd. 2. Windshield wiper. 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. 

    Subd. 3.  Defrosting requirement.  No person shall
drive any motor vehicle with the windshield or front side
windows covered with steam or frost to such an extent as to prevent proper vision. 

    Subd. 4. Glazing material; prohibitions and exceptions.
  (a) No person shall drive or operate any motor vehicle
required to be registered in the state of Minnesota upon any
street or highway under the following conditions: 

    (1) when the windshield is composed of, covered by, or
treated with any material which has the effect of making the
windshield more reflective or in any other way reducing light transmittance through the windshield;

    (2) when any window on the vehicle is composed of, covered  by, or treated with any material that has a highly reflective or mirrored appearance;

    (3) 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 or a luminous reflectance of more than 20 percent plus or minus three percent; or

    (4) when any material has been applied after August 1,
1985, to any motor vehicle window without an accompanying permanent marking which indicates the percent of transmittance  and the percent of reflectance afforded by the material. The marking must be in a manner so as not to obscure vision and be readable when installed on the vehicle. 

    (b) This subdivision does not apply to glazing materials
which:

    (1) have not been modified since the original installation,
nor to original replacement windows and windshields, that were originally installed or replaced in conformance with Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard 205;

    (2) are required to satisfy prescription or medical needs
of the driver of the vehicle or a passenger if the driver or
passenger is in possession of the prescription or a physician's statement of medical need; or

    (3) are applied to:

    (i) the rear windows of a pickup truck as defined in
section 168.011, subdivision 29;

    (ii) the rear windows or the side windows on either side
behind the driver's seat of a van as defined in section 168.011, subdivision 28;

    (iii) the side and rear windows of a vehicle used to
transport human remains by a funeral establishment holding a license under section 149A.50; or

    (iv) the side and rear windows of a limousine as defined in section 168.011, subdivision 35. 

HIST: (2720-260) 1937 c 464 s 110; 1939 c 430 s 21; 1947 c 428  s 30; 1953 c 745 s 4; 1959 c 174 s 1; 1959 c 521 s 11; 1961 c 34 s 1; 1971 c 491 s 26; 1974 c 428 s 5; 1983 c 234 s 1; 1987 c 71 s 2; 1988 c 636 s 10; 1991 c 301 s 7; 1993 c 26 s 10; 1997 c 215
s 44