This is for anyone taking delivery of a new Tesla in New Jersey. It covers what the state requires for a new electric car, what to check on the paint before you drive away, and how far ahead to book paint protection film and tint. The state figures come from New Jersey agencies and are linked at the end. The turnaround times are our own.
What New Jersey requires for a new electric car
Four state rules apply to a new Tesla here. The sales tax rule changed in 2025.
| Topic | Rule | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Sales tax | 6.625% since July 1, 2025. It was 3.3125% from October 1, 2024 to June 30, 2025, and exempt before that | NJ Division of Taxation, P.L. 2024, c. 19 |
| State inspection | 100% electric vehicles are exempt | NJ MVC, N.J.A.C. 13:20-7.2 |
| Lemon Law coverage | 24,000 miles and 2 years from delivery | NJ Division of Consumer Affairs |
| Window tint | No aftermarket film on the windshield or front side windows without a medical exemption. No state limit on rear side windows and rear glass | NJ MVC |
Check the paint before you drive away
Walk around the car in good light before you accept it. Look at the front bumper, the hood edge, the lower doors and the rear bumper. You are looking for chips, scratches, runs in the paint and panels that don’t match in color.
Take dated photos of anything you find and report it the same day. New Jersey’s Lemon Law guidance says to “report any defect to the manufacturer or dealer immediately” and to “keep all repair receipts and a record of all contacts with the manufacturer and dealer.” Most paint marks are not Lemon Law matters, since that law is for defects that substantially impair use, value or safety. The record still matters, because it shows the mark was there on day one.
This also matters for film. Paint protection film seals in whatever is under it. A chip that is there before the film goes on will still be there after, under the film. If there is paint to be fixed, it gets fixed first.
Why the first weeks are the time for film
Film protects paint from the day it goes on. It does nothing for chips that happened before. So the earlier it is applied, the more of the car’s original paint it covers intact.
In New Jersey the calendar adds a second reason. Using NOAA’s 30-year normals for Newark, the first freeze has a 50% chance of arriving by November 10, and the area sees 79.9 days a year at or below freezing. NJDOT reported spreading 238,480 tons of road salt in the 2021-22 season. The grit that goes down with it is what chips the front of a car. A Tesla delivered in the fall has a few weeks before that starts.
How long each job takes at our shop
These are our own turnaround times in Hackensack. Plan the booking around them, since the car stays with us for the whole job.
| Job | What it covers | Time in the shop |
|---|---|---|
| Full front PPF | Front bumper, hood, fenders and mirrors | About 3 days |
| Full body PPF | All painted surfaces | About 1 week |
| Ceramic coating | On its own, or over film | 3 days on its own |
| Window tint | Ceramic film, lifetime warranty | Pick up the next morning |
| Color change wrap | Full vinyl wrap | About 1 week |
After PPF or a wrap, don’t wash the car for the first week. After that, hand wash, or use a touchless car wash if it has to be automatic.
Tint on a Tesla
The state rule is the same for every car. New Jersey does not allow aftermarket film on the windshield or the two front side windows unless you hold a medical exemption from the Motor Vehicle Commission. The rear side windows and rear glass have no state limit. We covered this in detail in New Jersey window tint law.
One thing specific to Teslas: the glass roof and the windshield are quoted separately from the side and rear windows. If you want the roof done, say so when you ask for a quote.
Film and the Tesla warranty
Under the federal Magnuson-Moss Warranty Act, a manufacturer cannot void a warranty just because aftermarket work was done. It has to show that the work caused the problem. We wrote about this separately in does wrapping a Tesla void the warranty.
Common questions
Should I get PPF before or after delivery?
After, and soon. You need the car in hand to inspect the paint and to have any paint issue fixed first. Then book the film before the car collects miles.
When can I wash the car after film?
Not for the first week. After that, hand wash, or use a touchless car wash. Keep a pressure washer off the film edges.
Do I need to take a new Tesla for state inspection?
No. New Jersey’s Motor Vehicle Commission lists 100% electric vehicles as exempt from inspection.
Can I tint the front windows in New Jersey?
Not without a medical exemption from the MVC. The rear side windows and rear glass have no state limit.
Is full front enough, or do I need full body?
Full front covers where most rock chips land: bumper, hood, fenders and mirrors. Full body covers every painted panel. We compared the two in full front vs full body PPF.
To book, send the model, the delivery date and what you want done. Text or call the Hackensack shop at (201) 379-0902, or send the form. You can attach photos of the car on the form.
Sources: NJ Division of Taxation, zero emission vehicle notice (sales tax rates and dates); NJ MVC, vehicles exempt from inspection; NJ Division of Consumer Affairs, New Car Lemon Law consumer brief (revised 01/04/24); NJ MVC, sun-screening rules; NOAA 1991-2020 climate normals, Newark Liberty; NJDOT winter expenditures; FTC, Magnuson-Moss Warranty Act. Turnaround times, tint warranty and care instructions are illmatic Wraps’ own. Tax and inspection rules change, so check the state pages for the current rule. Last reviewed September 2026.
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