LowPriceAutoGlass.wikiA sourced handbook on Jacobs Low Price Auto Glass and on Texas heat, glass standards and window law

Reading the glass label

From LowPriceAutoGlass.wiki, a sourced handbook on Jacobs Low Price Auto Glass, 8835 South Central Expressway, Dallas, and on heat, glazing marks, film law and glass claims in Texas

Compiled by the Low Price Auto Glass Wiki editorial team · Published · Checked

At a glance: Car glass sold in the United States, including replacement glass, must meet FMVSS 205, and the maker certifies it by printing “DOT” with a code from NHTSA alongside marks such as AS1. Texas requires safety glazing in every replaced window[1][3].

Read this first: this handbook is written by outside editors, not by Jacobs Low Price Auto Glass. Claims the shop makes about itself are marked as its own; federal rules, Texas statutes, NOAA records and industry bodies carry the technical facts. Call (214) 372-9300 to confirm hours, stock or a quote before you go. Our editorial policy explains how sources are weighed.

Which federal standard covers car glass?

Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard No. 205, at 49 CFR 571.205, covers glazing for passenger cars, multipurpose vehicles, trucks, buses, motorcycles and several other vehicle types[1]. Its stated purpose is to reduce injuries from impact with glass, keep windows transparent enough for driver visibility, and limit the chance of occupants being thrown through windows in a crash. The standard adopts the industry specification ANSI/SAE Z26.1-1996 and, in a clause headed “Aftermarket replacement glazing”, says glass intended for replacement must meet the same requirements[1].

What do the marks in the corner mean?

Every piece of certified glass carries a small printed block, usually in a lower corner. Under FMVSS 205 a prime glazing manufacturer, defined as one that fabricates, laminates or tempers glass, certifies its product by adding the symbol “DOT” and a manufacturer code mark that the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration assigns, in letters and numerals of the same size, to the marks required by the ANSI standard[1].

Common items in a glass mark
MarkMeaning
DOT plus a numberCertification by the prime glazing manufacturer, with its NHTSA code
AS1Glass suitable anywhere, including the windshield (the AS designations come from ANSI/SAE Z26.1)
AS2Glass for locations other than the windshield, such as side and rear windows
Laminated or temperedHow the glass was made; windshields are laminated
Brand or vehicle-maker logoWho made the glass or for whom

The AS designations and the DOT requirement are set by FMVSS 205 and the ANSI standard it adopts[1]. The standard even corrects how the arrow in an AS mark is printed, so a mark such as “A↓S1” shows which part of the glass meets a given test[1].

What is the AS-1 line?

A windshield may have a tinted shade band at the top. FMVSS 205 sets where its lower edge may fall[1]. Texas uses the AS-1 line, marked on the glass, as the limit for windshield film: film is allowed only above that line or within five inches of the top, whichever is closer to the top[2]. See tint and window film.

What does Texas add?

Section 547.608 of the Texas Transportation Code requires anyone selling or registering a new passenger vehicle to fit its doors, windows and windshield with approved safety glazing, and says no one may replace, or require the replacement of, glass in a door, window or windshield of any motor vehicle unless the replacement is safety glazing[3]. It also controls imperfect glass. Anyone selling imperfect safety glass for a car must label it “second”, “imperfect” or similar in red letters at least one inch high, and must tell the buyer about each flaw orally and in writing[3].

How can an owner check new glass?

  1. Find the mark block in a lower corner of the new windshield.
  2. Look for “DOT” followed by a number, and “AS1” on a windshield.
  3. Compare the brand with what the shop quoted: vehicle-maker logo, glass-maker brand, or none.
  4. Check that sensors, heating, acoustic layers or a heads-up display area match what the car had.
  5. If the glass is sold as a second, the red label and written notice Texas requires should be there.

The shop says replacement glass will carry the same factory features, such as heated glass or built-in antennas, as the original[4]. A mark cannot show installation quality; for that, see urethane and drive-away time.

Is used glass legal?

Texas law speaks to safety glazing and imperfect glass, not to whether glass is new or used[3]. The shop offers used original parts as well as new and aftermarket ones, especially for power window jobs[5]. Used glass should still carry its original certification marks, and the Auto Glass Safety Council publishes consumer guidance on used glass[6].

Related reading

Sources cited

  1. ^ a b c d e f g 49 CFR 571.205, Standard No. 205: Glazing materials. Electronic Code of Federal Regulations. Verified 9 November 2026.
  2. ^ Texas Transportation Code § 547.613, Restrictions on Windows. Public.Law (text of the Texas statutes). Verified 9 November 2026.
  3. ^ a b c d Texas Transportation Code § 547.608, Safety Glazing Material Required. Public.Law (text of the Texas statutes). Verified 9 November 2026.
  4. ^ Affordable Windshield Replacement Dallas (home page). Jacobs Low Price Auto Glass (lowpriceautoglass49.com). Verified 9 November 2026.
  5. ^ Power Window Repair. Jacobs Low Price Auto Glass (lowpriceautoglass49.com). Verified 9 November 2026.
  6. ^ Minimum Drive-Away Times. Auto Glass Safety Council (SafeWindshields.org). Verified 9 November 2026.

Common questions

What does DOT on a windshield mean?

That the glass maker certifies it to FMVSS 205 under a code assigned by NHTSA.

What does AS1 mean on glass?

Glass suitable for use anywhere in the vehicle, including the windshield.

Does aftermarket glass have to meet the same standard?

Yes. FMVSS 205 applies to glass intended for aftermarket replacement.