Tinted windows

[dreadnought110]

after recent discussions with VOSA about tinting basicly the law now says no tints at all forward of the B'post and they are clamping down hard!! and can slap you with prohibition's so not worth the risk i'am removing mine even though they are the lightest tint you can have it's a blanket ban mainly caused by them that go stuiped and can't see out!! [-X [-X  http://www.vosa.gov.uk/vosacorp/repository/MoT%20-%20Issue%2023%20-%20April%202004%20.pdf#xml=http://www.vosa.gov.uk/SCRIPTS/texis.exe/webinator/search/xml.txt?query=window+tints&pr=CORP&order=r&cq=&id=49741c526

[Gordo]

Quite right too - it may be fine for bright, sunny weather but it can't help much at night.

The car across the road has dark tinted front side windows  :|

[dreadnought110]

I can really understand heavy tint's being outlawed someone i know used to have them and they where dangerous during the day never mind at night!!! but a light tint's not excessive i keep comparing them at dark juctions etc.. and don't have a problem seeing to make sure i don't clear any one up.  :| well anyway there coming off...

[robert francis]

i dont like tints, block the vision,
but a friend just got a fine due to having wrong tints, he had 70 alround and on the front the police man said max 30, this was only in november 08

[hobbit]

If VOSA is updating the rules I imagine the MOT will reflect this too, (any testers confirm having an update on this?)

[discowoman]

all windows must have a minimum of 75% light transition (25% tint) EXCEPT windscreen which i think is 95%

[Gordo]

If VOSA is updating the rules I imagine the MOT will reflect this too, (any testers confirm having an update on this?)

There are quite a few things that are not covered by the MOT test, and I think window-tint is one of them. Although my MOT knowledge stops at 2-wheels.

[muddyoffroader]

i have light smoked tint on all my windows and iv been pulled by the fuzz with a vosa officer and had no problem with it. but it is only light smoke

[Terranosaurus]

Not a big fan of tints myself though have considered having the boot area done for securoty reasons.

With Humber-Yorks 4x4 Response we went along to Humberside polices Emergency Planning Office and the EPO was at pains to point out that all our vehicles must be strictly legal if they are to consider using us and one of the things he had in mind was tints. IIRC max tint for forward of B pillars is 25% (ie 25% of the light can be blocked). Many people fail this test because whilst they might fit a light tint the underlying glass on many recent vehicles is already tinted. The cumulative effect of the 2 being to tip you over the 25% threshold. He was actually going to go out to our vehicles and check them for us (with a machine/device they have) but as it was not one of us had aftermarket tints forward of the B pillar so there was no need.

[dreadnought110]

Just a quick one has anyone clicked on the link? the spec's are there on page 8 of the pdf doc.  The crackdown follows concerns over the
number of vehicles being driven with heavily
tinted windscreens and front side windows.
These restrict the driver’s vision, especially in
dark conditions.
Stopping drivers
Both the police and VOSA are now stopping
vehicles with tinted windows and checking the
Visual Light Transmission (VLT) through
windscreens and side windows. If the light
getting through is less than is legally required,
the driver may be prohibited from using the
vehicle until the tint is removed. Motorists who
don’t rectify the problem may be prosecuted.
The legal limits for window tinting are a
minimum of:
● 70 per cent VLT for side windows
● 75 per cent VLT for windscreens on
vehicles first used after April 1985 and
70 per cent VLT for those first used prior
to that date.
VOSA Enforcement Examiners will normally
remove prohibitions of this nature at Goods
Vehicle Test Stations by prior arrangement
with the owner. This is a departure from the
normal clearance procedure of putting
vehicles through an MOT.
Stopping retailers
Any retailer displaying vehicles with
over-tinted windows for sale is committing
a number of offences. Neil Cumming,
Roadworthiness Project Manager for VOSA,
points out, ‘Section 77 of the Road Traffic
Act 1988, as amended, makes it an offence
for any person to supply or offer for sale a
motor vehicle in an unroadworthy condition.’
Neil went on to explain, ‘Section 76 makes it
an offence for any person to fit, or cause or
permit to be fitted, a vehicle part which
would, by reason of the fitting of that
part, constitute a contravention of any
construction and use requirements.’ So some
retailers and tinting companies could find
themselves with a prosecution on their hands.
The simplest solution
But why is tinting not included in the MOT
test? Alan Wilson, head of VOSA’s Testing
Standards Policy and Strategy branch advised,
‘Excessively tinted glass is seen as a marginal
issue currently affecting a small number ofvehicles in relation to the 24 million tested
annually. To impose the £300 to £500 cost of
equipment on each of the 18,000 garages
could be seen as disproportionate in road
safety benefit terms. The time taken to test all
cars would have to increase and so would the
MOT fee, to account for the additional time
and investment in specialist equipment.’ For
this reason, VOSA has chosen to target
problem vehicles at minimum inconvenience
to compliant road users.
Spread the message
If you know a tinting company who fits tints
to front windows, or a retailer that sells these
vehicles, pass the message on or they may find
themselves prosecuted. If one of these vehicles
comes in for test, let the driver know – you
may save someone’s life on a dark night.

