Why is window tinting prohibited and will it be allowed in 2021?

Tinting is a method of darkening windows to limit visibility from outside and prevent large amounts of sunlight from entering the interior. A special coating prevents the car from overheating from the sun. However, excessive tinting of windows is contrary to the laws of the Russian Federation and is punishable by a fine. The latest window tinting law came into force on January 1, 2021. What the prohibitions are and what tinting is allowed will be discussed in the article.

Why are car windows tinted?

Window tinting has been popular among car enthusiasts for many years. Its practicality lies in the fact that the interior of the car heats up less in the sun; it is not necessary to drive in sunglasses. And there is a common joke among drivers that a tinted car is the key to a happy family. On the roads of the Russian Federation you can find many cars of different categories with tinted windows. Tinting can vary from opaque to just a light coating. About ten or fifteen years ago, the most advanced drivers boasted that their windows were completely covered with a mirror film, blinding not only other drivers, but also pedestrians. But gradually this fashion faded away.

It should be said that the active struggle of the authorities against tinting car windows is predominantly Russian know-how. In the vast majority of other countries, they practically do not fight it. In the United States of America, Canada, Great Britain, Japan, Australia, and New Zealand, you can often see mirror-tinted cars on the roads. The laws of these countries do not prohibit the use of chrome car parts, but they glare in the sun, blinding other drivers. Perhaps such a tolerant attitude in economically developed countries is a tribute to democracy. About ten years ago, the UK authorities tried to ban the tinting of car windows at the legislative level. But this caused a storm of indignation among car owners and taxi drivers. Therefore, it never came to pass the law. The authorities of Ukraine and Belarus long ago passed laws that prohibited mirror tinting of car windows and established standards for regular tinting. But in practice, it turns out that these laws have been forgotten and there is practically no control over their compliance.

Tinted windows are very practical

Requirements for car window tinting

The essence of the new law is to regulate the level of light transmission of tinted glass. GOST divides car glass into two types:

1. Front view glass.
2. Rear view glass.

There are certain permitted tinting ratios:

• windshield tinting – 75%;
• tinted side front windows – 70%;
• unlimited tinting of rear windows with viewing mirrors;
• The upper part of the windshield can be tinted without restrictions, but not more than 140 mm.

The law does not prohibit the use of curtains and blinds for rear windows in the presence of mirrors.

Standards for tinting car windows in Russia

Drivers who are not particularly experienced in the laws believe that car windows cannot be tinted at all. But they are wrong. There are certain standards for tinting car windows, but exceeding them will be a violation.

At the moment, it is allowed to tint the rear window of a car in any way, with the exception of mirror film. The tint film is not limited in light transmittance standards. You can also tint the rear side windows of your car in the same way. There is one thing though. This is only allowed if the car has both rear view mirrors. Even when the tinting of the rear and side rear windows of the car is minimal, visibility using the rear view mirror installed in the car's interior is significantly limited. Therefore, it is necessary that its tasks are duplicated by external side mirrors. If traffic police inspectors stop a car with a tinted rear window and only one rear-view mirror, this will be considered a violation of the Road Traffic Regulations. In this case, there are two options to avoid a fine: either install the missing mirror in front of the traffic police inspectors, or remove the tint in front of them.

Restrictions exist only for the windshield and front side windows of the car. They can be completely tinted, but provided that the light transmittance of the film is not lower than 70%. A film can be applied to the side windows, the width of which does not exceed 14 cm. It is not subject to light transmission restrictions, and the width may be smaller.

In 2015, the standards for tinting car windows changed slightly. Previously, tinting with a light transmittance of at least 75% was allowed.

The rear window can be tinted to any degree

Car headlight tinting

Headlight tinting has a direct bearing on road safety. Naturally, darkened headlights cannot be linked to terrorism in any way. But Russian legislation considers that tinting film glued to the headlights of a car is a much more serious offense than its tinted windows.

Experienced drivers and road safety experts unanimously agree that tinting car headlights has no practical purpose. In most cases, it becomes a tribute to fashion, without serving any practical purpose.

Russian drivers tint their headlights quite often. The color of the film, as a rule, harmonizes with the color of the car itself. Some people want a contrasting color. Drivers like that the light of their car is different from the light of other cars. When tinting car headlights, a special film that is resistant to high temperatures or a varnish that has the same characteristics is used. The vinyl film protects the headlights from small stones and, if necessary, can be removed relatively easily. It is much more difficult to remove the special tinting varnish; in this case, most likely, you will have to replace the headlights themselves.

