Window tinting (Vic) - car & caravan legalities

Many years ago I had need to ask this same question from an RTA vehicle inspector here in NSW.
His comments were as follows;

1 the grade of tint is covered by law and cannot be darker than a certain grade as it obscures night time vision.

2 the tint cannot be reflective as it has the potential to blind other motorists in certain circumstances.

3 the windscreen cannot be tinted.
I would assume unless it is tinted during the manufacturer of the glass screen. Meaning the manufacturer would be bound by the regulations covering windscreen tinting grades. I say this as it is obvious that some windscreens do have a slight tint.

Sort of common sense really. But then you see some vehicles with a very dark tint in the side and back windows which makes me wonder how they got away with it.

As I say this was many years ago and the regs may have moved on by now.

Regards, Bruce.

Car tinting, can go as dark as you like except for the front windows, as long as you have exterior mirrors on both sides. Caravan, know idea.

I was at at tinting joint two weeks ago. He commented that windows behind the drivers door can be as dark as you want. He showed me his paper work off RTA to verify this. Apparently going by this after joking with him, he commented that there was nothing to stop me painting the windows black.

Reflecting material is a no no anywhere. While tankers are polished, they are not generally reflective. Even a polished alluminium caravan is not reflective, (maybe when first washed, but ten minutes on the road would fix that)

My brother was often pulled up while driving his truck because he had his front bumper polished almost to a mirror finish. Kept reflecting headlights.

You'll find that all glazing trucks are required by law to carry sheet mirror with the shiny side facing in. Reflective tint on clear glass causes the same amount of reflection.Very dangerous

Ask a window tinter They know how dark it can be

I have the back doors and rear windows really dark to keep inquisitive eyes from viewing goodies.
Cargo barriers keep them out of the rear


The two front doors ar a lighter legal tint.


Windscreens may only be tinted to the top of the arc of the wipers or 100mm whichever is the lesser.
Remember that vans are not really very bright inside and tinting will make them really dark.
Most van windows are already tinted to a degree anyway


-

Thanks for the responses everyone.

Regarding the car tint, I understand that 'generally' rear windows aren't scrutinised - for example, there was a 'blitz' in Melbourne recently on illegal tints and the news report made it quite clear they were only testing the front windows. It's frustrating that the regulations themselves leave so much weasel room though.

As for the mirror tint, I have to confess I'm struggling to get a handle on the problem. Aren't there a bunch of different grades? Is any amount of reflectivity illegal, or just the full-blown mirror effect? I'm leaning towards a blackish-silver tint rather than an all-out silver, but I do want some reflection - not just because it will look good but for improved privacy in a van with glass all round.

I'm sure that legal problems are unlikely but I'm trying to keep everything above board.

From Part 5 of Victorian Vehicle Standards

Quote



44 Window tinting
(1) Glazing used in a windscreen of a motor vehicle
must have a luminous transmittance of at least—
(a) for a motor vehicle built after 1971, 75%; or
(b) in any other case, 70%.
(2) Windscreen glazing of a motor vehicle must not
be coated in a way that reduces its luminous
transmittance.
(3) Subclauses (1) and (2) do not apply to the area of
a windscreen that is—
(a) above the highest point of the windscreen in
front of the driver's seating position swept by
the windscreen wiper; or
(b) the top 10% of the windscreen as measured
in front of the driver's seating position; or
(c) above a horizontal line 200 millimetres
above the level of the driver's eyes.
(4) Glazing used in a window or interior partition of a
motor vehicle must have a luminous transmittance
of at least 70%.
(5) Glazing behind the rear of the driver's seat or in a
side window forward of the rear of the driver's
seat may be coated to achieve a luminous
transmittance of not less than 35%.
Sch. 2
Road Safety (Vehicles) Regulations 2009
S.R. No. 118/2009
247
(6) Glazing that has been coated to reduce its
luminous transmittance must not have a
reflectance of over 10%.
(7) The luminous transmittance requirements in
subclause (5) apply to a vehicle instead of the
corresponding requirements in the relevant ADR.
(8) In this clause—
glazing means any transparent material or
combination of transparent materials fitted to
a vehicle and available to the driver to obtain
a view of the road and other road users;
luminous transmittance, for glazing, means the
amount of light that can pass through the
glazing as a percentage of the amount of
light that would be transmitted if the glazing
were absent.


So NO painting black (Must have 35% or more light transmittance)
and No mirror tinting ( 6 Glazing that has been coated to reduce its
luminous transmittance must not have a
reflectance of over 10%.

Caravans would be OK i guess as Quote

glazing means any transparent material or
combination of transparent materials fitted to
a vehicle and available to the driver to obtain
a view of the road and other road users;



Ian

Gday

I own a window tinting shop in Adelaide.

No window tinting on a motor vehicle should not exceed 35%VLT (Visual Light Transmittance) on any side or rear window except in NT where they can have 35%VLT on front doors and 15%VLT on the rear section of a vehicle. Front windsreens are a no no!! except for visor strips which should not go further down than the arc of the windscreen wiper or 10% of the total depth of the glass. Cars eg Toyota, Subaru Mitsubishi and a few other makes that are imported can have a factory glass which is also known as privacy glass has a VLT of 20%. There are talk of getting this matter sorted out.

If you exceed the limit of 35%VLT you can be defected (unroadworthy) and your insurance company may not cover you as its an illegal modification.

I've tinted caravans before and have never put on reflective due to the reflection. If its glass it will be no probs tinting but if they are plastic it may have a reaction with the plastic and may cause it to bubble.

Hope this helps.

Hunty