In the United Kingdom, illegal tinting of windows is a criminal offence. The police or DVSA can measure the darkness of your window with a photometer, and police officers are increasingly equipped with these devices. Police and vehicle inspectors from the Driver & Vehicle Agency use photometers to measure window tints. Windshield The legal proportion of light that can pass through a windshield in a vehicle registered before April 1, 1985 is 70%. Important: The actual legal requirements for tinted car windows vary depending on when the vehicle was first used (e.g. before or after April 1985). Rear windows and rear window All windows behind the driver`s door have no color restrictions. The information in this guide defines the darkest legal limits for tinted automotive windows and DVSA penalties for installing or selling the wrong level of color tint. In the UK, it is also illegal to sell a vehicle with a non-compliant window tint, and the police or commercial standards can legally prosecute you for this. What if your windshield (or front side windows) has illegally tinted windows? In short, they would break the law for the legal tinting of windows if they were too tinted.
The UK`s Tinted Window Act has several conditions. Therefore, it is illegal to install a vehicle in the UK with incorrect tinted glass content. It is also illegal to sell the false tint of the glass (or to sell a vehicle in which the illegal glass is already attached). Illegal tinting of car windows on windscreens and front side windows considered extreme (less than 30% light transmission) may result in a “prohibition notice” asking you to stop using the vehicle until it complies with UK window tint laws. It is a serious crime to ignore this notice and you are likely to be prosecuted if you drive a vehicle unfit for traffic. It is illegal to sell a vehicle with heavily tinted windscreens in the UK. Therefore, the police or commercial standards may prosecute you for selling a car with an illegal glass tint. The reason for tinting the windows is to ensure that the driver`s vision is not affected by too dark shades. In some serious accidents, tinted windows are thought to contribute to this. If you are involved in a night accident, illegal window tinting can even be used as evidence of reckless driving. For all these reasons, we strongly advise you never to break the law and always make sure that your car windows are legally tinted.
Window tints limit your ability to see weaker road users such as pedestrians and cyclists, especially in low-light conditions. Visibility problems are especially severe at dawn and dusk, or the sudden onset of bad weather when lighting conditions change rapidly. Yes, you can, but there are different rules for tinting the front and rear windows of the car and depending on when a vehicle was first used. The windscreens, as well as the two door panes on either side of the driver, must be in the permissible colour. So if you have a vehicle with strong tinted windows at the front, there is a risk that it will be pursued by the police or DVSA. Therefore, adding an extra tint (e.g. with foil or spray) may mean that your car`s windows do not meet the legal requirements for window tint in the UK. In most modern vehicles, a slight tint is added to the windows during their manufacture. If you add more shades, it is likely that the windows do not meet the legal requirements. Like the rear side windows, British laws do not restrict the darkness of the rear windscreen. Each level of glass tint is allowed by law. 65% to 46% VLT: Tips only – The driver is notified that legal requirements have been violated.
It is illegal to assemble or sell glass (or a vehicle already equipped with glass) that violates the rules on tinted windows. There is no specific legal limit for the tint of car windows on rear passenger windows. Similarly, the Tinted Windows Act does not apply to the rear window of the vehicle. Uninstrumented controls An agent without Tintman can make a subjective assessment by sitting in the driver`s seat with the doors closed. If the blinds are very dark and limit visibility, they will be considered dangerous and the agent will issue an immediate ban (such as <30% VLT above). If the level of visibility is not manifestly dangerous, the driver will be warned that legal requirements may have been violated, so the owner will need to make further inquiries. First of all, it should be noted that not only the owner of the car could get into trouble if he breaks the rules. This is illegal: when the police or the Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency (DVSA) suspect a car of illegally tinting the windows, they measure the light falling through the window using special equipment. If your windows break the rules, you may: Late prohibition notices or correction notices are most often received from drivers whose car colour is prohibited. These are usually spent on dyeing, which is not legal but allows more than 30% of the light to pass through.
These notices will allow you to drive (usually up to 10 days), but you will need to remove all illegal hues and provide proof to a police station. The UK Window Film Act states that the front side panes (i.e. windows on both sides of the driver`s head) shall have a VLT (visible light transmission) of more than 70%. This means that at least 70% of the light must pass through the window. Most modern car windows are made of glass with an 80-70% VLT, so even a very light film applied to windshields unfortunately takes the wrong side of 70% and is therefore not legal. According to the law, the windshield must have an ALV of more than 75%, even lighter than the sides, so even a very slightly tinted window film would not be legal. Note: Evaluating a car for legal tinted windows is not a standard procedure performed by TUV testers during the MOT test. The darkness of the glass tint is also not part of your TÜV test. This means that your vehicle can pass the test even with an illegal tint, and passing the roadworthiness tests cannot be used as a defense against illegal window tinting. Low window tints can limit your ability to see the most vulnerable road users. This often includes cyclists and pedestrians in areas with low (or no light) lighting.
You should also consider telling your auto insurance company about the tint of your windows, even if you`re within the legal limits. The rules for tinted windscreens and front side windows depend on the date the vehicle was first used. There are no rules for tinting the rear window or rear passenger windows. Note: The short video explains how to remove the tinted aluminum cover from the front windows of a vehicle without damaging the window. Highway Code: Essential reading for drivers, motorcyclists and all other road users. E-bike laws: A simple guide that explains the rules and regulations for riding e-bikes. Quad Bike Act: Find out about the driving and registration rules for four-wheeled vehicles registered in the UK. Update vehicle information: How to contact DVLA and notify you of a name or address change.
Vulnerable road users: an overview of the most vulnerable road users who need special care. These activities are said to be in violation of British car laws – in particular the tinting of car windows. Feel free to upload or share the image, but please leave our credits intact. Thank you very much! For more information, visit the VOSA website. The front side windows and windshield are subject to restrictions that vary slightly depending on when the vehicle is first used. If you drive a vehicle that was first used before 1985, the windshield can be tinted with 70% light transmission.