While a lot has been written about the standard for tinting car windows in Russian legislation, the regulatory articles regarding tuning headlights contained in the Administrative Code of the Russian Federation are quite vague. Claims to tinted headlights are described in more detail in the Technical Code and regulations for technical inspection of a vehicle.

The biggest violation is considered to be tinting the car's headlights red. A film of a different color can be applied, but only if it occupies no more than a quarter of the area and its light absorption is not higher than 15%.

Tinting taillights is not prohibited, but traffic police officers can issue a fine of five thousand rubles or limit themselves to a verbal warning if the rear lights do not perform their functions. In addition, if a traffic accident occurs when one car rear-ends another equipped with tuned brake lights, then in this case the repair of the hit car is paid by the driver of the tinted car.

If the headlights were tuned by the manufacturer, then this does not cause complaints from the traffic police

Experienced drivers rarely resort to tinting their headlights. They know very well that in conditions of limited visibility, tuned lighting devices can lead to accidents, because color perception is distorted for other drivers participating in road traffic. Distortion will lead to the creation of an emergency situation. In the event of an accident, the owner of a car with tinted headlights will most likely be found to be at fault. Under no circumstances should you attempt to tune headlights yourself. After all, it will be very difficult to measure light transmittance. But tinted headlights are not always a problem. In the case when the car was released from the factory with tinted headlights, no penalties are imposed on the driver. After all, when producing cars, a car assembly plant is guided by regulatory documents. But this is only when the car was assembled on the territory of the Russian Federation. If the car is imported from abroad, then completely different tinting standards may apply. But even in this case, the driver of the car will not be fined, because all imported cars must comply with the standards in force in the Russian Federation. An official car dealer will not break the law and sell cars that do not meet the requirements.

Tinting car headlights can cause difficulties when passing a technical inspection. The Technical Code defines the requirements for vehicle lighting devices, and they are checked during technical inspection. In particular, the reliability of their fastening and performance are being studied. One of the points on the basis of which the inspection will be considered failed is the malfunction of the lighting equipment. And one of the reasons for its malfunction may be the presence of additional elements on the headlights, that is, a tint film or varnish.

How to properly tint windows and headlights

Before you decide to tint your car windows or headlights, you should study the characteristics of the tint film, as well as the car glass itself. After all, it is also not entirely transparent a priori. The level of light transmission of glass on different cars is different; this value is not static. A big role in measuring this indicator is given to the quality of the glass, its manufacturer, thickness and some other parameters.

After tuning, it is advisable to check the light transmittance

Typically, untinted glass has a light transmittance of 93–96%. If, during tuning, an additional film is used, the light transmission characteristics of which are equal to 70%, then ultimately the light transmission will become equal to 65%. In this case, we are talking about violation of traffic rules and a fine. In addition, the driver will be in for an unpleasant surprise, because he was confident that, according to these parameters, his car fully complies with the established requirements. And the money spent on tinting, one might say, was wasted.

It happens like this: all the light transmittance characteristics of glass and film are taken into account, all parameters fully comply with the standards. And when checking, it suddenly turns out that the level of light transmission is not at all the same as it was during the calculation. What is the reason? Poor quality work by craftsmen often causes deviations from the expected tinting parameters and light transmission levels. Therefore, it is advisable to contact highly qualified craftsmen who guarantee their work. It is very important to measure the level of light transmission after gluing the tint film. If it does not meet the standard, then you need to immediately file a claim and have the work redone, but at the expense of unscrupulous performers. When contacting specialists, you should first ask whether they have instruments for measuring light transmittance. It also doesn't hurt to find out if they are certified.

GOST for tinting

The level of car window tinting at the legislative level is determined by GOST 32565–2013. It clearly regulates the level of tinting of the windshield, left side and right side windows of the car. The document takes into account all parameters, from the technical characteristics of automobile glass to all possible manufacturers. It also specifies the parameters of the materials used for tinting. GOST does not apply when tinting the front and rear headlights of a car.

There are no restrictions on tinting brake lights, but it can create emergency situations

Legal basis

The following documents answer the questions “what tinting is allowed on the front windows, and is mirror tinting allowed on the side and rear windows”:

• GOST 32565-2013. Information about changes to this standard is published in the annual information index “National Standards”, and the text of changes and amendments can be found in the monthly publication of the same name;
• Traffic Laws;
• Federal Law “On Police” No. 68-FZ;
• Technical Regulations “On the Safety of Wheeled Vehicles” of the Customs Union;
• Code of Administrative Offenses (CAO).

