Rules and Regulations Concerning an Act Relating to Motor Vehicles - Sunscreening Devices

This Part is promulgated pursuant to R.I. Gen. Laws § 31-23.3-3.

The purpose of this Part is to establish rules and regulations to provide standards and tests to measure the percentage of light reflected off and transmitted through sunscreening material applied to the windshield or windows of a motor vehicle, which reduces the effects of the sun with respect to light reflectance or transmittance.

These regulations hereby adopt and incorporate 49 C.F.R. §§ 571.101 through 571.302 (2018) by reference, not including any further editions or amendments thereof and only to the extent that the provisions therein are not inconsistent with these regulations.

A.For the purposes of this Part, the following terms shall have the following meaning:

1.“Reflectance” means the ratio of the amount of total light, expressed in a percentage, which is reflected outward by the product or material to the amount of total light falling on the product or material.

2.“Transmittance” means the ratio of the amount of total light, expressed in a percentage, which is allowed to pass through the product or material, including glazing, to the amount of total light falling on the product or material and the glazing.

3.“Suncreening material” means a product or material, including film, glazing, and perforated sunscreening, which, when applied to the windshield or windows of a motor vehicle, reduces the effects of the sun with respect to light reflectance of transmittance.

4.“Window” means any device designed for exterior viewing from a motor vehicle, except the windshield, any roof-mounted viewing device, and any viewing device having less than one hundred fifty (150) square inches in area.

5.“Windshield” means the front exterior viewing device of the motor vehicle.

A.Any person, firm, corporation or other entity installing a sunscreen device such as described in R.I. Gen. Laws § 31-23.3-2 on the windows or windshield of any vehicle shall provide and affix a label to the front window not to exceed one and one-half (1-1/2) square inches in size, which contains not only the installer’s name and the percentage of light transmittance, which shall be not less than seventy percent (70%) measured perpendicular to the surface of the glass, but also certifies that any “after manufacture” window tinting material which may have been installed and any equipment such as outside mirrors, used so the driver has a clear view of the highway, meet the requirements of 49 C.F.R. § 571.205, incorporated in § 7.3 of this Part. The federal safety standards, contained in 49 C.F.R. §§ 571.101 through 571.302 are incorporated by reference in § 7.3 of this Part.

B.Tests: “After Manufacture” window tint may be subject to such further inspection and tests with reference to any violation of the act relating to sunscreening devices, as may be appropriate. Light transmission may be measured with the Model AC Tint Meter put out by Laser Labs of Scituate, Massachusetts or another suitable calibrating Tint Meter selected and approved by the Assistant Director for Motor Vehicle or his/her designee. Any such further inspection and tests will be conducted by the law enforcement agency alleging violation of the act relating to sunscreening devices.

If any provision of these rules and regulations or the application thereof to any person or circumstances shall be held invalid, such invalidity shall not affect the provisions or application of the rules and regulations which can be given effect, and to this end the provisions of these rules and regulations are declared to be severable.