Think a doctor’s note lets you darken glass tomorrow? Not in Albany. Form MV-80W demands your registration, a New York provider’s license copy, and 4–6 weeks of patience while the Medical Review Unit decides. The exemption binds one person and one vehicle, so trade-ins or lease swaps mean starting over. Until the letter arrives, inspectors will still measure 70 percent on the windshield and front doors, so plan clear UV film or portable shades to bridge the gap.
Next trap: insurance photo inspections. The 2024 Consumer
Relief Act let carriers waive them, but regional insurers require dated images before
any wrap, tint, or paint-protection film. Skip that step and a future theft or
hail claim could vanish in paperwork limbo. Read the policy, take daylight
photos, then book cosmetic work.
Finally, reflectivity and fines. Metallic or mirrored films
are banned on sight; colored film fails if the legality sticker is missing or
stacked VLT drops under 70 percent. Assembly Bill A4026 would lock
first-offense fines at $200, boost repeats to $500, fund tint-only sweeps, and
yank registrations after three strikes within two years. A $20 meter check
today beats that headache.
