Having a beautifully tinted car definitely makes it feel more sleek and professional, but what many Floridians or people who have been to Florida will tell you is that the sun can be almost unforgiving. Because of these two important reasons, most Floridians have some form of window tinting on their vehicle. In order to protect drivers from these harsh ultraviolet (UV) rays, auto window tint is a necessity as it protect drivers from the damage that can be caused by UV light. However, what many divers and car owners do not know is that in the state of Florida, there are very specific window tinting laws regarding the extent of car window tinting. Floridian police take these laws seriously, and breaking them can result in some hefty fines. In order to avoid this from happening, we at Window Tint USA have compiled a simple guideline on how to keep your window film and tint legal.
Film restrictions are based on the amount of Visible Light Transmissions percentage (VLT%). This refers to the measurable amount of light that passes through both the film and the glass to enter the car. The lower this percentage is, the darker the film on the window is as less light can enter the car. There are different percentage restrictions for the different windows of the car and for different car types, and not all of them will be the same. Below are the criteria which are acceptable in Florida.
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Auto Window Tint Darkness For The Windshield
The windshield has the most restrictions on it as a safety precaution. Tinting the windshield decreases visibility for the driver and can result in car accidents. For both sedans, SUVs, and vans, non-reflective film is the only type of film that is allowed. It can only be placed on the can manufacturers AS-1 line. The AS-1 line is marked approximately from the edge of the windshield 5 inches down. This helps to protect the vision of the driver when the sun is either rising or setting.
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Tint Darkness For The Front Side Windows
The front side windows include the driver window and the passenger window. While this is allowed to be tinted, the VLT% for both sedans, SUVs, and vans need to let in more than 28% of light. This means that these windows can only be approximately 70% tinted or less.
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Tint Darkness For The Rear Side Windows
Since the rear side windows are less important for the visibility of the driver, theses windows can be tinted more than the front side windows. In sedans, these windows need to let in at least 15% of light. That means that it can be tinted up to 85%. This is different in SUVs and vans, which are allowed to have any level of film darkness as long as they are placed 6 inches from the top of the window.
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Tint Darkness For The Rear Window
The rear window of an automobile has the exact same restrictions as the rear side windows. In sedans, the rear window need to let in at least 15% of light. This is different in SUVs and vans, which are allowed to have any level of film darkness as long as they are placed 6 inches from the top of the window.
Window tinting is not only useful for protection against the damage that can be caused by UV light rays and the temperature control within the car, but it also serves as a means to have some privacy while driving down the constantly busy roads here in South Florida. Having window film also serves as a form of protection, preventing shards of glass from flying around in the event of a traffic accident. While the benefits of having film on your car windows is evident, make sure to keep this within the law stipulated by the Floridian police in order to protect yourself from potential car accidents due to vision hindering as well as protecting your pocket from having to pay unnecessary tickets.