All vehicles in Minnesota are required to have a windshield that gives the driver optimal visibility. It must also protect the driver in the event of a crash. Minnesota law requires that all windshields be made of shatterproof safety glass, and prohibits the glass from being treated in a way that increases reflectivity or reduces visibility.
Windshields must be free of cracks or other damage, and must also be kept clean at all times, making it the driver's responsibility to remove frost, ice, snow or other precipitation that can obstruct the view. Vehicle owners are also required to keep windshield wipers and defrosters in proper working order to ensure maximum visibility at all times and in all road and weather conditions. Minnesota windshield laws also prohibit drivers from hanging objects from a vehicle's sun visors and rear-view mirror.
Placing stickers and permits on windshields is allowed in Minnesota, but they must be placed in the lowest part of the windshield's bottom corners to minimize impairment of driver visibility.
The continued rise in popularity of navigation systems also brings an increase in dashboard clutter that can possibly impede an unobstructed view through the windshield. Minnesota state law requires that any navigation equipment must be placed near the bottom of the windshield, as close to the dashboard as possible, and it's unacceptable to hang a navigation device from a sun visor or rear-view mirror.
Tinting in Minnesota is highly regulated. In August 1985, the state specified where tinting may be placed and how much light may be reflected or pass through windows. The tinting intensity must also be marked on the glass for law enforcement to verify in the event a driver is pulled over. Tinting on windshields is not permitted, but it is allowed on rear windows of certain vehicles. Pickup trucks may have tinted rear windows, and vans, limousines and funeral home vehicles may tint rear windows, as well as side windows placed behind the driver. Current law specifies that the tinting must allow more than 50 percent of available light to pass through the windshield and reflect less than 20 percent more of available light.
