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Vehicle Classification Guide: Passenger Vehicle vs Multipurpose Vehicle

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vehicle types

What’s The Difference Between Passenger Vehicles and Multipurpose Vehicles?

Window tint laws vary from state to state, this means the tint law in each state are different depending on the type of motor vehicle you have. Motor vehicle safety standards are put in place to protect occupants by regulating window tint, braking systems, vehicle lights, tires, and a few others.

Where appropriate, window tinting regulations can be significantly different.

The difference all depends on whether you have a passenger vehicle or a multipurpose vehicle.

Passenger Vehicles (or Passenger Cars) vs Multipurpose Vehicles (MPVs)

Vehicle type is based on federal classification. Your vehicle is likely either a “Passenger Vehicle” or a “Multipurpose Vehicle”

multi purpose vehicle picture
(MPV – Multipurpose Vehicle. As the name suggests, they mostly accommodate 7–8 people. They stand tall with good ground clearance but need not necessarily be as tall as an SUV.)
passenger vehicle picture
(Passenger Vehicle. These vehicles typically accommodate 2-5 people. These are the most commonly identified as sedans or a vehicle that has only 2 rows..)

Identifying a Passenger Vehicle vs Multipurpose Vehicle

The best way to identify whether your vehicle is a passenger vehicle or multipurpose vehicle classification is to look for a Federal ID label.

This is the sticker/label that you see when you open your drivers side door.

This label also features your VIN (vehicle identification number) as well as information manufacturer information.

Which vehicles are “passenger cars”?

Passenger Cars, or Passenger Vehicles, federal vehicle classification includes: sedan, coupe, hatchback, convertible, station wagon, hardtop.

Law defines Passenger Cars as: Passenger car means a motor vehicle with motive power, except a low-speed vehicle, multipurpose passenger vehicle, motorcycle, or trailer, designed for carrying 10 persons or less.

passenger car federal id label
(This is your Federal ID Label. Your vehicle should have a similar one showing your federal vehicle classification. You can see near the top center portion of the label that this vehicle is classified as a “Passenger Car”)

Which vehicles are “multipurpose vehicles”?

Multipurpose vehicles are often also referred to as multi-passenger vehicles (MPV) and multipurpose passenger vehicles.

MPV classification includes: SUVs, recreational vehicles (RV), pickups, panels, vans, campers, minibuses, sport utility vehicles, and similar vehicles.

Law defines MPVs as: Multipurpose passenger vehicle means a motor vehicle with motive power, except a low-speed vehicle or trailer, designed to carry 10 persons or less which is constructed either on a truck chassis or with special features for occasional off-road operation. Features of occasional off-road use would be defined as 4-wheel drive, large all-purpose tires, high ground clearance, etc.

mpv bottom right
(Your vehicle should have a similar one showing your federal vehicle classification. You can see near the bottom right portion of the label that this vehicle is classified as a “MPV”)

Determining Minimum Tint Transmittance Standards

nhtsa manufacturer
National Highway Safety Traffic Administration (NHTSA) sets the standards for vehicle manufacturers.

A Minimum of 70% VLT (Visible Light Transmission) is required on vehicle’s windows, as based on Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard 205 (Glazing Materials – 49 CFR §571.205). The primary purpose of this requirement is to ensure adequate visibility through the windows, thereby reducing the risk of a motor vehicle crash.

So is having a vehicle with 70% light admittance is legal? This is not always the case. Most states do not permit any aftermarket tint to be installed due to most being factory tinted already meeting those standards. More often than not, tint laws are stricter on the front windshield. This is to meet safety standards and not hinder the drivers sight.

vehicle types
Applying any level of aftermarket tint may put your windows darker than 70% VLT (visible light transmission)

Not sure what your tint percentage is? Use this Tint Tester to find out.

It is vital that you know the difference between manufactured/factory tint and aftermarket tinting.

Knowing the different kinds of window tint film is also important, check out this article that covers different tint films.

As stated before, many windows come tinted straight out of the manufacturer, it can be tinted darker than the state’s tinting laws in some cases.

If your vehicle is manufactured that way, your vehicle may be alright; varying from state to state.

Do not forget to read tint laws pertaining to your specific state.

The information regarding window tinting laws contained on this website should by no means be used as legal advice. The information here should be used as a starting point for your own research and you should always confirm the data you find here with your local and state departments. It is ultimately your final say as to what the best course of action is for your circumstances. We are not lawyers. If you are interested in legal advice regarding window tint laws and traffic citations for your localized area we would be happy to refer you to some law firms. It is crucial that you not only understand the state laws but also your local municipal laws before you tint your car windows. You also must understand that just because a statute may clearly state one thing or another, that doesn't mean that all members of law enforcement will know the current ruling. This goes for lawyers and even judges too at times. The best prevention for a traffic citation is thorough research and although we do our best to keep these pages up to date, we are only human and sometimes miss the updates.

Respectfully, Your friends @Windowtintlaws.us