How and where is light transmittance checked?

Inspection of the technical condition of a vehicle is strictly regulated by relevant laws and regulations. Order of the Ministry of Internal Affairs No. 1240, which until recently regulated the inspection of tinting, has been cancelled. Traffic police officers are guided by Order No. 1123 of the Ministry of Internal Affairs. This document abolished some norms that were in force before it came into force. In particular, we are talking about the right of traffic police officers to remove state registration numbers from cars that have exceeded the tinting standards. It was this circumstance that greatly frightened Russian drivers.

The state registration number is an integral part of the car. If it is missing, the vehicle cannot be operated. Accordingly, the removal of license plates implied the transfer of the car to a penalty area or the inability to further use it. It was quite difficult to collect license plates from the police; to do this, it was necessary to provide convincing evidence that the vehicle was in good condition and that there was either no tinting on the windows at all or that it complied with the requirements established by law. But removing the tint without moving the car is unrealistic. In general, the injured drivers managed to get out as best they could. Many tried to resolve the issue on the spot with the traffic police. And this often implied (to be honest) a significant corruption component. Therefore, there was simply arbitrariness on Russian roads when traffic police officers purposefully stopped almost all cars that had tinted windows. But after the abolition of the rule on removing license plates, the interest of traffic police officers in such car owners fell sharply.

Today's standards allow any police officer, including the traffic police, to check the level of light transmission of glass. The check does not happen by eye, of course. For this purpose, technical diagnostic tools are used, which must have appropriate certificates and also undergo periodic technical testing. Each device is entered into the State Register. The device passport must contain a note about the next diagnostic of its performance. Previously, it was possible to measure the light transmittance of glass only at a stationary post, but now this norm has been abolished - measurements can be carried out anywhere. The light transmittance of car windows is measured only when the glass surface is clean and dry. During rain or on a road dirty from wet snow, it is simply impossible to get accurate readings.

Traffic police officers have the right to check light transmittance, but only according to established rules

If a driver is stopped and traffic police officers want to measure the light transmittance of car windows, then they must insist on presenting the necessary documents: certificates of conformity, technical passport of the device used for diagnostics. Particular attention should be paid to the presence in it of a mark indicating the passage of periodic technical regulations. Police officers must provide permits for such actions. In the absence of any of the above documents, the results of diagnosing the light transmittance of automobile windows will be far from legal.

When checking the light transmittance of car windows, special sensors are attached to them. It is necessary to pay attention to the fact that they do not have artificial darkening and there is no external film on them. When the driver believes that the accuracy of the device is far from ideal, he has the right to request repeated or control measurements. In this situation, traffic police officers must carry out the following measurements in the presence of two witnesses. It is not the driver's responsibility to search for them. Therefore, the police try to stop cars and ask their drivers to act as witnesses. Receiving a request (we emphasize: just a request) from a police officer does not oblige the driver to gladly become an attesting witness. He may refuse, arguing that he is in a hurry to catch a plane, a meeting, work, and so on. Therefore, the police understand that finding a witness on a busy highway is not so easy. Yes, and among drivers there are certain unwritten rules that do not recommend drowning their colleagues, because none of the drivers can be sure that at the next meeting with the State Traffic Inspectorate patrol, he will not become a fellow sufferer. It is clear that finding two witnesses is often problematic. A potential violator is waiting, police officers are looking for witnesses...

If the process drags on and the police do not release the driver, then he has the right to remind them of the existence of Article 28.5 of the Code of Administrative Offenses of the Russian Federation, which considers the long delay of a vehicle by State Traffic Inspectorate officers to draw up a report unlawful. Particularly persistent inspectors may be encouraged to contact their management to clarify the situation. When a driver asks a police officer to provide him with the number of his immediate commander, interest in the driver, as a rule, immediately disappears for some reason. It is also advisable to have with you the hotline numbers of the Ministry of Internal Affairs, where you can voice your complaints about the actions of traffic police officers.

Video about communicating with the traffic police when checking light transmittance

A device for measuring light transmittance and features of its operation

Devices that measure the light transmittance of car windows are called taumeters. Typically police use Blik. It is portable, small in size, and usually works from the cigarette lighter of a stopped car. Therefore, the police ask the driver to connect the device’s plug to the car’s internal network. In this case, the car engine should not run. The device shows reliable operating parameters only when the internal network of the car is not lower than 12 volts. In this case, the driver can justify the impossibility of measurement by informing the traffic police officer that his battery is extremely weak and cannot provide adequate power. In this case, you can safely ask the officer to use the patrol car's battery and electrical system. It is unlikely that police officers will deal with this.

