In case you have a car that features heavily tinted windows at the front, you may be at risk of prosecution by the police. The windows having the right amount of tinting are the front windscreen and a couple of windows to either side of the driver. Tinted front window and front side window rules depend on the first use of the car. There are no rules for tinting the rear passenger windows or rear windscreen.
The Laws Regarding Window Tinting
The law requires that the car windows allow at least
- 70% of the light through the front side windows
- 75% of the light through the front window
In several modern cars, there is a front window tint added to the windows when being made. In case you add more tint, it is likely to cause windows failing to meet the legalities. The rules on window tinting don’t apply to the rear passenger windows and rear windscreen.
The Laws Regarding Different Side Windows
● Windshield
Front window or front windscreen of a car should have more than 75% VLT, which means it passes through more than 75% of the light through the window.
● Front side windows
Front side windows that are next to the drive should have at least 70% VLT, hence these windows should not block more than 30% of the light.
● Back side windows
Any windows to the driver’s back can have any level of window. In the UK, there are no laws restricting any level of darkness on those windows.
● Rear window (back windshield)
Just like back side windows, the UK laws don’t restrict the darkness level on the rear windscreen. Any window tinting level is legally allowed.
Penalties for Window Tinting & Why Avoid It?
Window tinting can limit your ability to see the more vulnerable users on the road, such as cyclists and pedestrians, specifically in low light conditions. Visibility issues are specifically bad around dawn and dusk, or the onset of bad weather when the levels of light change swiftly. The vehicle examiners and the police tend to use light-measuring technology in order to measure the window tinting.
In case you drive a car with enhanced front window tint you may face action by enforcement. It could be a prohibition notice, stopping you from driving your car on the road until you have had the additional window tint taken off, a court summons or a penalty notice. It can be an offense to sell your car with a heavily tinted front windscreen. The trading standard or the police could prosecute you for this.
Conclusion
The UK has quite clearly defined window tinting laws. Front windscreen and front side windows can have up to 70% and 75% light transmission, and all windows to the driver’s back may have any tint level of darkness. If you are driving a car which was used before 1985, the windscreen can be tinted with 70% light transmission. Such cases are becoming very rare since most owners of old-time cars don’t tint their car windows.
