N.J. Admin. Code § 13:20-32.7

Current through Register Vol. 56, No. 24, December 18, 2024

Section 13:20-32.7 - Glazing requirements, all motor vehicles; commercial vehicle inspection at official inspection facilities

(a) All glazing used on motor vehicles manufactured after July 1, 1935, shall be an approved type of glazing that is legibly and permanently marked with the manufacturer's name, trademark, DOT number, "AS" number, or other distinctive designation under which the glazing was approved, so as to be visible when the glazing is installed in the motor vehicle. The proper type of glazing shall be used for each location in a motor vehicle. The approved locations for the various types of glazing are as follows:

1. AS-1: Mandatory in windshields, but may be used for any other window in a motor vehicle;

2. AS-2: Anywhere except windshields;

3. AS-3: Rear side windows on buses;

4. AS-4, AS-5, AS-6, and AS-7: Rear windows of convertibles and windows (except windshields) which can be readily removed without the use of tools;

5. AS-8 and AS-9: Rear windows of buses;

6. AS-10: Bullet-resistant windshields;

7. AS-11: Bullet-resistant windows, except windshields; and

8. AS-12 and AS-13: Windows, except windshields that can be readily removed without the use of tools.

(b) All openings in a motor vehicle that were originally manufactured with glazing shall be equipped with an approved type of glazing.

(c) Certification of a commercial vehicle shall be refused if the motor vehicle is equipped with glazing that causes undue or unsafe distortion of visibility for the driver, or is equipped with unduly fractured, broken, cracked, discolored, scratched, or deteriorated glazing, or is equipped with glazing with sharp edges.

(d) A commercial vehicle, other than a police vehicle or a motor vehicle for which a medical exemption certificate has been issued by the Motor Vehicle Commission in accordance with N.J.S.A. 39:3-75.1et seq., shall not be certified if it has tinted spray or plastic material added to previously approved glazing in the front windshield or windows, vents, wings, deflectors, or side shields to the immediate right or left of the driver, because such condition changes the vision and light transmission properties of the glazing in areas where driver visibility shall not be obscured or obstructed. However, tinted spray or plastic material may be applied to previously approved glazing in the front windshield, if such spray or material extends no lower than six inches from the top of the front windshield, or if such spray or material does not extend below the AS-1 marking on the front windshield.

(e) No certification shall be granted to a commercial vehicle with defrosters of the "electric element" type installed on any window if they obstruct the driver's vision. Motor vehicles manufactured with the heating element as an integral part of an approved type of glazing shall not be refused certification.

(f) The window on the driver's side shall be capable of being readily opened to permit arm direction signals to be made by the driver. The presence of approved turn signals does not satisfy this requirement, except on trucks over 80 inches in width.

(g) Any motor vehicle may have the rear window and/or side windows to the rear of the driver tinted or covered in some manner so as to partially obscure the driver's vision and any motor vehicle registered for commercial purposes and constructed on a truck chassis, including noncommercial trucks registered pursuant to N.J.S.A. 39:3-8.1, may have the rear window and/or side windows to the rear of the driver painted, tinted, or constructed in some manner, so as to obstruct or obscure the driver's vision, provided that the motor vehicle is equipped with an exterior mirror on each side of the motor vehicle. If glazing material remains in any of the window openings specified in this subsection, the approval markings shall be visible.

(h) A commercial vehicle that has mirror-type material on any window shall not be certified.

(i) Certification of a commercial vehicle shall be refused if there is a star-type break, bull's-eye-type break, or stone-type break of more than one inch in diameter in the acute area or the critical area of the windshield glazing as depicted at N.J.A.C. 13:20-32Appendix B, incorporated herein by reference.

(j) Certification of a commercial vehicle shall be refused if there is a star-type break, bull's-eye-type break, or stone-type break of more than two inches in diameter in the peripheral area of the windshield glazing as depicted at N.J.A.C. 13:20-32Appendix C, incorporated herein by reference.

(k) Certification of a commercial vehicle shall be refused if there are multiple star-type breaks, bull's-eye-type breaks, and/or stone-type breaks regardless of size in the acute area of the windshield glazing as depicted at N.J.A.C. 13:20-32Appendix D, incorporated herein by reference.

(l) Certification of a commercial vehicle shall be refused if there is a scratch that is more than one inch in width in the acute area of the windshield glazing or a crack that is more than six inches in length in the acute area of the windshield glazing, as depicted at N.J.A.C. 13:20-32Appendix E, incorporated herein by reference.

(m) Certification of a commercial vehicle shall be refused if the windshield glazing has multiple cracks and/or scratches, as depicted at N.J.A.C. 13:20-32Appendix F, incorporated herein by reference.

(n) Certification of a commercial vehicle shall be refused if there are multiple star-type breaks, bull's-eye-type breaks, and/or stone-type breaks of more than one inch in diameter per break in the critical area and/or the peripheral area of the windshield glazing, as depicted at N.J.A.C. 13:20-32Appendix G, incorporated herein by reference.

(o) Certification of a commercial vehicle shall be refused if there is a crack or scratch of more than six inches in length that extends from the peripheral area of the windshield glazing through the critical area of the windshield glazing into the acute area of the windshield glazing, as depicted at N.J.A.C. 13:20-32Appendix H, incorporated herein by reference.

(p) Certification of a commercial vehicle shall be refused if the tempered glass has been etched, except that the vehicle identification number and/or manufacturer's logo may be etched on the tempered glass provided that the area of the tempered glass that has been etched does not exceed two square inches.

(q) Certification of a commercial vehicle shall not be refused if the star-type break, bull's-eye-type break, stone-type break, crack, or scratch is less than the diameter, width, or length specified at (i) through (o) above; however, the motorist shall be advised to have the defect corrected.

N.J. Admin. Code § 13:20-32.7

Repealed by 48 N.J.R. 810(a), effective 5/16/2016

Adopted by 53 N.J.R. 2056(a), effective 12/6/2021