Thinking about getting the windows of your vehicle tinted but worried about going too dark? Or maybe you’ve noticed cars on the road that you are unable to see through the windows of and are curious about how dark is too dark? At Solar Solutions, we are happy to answer all of your tinting questions and get you set up with the appropriate level of darkness in your window tint!
Darkness of tint is measured by Visible Light Transmission percentage (VLT%). In Vero Beach, Melbourne, or any city in the state of Florida, this percentage refers to the percentage of visible light allowed in through the combination of tinting film and the window.
In a regular sized sedan, the VLT% of the front windows must allow more than 28% of light in, and backseat and rear windows must allow more than 15% of light in. The percentage for a Sport Utility Vehicle (SUV) or van differs slightly, requiring more than 28% of light in.
Reflective tints are also popular in Florida because they are very effective in reducing heat generated by visible light. Similar to sunglass lenses, some tinting film contains metallic elements that help in reflecting incoming light and decreasing glare. However, there are also regulations as to how reflective the windows of your car can be.
Both the front windows of a sedan and SUV or van must not be more than 25% reflective, and back seat windows must be less than 35% reflective.
Contrary to what most people believe, you actually can get pulled over by a police officer for driving with windows that are covered with tint that is too dark. The laws enacted to make tint illegal if it is too dark stem from the Florida Highway Patrol (FHP). This is when their officers were unable to see into vehicles during a traffic stop, and therefore were unable to tell if someone in the car was reaching for a weapon. Since adapting these laws, FHP, along with Florida law enforcement, have pulled some dangerous drivers off the road. While they were initially pulled over for their tint being too dark, it sometimes led to discovery of a far more serious offense.
For more information on the automotive window tinting process or just general questions, be sure to keep checking our website periodically as we push out more content.