FMCSR 393.60B: Windshield Tinting Citations — Q&A

No. Across our 13 million inspection records, 393.60B citations resulted in out-of-service placement in only 1 case out of 1,066 all-time citations, for a 0.1% OOS rate. This is far below the 31.4% average OOS rate across all FMCSR codes. You can almost certainly continue operating after receiving this citation—the violation does not trigger an automatic roadside removal.

393.60B carries a CSA severity weight of 3. CSA points are calculated using a 30-day moving average, so the actual points added to your record depend on whether you accumulate multiple violations within a rolling 30-day window. A single citation with weight 3 will be less severe than repeat offenses. Contact your carrier's safety department for your current CSA score and trend.

1. Document the tinting. Take photos of your windshield and front side windows as they exist.
2. Plan removal or correction. Arrange to have unauthorized tinting removed or replaced with compliant material (legal light transmittance limits vary by state).
3. Check co-occurring issues. Our records show 393.60B often appears with hood fastening problems (40 inspections), exhaust defects (37), and fuel leaks (36). Have your carrier inspect these systems.
4. Report completion. Once corrected, document repairs and keep records for your carrier and safety file.

393.60B is less severe than most lighting violations. Inoperable required lamps (393.9) generate 660,737 citations with a 15.4% OOS rate—far higher than 393.60B's 0.1%. Even windshield condition defects (393.78) are cited 157,894 times with a 0.3% OOS rate. Our data shows 393.60B ranks #699 of 3,036 FMCSR codes by citation volume, placing it in the lower-frequency category. It is a maintenance issue, not a critical safety finding.

Yes. The FMCSA DataQs RDR (Roadside Inspection Data Challenge) process allows you to contest factual errors in roadside inspection records. For 393.60B, you may challenge if the inspector's measurement or documentation of tinting is inaccurate or if the vehicle was already compliant at the time of inspection. Submit your evidence (photos, prior repair receipts, state-legal tinting documentation) within 90 days of the inspection date through the FMCSA website. Success depends on documenting the factual error.

Over the last 180 days, Georgia leads with 42 citations, followed by Arizona (16), Pennsylvania (13), Washington (12), and Ohio (12). Our inspection records show these five states account for the highest enforcement volume for unauthorized windshield tinting. If you operate in Georgia, you face elevated citation risk; the state's focus on this violation may reflect local or state vehicle code enforcement priorities.

Moderately urgent. While 393.60B almost never triggers OOS placement (0.1% rate), repeat citations within 90 days will accumulate CSA points faster. Our records show 95 citations in the last 90 days and 556 in the last 12 months—a steady enforcement pattern. Correct unauthorized tinting within 30 days to avoid accumulation on repeat inspections and to demonstrate compliance to your safety department and future inspectors.

393.60B is a vehicle-based violation, so it attaches to the carrier's safety record in the FMCSA Crash and Roadside Inspection System (CRIS). Both the driver and carrier can be named, but the primary compliance obligation falls on the carrier and vehicle owner to maintain compliant windows. Drivers should notify their dispatch or safety manager immediately so the carrier can schedule corrective action and ensure the vehicle is not repeatedly cited for the same defect.