AN ACT to amend and reenact subsection 4 of section 39-21-39 of the North Dakota Century Code, relating to motor vehicle window tint.
HB 1340 amends North Dakota’s motor vehicle window tint law. The bill changes the minimum light transmittance requirement for tinting on windows other than the windshield from 50 percent to 35 percent, while keeping the existing 70 percent light transmittance standard for the front windshield. It also retains the exception for windows behind the operator when the vehicle has the required outside mirrors on both sides.
In practical terms, the bill would allow darker tint on side and rear windows than current law permits, subject to the same mirror-based exception. The measure is a targeted update to the state’s traffic and vehicle equipment code and would affect drivers, vehicle owners, tint installers, and law enforcement officers responsible for enforcing window tint restrictions.
The bill amends subsection 4 of section 39-21-39 of the North Dakota Century Code, lowering the legal light transmittance threshold for non-windshield windows from 50 percent to 35 percent. It does not change the windshield standard or the existing exception for windows behind the operator when the vehicle has compliant outside mirrors. The main legal effect is to broaden the range of permissible aftermarket window tint on vehicles operating in North Dakota.
The available voting record suggests broad support for the bill. It passed the House 89-2 and the Senate 41-6, indicating strong bipartisan approval and limited opposition. No committee transcripts were provided, so there is no recorded debate to indicate significant controversy or divided sentiment in committee discussions.
The only apparent point of contention is the policy tradeoff between allowing darker tint for privacy, comfort, or appearance and maintaining visibility for traffic safety and law enforcement. The bill’s narrow opposition in both chambers suggests some concern about reduced visibility or enforcement difficulty, but the overwhelming vote margins indicate those concerns did not generate substantial resistance. No specific stakeholder objections or amendments are reflected in the provided record.