Window Tint - How Dark is Too Dark?

Window tinting is almost a necessity in bright or warm climates, but state laws govern how dark is too dark when it comes to tinting your vehicle's windows.

Window Tinting "darkness" is measured in terms of its VLT, or Visual Light Transmission

 Discouragingly, there is no national standard for window tint, despite the fact that drivers often travel across state lines. However, there are some generalities among state window tint laws when it comes to how dark your vehicles windows can be tinted.

So how dark is too dark for car window tinting?

Front Side Windows Are Typically Lighter

Most states measure the legal amount of tinting of a car window by its VLT, or Visual Light Transmission -- the percentage of light that can pass through the tinted window.

Because of the need for a driver to not only see out the front side windows to use ones side mirror, as well as the need for police officers to see the driver of any vehicle, the amount of tinting allowed on the driver's-side window must be lighter or at least as light as every other window. Federal regulations require auto manufacturers to make pretty much every passenger car's windows have a low enough light transmittance to allow for driver visibility -- 70 percent VLT.

However, these rules don't  stop car owners from installing after-market window tint which is darker than 70 percent VLT, which is where state laws come in. For example, California, along with many other states, prohibits front window tinting which is 70 percent VLT or less, in line with the federal standard, while drivers in Florida can have a 28% VLT tint on their front windows.

However, in states with high VLT requirements for front windows they typically allow darker window tinting on the back and rear windows.

State Window Tinting Law Chart

Sunnier States May Allow More Tint

Anyone who has been in a black car in states closer to the equator can testify that window tint is extremely important in sunny zones. In Texas, for example, the front side windows can have an VLT as low as 25
percent, while the rear side windows can be as dark as possible. In Florida, the front windows may have no less than 28 percent VLT with tint, and back windows of no less than 15 percent VLT.

Medical Exemptions

Drivers who have a medical need for more tint than allowed by state law can often be eligible for a medical exemption, usually with a doctor's or optometrist's recommendation.

Don't always take your installers word for it, know the rules and laws of the road before you have your car's windows tinted. You'll want to review your state's laws before putting any tint on your car.

So, How Dark is Too Dark?

State and federal regulations lay down regulations for how dark your car's window tinting can be but common sense will also play a factor in determining how dark is too dark. For younger drivers a 25%-35% can be just fine to maintain proper sight in day and night time driving conditions. For older drivers, or drivers with less than perfect sight, a lighter film 45%-55% might be better to ensure sight conditions are optimal for driving at all times of the day.

Remember, dark window tinting doesn't always mean higher heat rejection. Today's ceramic window films can block just as much, if not more, of the sun's heat while still maintaining a high heat rejection.

Florida Window Films is a leading supplier and installer of high performance solar, security, decorative and smart window films.