Black IS250's w/ Black Tint?
03-23-11, 06:26 AM
#2
1) TINTED WINDOWS -The 35% Window Tint Law in Maryland means that the TOTAL amount of light being transmitted
through the glass of a motor vehicle cannot be less than 35%. In other words, it doesn't make any difference what percentage
the actual window tinting film is rated at, you still cannot exceed 35% total Light Transmittance Value, or LTV for short.
The problem here is that many people purchase a window tint film that is rated at 35% and think it's automatically okay to put it
on their car windows. A 35% window film will guarantee you that your vehicle will be illegal, and here's why:
ALL vehicles come from the factory with a certain percentage of tinting incorporated into the glass. In most cases it blocks out
approximately 20% of the available light, which means that 80% is still passing through.
That is an LTV of 80%, and there's no problem there.
An after market window tint film rated at 35% means that the film allows 35% of the available light to
pass through, and blocks out 65%. (This is known as 35% LTV Film) And again, there's no problem with that.
Here's where the trouble begins. When you place a 35% window tint film over a vehicle window that is already blocking out
20% of the available light, you have now reduced the LTV to 28%, which is ILLEGAL! Why is it now 28%? Because you
started with a piece of glass that was already blocking out 20% of the available light, and you are now placing a
35% tinting material on a piece of glass that only had 80% availabe light to start with. (.35 x 80 = 28%)
That means you are now blocking out 72% of the available light, leaving only 28% to pass through.
You now have tinted windows with a 28% Light Transmittance Value,
and remember that the State of Maryland requires an LTV of at least 35%.
(Windows that are tinted darker than 35% are very obvious to police officers.)
We want you understand the law completely because there are many Window Tint Shops out there who are telling their
customers that a 35% window tint film placed on their vehicle glass is legal, which it isn't . (And you just saw why.)
Additionally, many shops will just tint your windows without even telling you what is, and what is not legal in Maryland.
Just wanted to make sure you fully understand what 35% means in your state, because I didn't know when I got to MD. I thought "35%" meant I could throw on 35% tint, however if you try and get your car inspected and it has any tint on it whatsoever, you have to take it to a police station where they test it, and if it's anything below 35% you have to get it all taken off.
03-23-11, 08:07 AM
#5
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Be careful about "legal limit". I live in MD, and the the legal limit here is 35% as well, however that's 35% TOTAL, not 35% on aftermarket tint only. Here's an explanation:
1) TINTED WINDOWS -The 35% Window Tint Law in Maryland means that the TOTAL amount of light being transmitted
through the glass of a motor vehicle cannot be less than 35%. In other words, it doesn't make any difference what percentage
the actual window tinting film is rated at, you still cannot exceed 35% total Light Transmittance Value, or LTV for short.
The problem here is that many people purchase a window tint film that is rated at 35% and think it's automatically okay to put it
on their car windows. A 35% window film will guarantee you that your vehicle will be illegal, and here's why:
ALL vehicles come from the factory with a certain percentage of tinting incorporated into the glass. In most cases it blocks out
approximately 20% of the available light, which means that 80% is still passing through.
That is an LTV of 80%, and there's no problem there.
An after market window tint film rated at 35% means that the film allows 35% of the available light to
pass through, and blocks out 65%. (This is known as 35% LTV Film) And again, there's no problem with that.
Here's where the trouble begins. When you place a 35% window tint film over a vehicle window that is already blocking out
20% of the available light, you have now reduced the LTV to 28%, which is ILLEGAL! Why is it now 28%? Because you
started with a piece of glass that was already blocking out 20% of the available light, and you are now placing a
35% tinting material on a piece of glass that only had 80% availabe light to start with. (.35 x 80 = 28%)
That means you are now blocking out 72% of the available light, leaving only 28% to pass through.
You now have tinted windows with a 28% Light Transmittance Value,
and remember that the State of Maryland requires an LTV of at least 35%.
(Windows that are tinted darker than 35% are very obvious to police officers.)
We want you understand the law completely because there are many Window Tint Shops out there who are telling their
customers that a 35% window tint film placed on their vehicle glass is legal, which it isn't . (And you just saw why.)
Additionally, many shops will just tint your windows without even telling you what is, and what is not legal in Maryland.