[ChrisW70]

Just a quick one has anyone clicked on the link? the spec's are there on page 8 of the pdf doc. 

Has there been a recent change? That document is nearly five years old!

[dreadnought110]

Don't think there has been a change other than VOSA now are doing road side checks on cars as well as the police and are clamping down on tinting hard and also certain modification's belive me if they want to follow things to the letter then modification's on 4x4 i.e suspension lift's etc. are in some cases leading to prohabition's!!! all to do with constuction and use regulations belive me this is one mother of a can of worms...... :-.

[Disco Matt]

I've heard the bit about them targetting lifted vehicles elsewhere. What I can't decide is whether larger tyres and no other suspension mods would count. See, if I fit heavy duty/Police spec springs to mine it will still use all standard LR parts but I'll be able to get 235/85s on with trimmed arches.

[carracarra13]

I bloke I no had a 3 year old rangrover all excpt frount screen were very heavy tinted proficionaly done (not film like the rest of us lol) I said to him after he said what do you think of my rangi now( its black and bloody lush ) flash git lol  my reply was you will be ok till vosa or MR plod pull you for your frount windows, he looked puzzled by this so I explained read this document Ill be ok said he two weeks later not so cocky now, he had to have the frount windows replaced at the cost of £ 1800 then he got a £60 spot fine ( he should not of argued quite so forcefully and the fine would not of happened) so be warned

[adafish]

i took my tints off the front side windows, makes it easier when smilling at the young ladies that look at the car, and then see me :lol:...just got the backs blacked out so she can't see the kids

[Drift]

No change as seen here for the MOT.

http://www.motuk.co.uk/special_notices.htm

[craig_midz]

front window tints do come under a mot but down to mot testers discresion but if u got eletric windows u wind front windows down an unplug the switches as no front windows up means tester cant test em an its not a failure but i brought a disco with full limo black tints on all the back windows an a light smoke on the fronts i can see find out the front but ive had to put workin lights on the back of disco as reversin it on the night in an unlit street was a nightmare as i couldnt see a thing out of rear window with standard reversin lights but i have 2 small children who seat on back seat an with the windows tinted it keeps the sun when u do get it off them so its like everything it has its pros an its cons

[Gordo]

Is it just me that doesn't understand the current popularity of heavily tinted windows? Makes the car look like a prison van.

And nobody is really all that bothered who's in the back of your car anyway.

[Range Rover Blues]

It keeps the sun out so the car stays cooler, mine also stop the dog barking at everything and nosey pikey's can't see what's in your boot.

But it's harder to park, reverse, pull out of some junctions etc etc even with just the rear quarters done, I thought about having the LSE done too and didn't bother.

[ian101]

I'm the same as you RRB, I need it to keep the car cooler for the dog in the summer and to stop her barking at people it will also stop prying eyes clocking my bike in the back.

I can def see the disadvantages esp when parking on a street at night, but guess I will look into cost as weel before I make a decision, btw what film is the best to buyor is it a job for the pro's?

[mill2020]

If your looking for good quality film, may i suggest a company called Bekaertfilms.com, a huge range of tints & shades. I just stumbled across them
 on the web one day, they were very helpful and particularly well informed on the laws surrounding tints for vehicles.
I have a silver solar reflective film on the back of my freebie to reduce cabin temp for the dog/kid it's bloody brill and not to dark at all.
Infact it's what the police dog units use in the back of there cars, so it must be ok?

[Gordo]

It keeps the sun out so the car stays cooler, mine also stop the dog barking at everything and nosey pikey's can't see what's in your boot.

But surely dark colours absorb the heat? Have you gone for a mirror-tint?

And leaving a dog in the car on a hot day is plain wrong.