What does the law state about window tinting in Australia?

As many cars offer dark privacy glass on the windows, owners of the old vehicles prefer to have window tinting to prevent UV filtering into their car. Besides window tints also increase the ethnic look of the car and its value.  In Australia, you have to comply with the Australian laws to get your car tinted, but the question remains do you really have to bother about these laws? Let us see how the laws impact our buying decision?

As soon as the spring approaches, you would begin to see window tinting ads appearing on TV. While you can buy tints from auto accessories and hardware stores, many people would want to get professional advice. They are proficient as well as up to date with the particular state and territory laws regarding tinting. However, as a car owner, you should also know about the laws which are applicable in your state, especially if you are trying a DIY window tint. 

Like many legislative rules, the states and territories are not all equal in what should be allowed and what should not be allowed.

  

What you should need to know about Car window tinting?

Factory Window Tinting and After Market Window Tint

If you check the brochure of any new car, you will find there is a reference to privacy glass, which you can get either as an option or at an extra cost. Privacy glass is generally dipped and dyed tint instead of film-type tint through you can dye the glass at the dealership level. Generally, privacy glass has a VLT (Visible Light Transmission) of between 15 to 26 %. 

After-market window tints involve a film that should be applied to the glass which is done either by a trained professional or a handy DIYer.  If you are not careful in laying the film, you will end up getting bubbles on the surface.

Why you should Tint your windows?

The main reason behind people tinting windows is they wanted to keep the interior portion of their car cool and reduce the harmful UV and UVB rays. As per the studies which explored the impacts of windscreen sunshades and window tinting on the interior temperature of a car, the temperature difference is minimal. Clear automative glass heats up quickly but with only in few degrees C than privacy glass and film-type window tinting. Tinted windows get heated slowly than clear glass but the difference is very less, particularly when the tinting is not allowed on the windscreen. Studies also clearly reveal that tinted windows reduce the heat loss from the interior portion of a car.

Window Tinting Rules

In Australia irrespective of the place you live, you can tint the rear side of the windows of the B-pillar and driver’s and passengers front window. However, the Visible Light Transference (VLT ) is different in each state or Territory. Also, you cannot apply aftermarket tinting on the windscreen, though you can have a visor strip on it the size you need to apply depends on the guidelines of the particular state or territory. Generall you are allowed to cover 10 % of the windscreen towards the top which could be of any colour. However, all window tinting types, whether they are dye type or film type cannot be more than 10 %.

As of June 2018 rules, 35 % of VLT is allowed in Victoria and Tasmania where the tinting regulations are very strict. While in NSW, SA, QLD, WA allows darker tint while in northern territory you can have the darkest variety. 

How hot interior of your car gets?

When a car is parked in a sun it can become 20-30 degree C hotter than the ambient temperature. 75 % of the heat build-up can happen in the first five minutes and 90 % in the 15 minutes. If you leave the window open, it will have no impact on the interior temperature of the car.