The Blik device is used in the temperature range from -10 to + 40 degrees. Measurements of the light transmittance of automobile glass are carried out at three different points. The arithmetic mean is used as an indicator of light transmission.

When conducting diagnostics, the driver must carefully observe the actions of the inspector. When fixing any error, you don’t have to talk about it. When the traffic police officer begins to draw up a protocol, then in it you need to write your disagreement with the conclusions and justify them with procedural errors made during the measurement of light transmittance. Defending your rights in such a situation is much less problematic. The police can either release the driver or demand a new measurement, but with the participation of two witnesses.

Taumeter is a small device

New GOST

The new GOST is associated with the division of auto glass into several categories:

• No. 1 is glass that provides visibility to the driver from the front.
• No. 2 – these are glasses that provide, accordingly, rear visibility.

Tinted front windows - light transmittance is not less than 70%, while the car owner has the right to use almost all types of shading, most importantly, adhere to the established standards. There is another question that people often ask, is mirror tinting allowed? Here it is worth mentioning the technical regulations, which provide for the inadmissibility of creating a mirror effect on car windows. This is related to driving safety, because when the car ahead reflects the headlights, this causes unexpected blinding of the driver. This can lead to unpleasant negative situations. Many motorists give their preference to a special tint - chameleon. This option is permitted by law, since these films have a fairly high light transmission coefficient, it is equal to 80%. This indicator complies with accepted norms and rules.

In order to avoid trouble, you must first request a certificate from the product supplier. This way you can have complete confidence that you are becoming the owner of a product that meets high safety requirements.

What tint is allowed? The upper part of the windshield allows any tint, but the width of the coating has some restrictions - up to 140 mm. It is important to note that the new standard makes it possible to tint the rear window at your own discretion.

Fines and other sanctions for tinting

At various times, the Russian traffic police tried to one degree or another to combat tinted car windows. Until 2014, cars whose tinting exceeded the established standards even had their license plates removed. And there was a time when tinting did not arouse any interest among the authorities. The fight against it is being carried out at the command of the federal authorities, which in some ways is reminiscent of the good old days of the USSR, because then any actions on the ground were initiated from above, often turning into all-Union hysteria.

Today, for exceeding the established standards for tinting car windows and headlights, measures are in force, defined by Part 3 of Art. 12.5 Code of Administrative Offences. The biggest offense is tinting a car's headlights red . For this you can lose your driver's license for 6 months or even a year. The headlights themselves will be confiscated. If a car with tuned red headlights is detained by traffic police in the dark, then you cannot drive it, it will be sent to a penalty area. But already during daylight hours or on a tow truck. This can only be avoided by immediately removing the film from the headlights.

Exceeding the light transmittance standards of the windshield and front side windows is an offense leading to a fine of 500 rubles. If the company’s car was released onto the road with technical violations, the person responsible for the condition of the vehicle faces a fine of 3,000, and a legal entity - 20,000 rubles. There are no penalties for repeat offenses yet. As well as other penalties.

Video on how to avoid a fine for tinting

https://youtube.com/watch?v=mA1-yBKibHU

Legislative initiatives

For the first time in the last few years, the issue of window tinting was raised within the State Duma in 2021. It was planned to increase fines for violating traffic rules, among which a special place was given to exceeding the established standard for window tinting. The initiator of the proposed innovations was Vyacheslav Lysakov, who holds the post of first deputy chairman of the State Duma. It was planned to increase penalties for exceeding the established standards for tinting the windshield and side windows of a car three times: for the first violation - up to 1.5 thousand rubles, and for a second violation - up to five. It was also proposed to introduce deprivation of a driver's license for up to two years upon the third time a driver is caught without removing the tint.

Unexpectedly, the Ministry of Internal Affairs joined the fight against tinting car windows, thus providing assistance to State Duma deputies. In this case, we were no longer talking about road safety, but about the increased level of terrorist threat. A corresponding proposal was submitted to the Russian legislative body by deputy Vladimir Petrov, who referred to the experience of other countries. He believes that only the special services and police of the Russian Federation can tint windows.