Just wanted to make sure you fully understand what 35% means in your state, because I didn't know when I got to MD. I thought "35%" meant I could throw on 35% tint, however if you try and get your car inspected and it has any tint on it whatsoever, you have to take it to a police station where they test it, and if it's anything below 35% you have to get it all taken off.
1) TINTED WINDOWS -The 35% Window Tint Law in Maryland means that the TOTAL amount of light being transmitted
through the glass of a motor vehicle cannot be less than 35%. In other words, it doesn't make any difference what percentage
the actual window tinting film is rated at, you still cannot exceed 35% total Light Transmittance Value, or LTV for short.
The problem here is that many people purchase a window tint film that is rated at 35% and think it's automatically okay to put it
on their car windows. A 35% window film will guarantee you that your vehicle will be illegal, and here's why:
ALL vehicles come from the factory with a certain percentage of tinting incorporated into the glass. In most cases it blocks out
approximately 20% of the available light, which means that 80% is still passing through.
That is an LTV of 80%, and there's no problem there.
An after market window tint film rated at 35% means that the film allows 35% of the available light to
pass through, and blocks out 65%. (This is known as 35% LTV Film) And again, there's no problem with that.
Here's where the trouble begins. When you place a 35% window tint film over a vehicle window that is already blocking out
20% of the available light, you have now reduced the LTV to 28%, which is ILLEGAL! Why is it now 28%? Because you
started with a piece of glass that was already blocking out 20% of the available light, and you are now placing a
35% tinting material on a piece of glass that only had 80% availabe light to start with. (.35 x 80 = 28%)
That means you are now blocking out 72% of the available light, leaving only 28% to pass through.
You now have tinted windows with a 28% Light Transmittance Value,
and remember that the State of Maryland requires an LTV of at least 35%.
(Windows that are tinted darker than 35% are very obvious to police officers.)
We want you understand the law completely because there are many Window Tint Shops out there who are telling their
customers that a 35% window tint film placed on their vehicle glass is legal, which it isn't . (And you just saw why.)
Additionally, many shops will just tint your windows without even telling you what is, and what is not legal in Maryland.
Just wanted to make sure you fully understand what 35% means in your state, because I didn't know when I got to MD. I thought "35%" meant I could throw on 35% tint, however if you try and get your car inspected and it has any tint on it whatsoever, you have to take it to a police station where they test it, and if it's anything below 35% you have to get it all taken off.
03-23-11, 08:38 AM
#7
No problem. After having previous cars tinted, I'm actually of the opinion that tinting's not really worth it unless you can go darker than 35%. My ideal state is 20% - I think it's a perfect balance. However, MD is very strict on various vehicle laws (front license plate requirement, tint, etc) and I don't need any tickets, so I guess my IS350's staying untinted for now..
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03-23-11, 08:59 AM
#8
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IS250 awd Tinted
Front 20% Rear 5%!!!!!!!
First thing i did to it.
In upstate new york the law is the back windows tint as much as you want. No tint in the front windows allowed. NYS sucks! I was in Aruba and ppl tint there WINDSHIELDS!!!!!!!!!!!!
First thing i did to it.
In upstate new york the law is the back windows tint as much as you want. No tint in the front windows allowed. NYS sucks! I was in Aruba and ppl tint there WINDSHIELDS!!!!!!!!!!!!
03-23-11, 02:25 PM
#11
Lexus Fanatic
i have 20% on the sides and 35% on the back~ why? cuz the cops USUALLY pull up from behind and if they come walking up noticing that you have legal tint in the rear it'll be alot better for you~ (is my theory)
03-23-11, 05:01 PM
#14
Lexus Test Driver
You are correct. Dude got his numbers backwards, I think. 10% would be very dark. 5% is commonly referred to as "limo tint", and lets in very little light. In NC, 35% is the legal limit, which is what I tinted the Lexus at. I have used 20% tint on other vehicles, but did them myself. After paying to have the IS done professionally, I didn't want to get a ticket and have to pull it back off. I do think that I probably should have done the back glass in 20%, but too late now. Oh well......
03-23-11, 06:48 PM
#15
I mean 10% as in darking, so the light would have to be 90% of light passing through, from what I was told from a co-worker (I might of worded it wrong). Correct me if got these things mixed up since I am not familar with tinting.
Last edited by Sango; 03-23-11 at 07:07 PM.