2006 Code of Virginia § 46.2-1053 - Equipping certain motor vehicles with sun-shading or tinting films or applications

46.2-1053. Equipping certain motor vehicles with sun-shading or tintingfilms or applications.

Notwithstanding the provisions of 46.2-1052, a motor vehicle operated by orregularly used to transport any person with a medical condition which rendershim susceptible to harm or injury from exposure to sunlight or brightartificial light may be equipped, on its windshield and any or all of itswindows, with sun-shading or tinting films or applications which reduce thetransmission of light into the vehicle to levels not less than thirty-fivepercent. Such sun-shading or tinting film when applied to the windshield of amotor vehicle shall not cause the total light transmittance to be reduced toany level less than seventy percent except for the upper five inches of suchwindshield or the AS-1 line, whichever is closer to the top of thewindshield. Vehicles equipped with such sun-shading or tinting films shallnot be operated on any highway unless, while being so operated, the driver oran occupant of the vehicle has in his possession a written authorizationissued by the Commissioner of the Department of Motor Vehicles authorizingsuch operation. The Commissioner shall issue such written authorization onlyupon receipt of a signed statement from a licensed physician or licensedoptometrist (i) identifying with reasonable specificity the person seekingthe written authorization and (ii) stating that, in the physician's oroptometrist's professional opinion, the equipping of a vehicle withsun-shading or tinting films or applications is necessary to safeguard thehealth of the person seeking the written authorization. Writtenauthorizations issued by the Commissioner under this section shall be validso long as the condition requiring the use of sun-shading or tinting films orapplications persists or until the vehicle is sold, whichever first occurs.Such written authorizations shall permit the approval of any such vehicleupon its safety inspection as required by this chapter if such vehicleotherwise qualifies for inspection approval. In the discretion of theCommissioner, one or more written authorizations may be issued to anindividual or a family. The Division of Purchases and Supply, pursuant to 2.2-1112, shall determine the proper standards for equipment or devices usedto measure light transmittance through windows of motor vehicles.Law-enforcement officers shall use only such equipment or devices to measurelight transmittance through windows that meet the standards established bythe Division. Such measurements made by law-enforcement officers shall begiven a tolerance of minus seven percentage points.

(1986, c. 67, 46.1-291.01; 1987, c. 391; 1989, cc. 65, 727; 1990, c. 161;1993, cc. 800, 808; 1996, cc. 943, 994.)