In some countries, tinting car windows is completely prohibited. We are talking about those states that regularly experience terrorist attacks. As practice shows, they often use vehicles with tinted windows for their attacks. Therefore, in connection with the increased terrorist threat, the initiator proposes to ban the tinting of car windows of private vehicles, as well as to make changes to the technical regulations.

The bill blew up social networks and caused heated discussions in the Russian driving community. Already in the first reading, many adjustments were made to it. In December of the same year, the State Duma adopted only certain minor amendments to the law regarding tinting car windows. The point about deprivation of a driver's license was rejected. And despite all the initiatives, the amount of fines has not changed.

Video about fines for tinting car windows

How to challenge the actions of traffic police officers

If, in the driver’s opinion, the protocol for an offense related to exceeding the light transmittance of glass is unlawful, then it can be challenged in court. For this, the law allocates a two-week period. When challenging the test results, each driver must understand that his arguments are:

• During the diagnostics, traffic police officers had unsuitable weather conditions: air temperature and atmospheric pressure (not higher than 750 mm Hg), air humidity (no more than 80%);
• the traffic police officer who carried out diagnostics of the car windows did not first inform the driver of the air temperature, atmospheric pressure and humidity;
• At the driver’s request, copies of certificates of conformity, as well as documents on periodic technical regulations, were not presented. These documents must be submitted only in originals; the use of copies is unacceptable;
• the employee who carried out the diagnostics did not have permission (also in the original) to conduct an appropriate check of the technical condition of the car;
• when re-measuring the light transmittance of car windows, there were no two witnesses or they were employees of the internal affairs bodies, which may imply a lack of objectivity in their evidence.

Legal literacy when communicating with the traffic police can change the plans of traffic police officers, and they will let the stopped driver go, as they say, in peace. After all, knowledge of laws and regulations implies that the driver will challenge the diagnostic results, and this is associated with certain problems for inspectors. If their actions are inherently illegal or carried out in violation of due process, then this will in no way contribute to encouragement from their management. Therefore, in most cases, the driver’s legal literacy helps to avoid the light transmittance test itself. If it is carried out, it will only be with strict adherence to all established rules.

The traffic police report can be challenged in court

The raid of the Tatarstan traffic police became public knowledge. Its goal was to fight cars with improperly tinted windows. It was carried out in April 2021 throughout Tatarstan, with traffic police officers stopping drivers in Kazan especially often. As a result, many new cases appeared in the courts. Most drivers tried to challenge the actions of the traffic police, claiming that the measurements were carried out incorrectly. A significant part managed to win cases against the traffic police, which served as an inspiration for many Russian drivers who drive cars with tinted windows.

How can you reduce the fine or not pay it at all?

The amount of a fine issued by the traffic police can be halved if it is paid within 20 days from the date when the fine was received by the offender. If he decided to defend his rights and filed an appeal against the actions of internal affairs officers, then if the appeal is refused, a 20-day period also applies, during which the fine is reduced twice. You can also pay the fine on the spot. In this case, there is also a 50% discount. Thus, the State Traffic Inspectorate decided to motivate drivers to pay fines. Such motivation was introduced at the legislative level in 2015 and has already proven its effectiveness in practice.

You don't have to pay the traffic police fine at all. But for this you need to have strong nerves. In the course of daily work, the State Traffic Inspectorate often forgets about drivers who have committed minor violations. And fines of five thousand rubles cannot be considered large. Drivers often use the statute of limitations for paying administrative fines. The Administrative Code of the Russian Federation states that fines issued for violation of traffic rules can only be collected within a two-year period. Its countdown begins from the day when the violator received a fine or a negative court decision on appeal. If the authorities demand that the driver pay a fine issued outside the statute of limitations, then he can safely ignore it. The database of the State Traffic Inspectorate, of course, will contain information about the presence of this offense. But this is fraught with a tarnished reputation and nothing more.

Procedural rules that were not followed by authorities when imposing fines may also help the driver avoid a fine. And this is completely legal. If a decision to impose a fine is made within a period that exceeds 60 days from the date the offense was recorded, then it is invalid. If an appeal is filed to a higher court, then it is obliged to consider the case and make its decision no later than 90 days from the date of the offense.

In certain cases the fine is halved

Some drivers fear that unpaid fines could serve as an obstacle to traveling outside their homeland. You can reassure them: in this case, firstly, an appeal to the court will be required, and secondly, a positive decision. At the same time, the possibility of imposing a ban on traveling outside the homeland exists only if the amount of unpaid fines in the aggregate exceeds ten thousand rubles.

