Auto Tint Laws

Before you decide to tint the windows on your car, you should be aware that there may be legal restrictions on auto tint in your area. Here’s a brief rundown on tint laws in Western Canada. No matter where you live, however, check with a reputable tinter or the local police before you have your vehicle tinted. Life is tough enough as it is; don’t complicate yours by installing illegal tint on your vehicle.

​

What Level of Tint is Legal on Vehicle Windows in Western Canada?

There’s a common misconception that it’s quite legal to apply a light tint on vehicle windows to either side of the driver. In most of Western Canada, this is absolutely wrong. Manitoba allows a light tint so long as the measured light transmission through the window is at least 50% +/- 5%. BC will allow a clear ultraviolet-blocking film, such as Supertint Plus’s UVShield, to be installed beside the driver, if the driver has a medical certificate. In Saskatchewan, Alberta, Yukon, and Northwest Territories (not having heard otherwise, we assume the rules in Nunavut are the same as the NWT), it is illegal to have any density of window tint applied to the windows beside the driver.

​

Behind the driver, however, all Western provinces and territories allow you to apply any density of tint you wish, as long as the vehicle has two outside rear-view mirrors. The only exception (once again) is Manitoba; passenger vehicles are limited to 35% +/- 5% measured light transmission, while multi-purpose vehicles (trucks, vans, etc.) may be tinted as dark as you wish.

 

For more detailed information, check out our province-by-province tint law chart, or go to the International Window Film Association (IWFA) web site for USA tint laws.

 

What’s the Reason for This Law?

The rationale for the law is that it’s important for pedestrians to be able to see the driver of a vehicle and make eye contact before crossing the street. Other drivers also need to make eye contact before entering traffic, etc. Under certain light conditions (such as at night), a dark tint can adversely affect a driver’s ability to see out, particularly if it’s raining or the windows are dirty. The police also like to be able to see the driver as they approach a vehicle. Light tints, which are legal in some Canadian and USA jurisdictions, will allow this, but most tint laws are based on older, dark-only window films.

​

So Why Do Some Vehicles Have Tinted Front Windows?

Despite what the law says, we’ve all seen people driving around in vehicles with tinted windows, ranging from barely there to absolutely black. Why? Quite simply, some police forces are more concerned about enforcing this particular law than other police forces are. Also, although the police may fine a driver who has tinted windows, they may not require that the tint be removed. So the driver pays the fine and keeps the tint. Or perhaps the vehicle is from a region where heavier tints are legal, and the local police have chosen not to bother the driver, in the interests of promoting tourism.

 

What’s SuperTint’s Position on This Law?

As a founding member of the IWFA, we do not encourage our customers or dealers to tint driver-compartment windows on any vehicle.