What happens if.

. remove the tint immediately after being stopped by a traffic police officer.

If you remove the tint film immediately after the car is stopped by a traffic police officer, a fine for tint will still be imposed on the driver, because The fine is a punishment for driving a car with insufficient light transmission. In this case, driving takes place until the moment the car is stopped.

. remove the tint immediately after the fine is issued.

If the driver removes the tint immediately after the traffic police officer draws up a resolution to impose an administrative fine, then he will be able to avoid repeated penalties for the same violation. If the tint is not removed, then the next time the traffic police stops the driver will receive a new fine. The number of fines is not limited.

. use removable window tinting.

Removable window tinting does not protect the driver from fines. However, its use will allow you, if necessary, to quickly clear the glass and avoid repeated fines for the same violation.

Finally, I suggest you watch a video in which the tint film is removed using water vapor:

If you wish, you can repeat this procedure and clean the film from your car windows yourself.

Headlight tinting

It is also undesirable to apply third-party film coatings to headlights. Front lighting devices must not be red, that is, any red film is prohibited. The fine for violation is 3,000 rubles.

The light from the headlights can only be yellow, white or orange. The same applies to the rear ones. The only exception is reverse, which is indicated only in white. For repeated violations, a monetary penalty in excess of 3,000 rubles is possible. In exceptional cases, you may even be deprived of your rights.

How is the light transmittance of glass measured?

The need to measure the light transmittance of car windows may arise in three situations: at the stage of applying darkening, by a traffic police inspector when checking compliance with established rules, and by an authorized specialist in a car repair shop (you have the right to refuse an on-site inspection and demand a full-fledged examination). In any of these cases, a special device is used for checking - a taumeter. The inspection process is regulated by the requirements of GOST No. 8.831-2013 “Safety glass for land transport”, according to which:

1. The taumeter must be sealed and have a passport with an annual inspection mark.
2. Since the readings of the device depend on the climatic conditions of the environment, measurements should be carried out in dry weather, with an atmospheric pressure of 645-795 mmHg. and temperatures above 10 degrees Celsius.
3. Measurements are taken from at least three points around the perimeter of the glass.
4. The time of day, as well as the presence of other light sources in the immediate vicinity when measuring at night, do not affect the accuracy of the device.

Failure to comply with at least one of the first three points is a violation of the protocol and will work in your favor when challenging a fine for tinting.

Now you know what is the permitted tinting of front windows in 2018-2019 according to GOST. In conclusion, let us remind you that improper darkening of windows using low-quality materials will not only quickly become unusable, but will also bring a lot of serious problems! Use common sense and remember that road safety comes first.

Types of tinting according to GOST

There is a wide variety of tinting methods on the modern market, which differ primarily in the materials used. Not only windows, but also various body elements, including headlights, are subject to tinting. The most popular method due to its availability is tinting using film; in addition, the following methods are gaining popularity:

1. Tinting via double glazing (applies to side windows only). The idea is to install two glasses at the same time, one of which is transparent and the other is darkened. The driver himself chooses which glass he needs in specific conditions, lowering the unnecessary glass inside the door using an electric lift. This is a rather artisanal method, not recognized by official car services.

2. Use of frame screens, suction cup mesh curtains and other shading alternatives that can be quickly removed. The advantage of this method is the ability to quickly remove the tint before talking with the traffic police inspector, thereby avoiding a fine even if the light transmittance of the window is lower than required.

3. Electronic tinting SPD. It involves the use of special glass with a high-tech polymer coating that can change its transparency depending on the amount of voltage applied. This is a fully adjustable tint that can be turned off instantly. In addition to cars, such glass is also used for architectural purposes, on yachts and aircraft, and in the military field.

4. Monochrome PDLC tint. It is implemented using a special adhesive-based film; the film consists of two layers between which there are micro-crystals. In its usual form it is completely gray-matte, but when voltage is applied, the crystals change their position and the glass becomes transparent. This method is not particularly popular because when the dimming is turned on, the view through the glass is practically absent.

Now about the prices: the average cost of double glass for front doors is 40-50 thousand rubles, monochrome PLDC tinting is estimated at 60-80 thousand, and SPD electrical tinting will cost at least 300 thousand rubles.

Tinting of headlights and turn signals is usually done using film, less often - varnish; in both cases, the procedure primarily has a practical function and protects the glass from chips and scratches under the influence of pebbles flying from under the wheels of oncoming cars. Film wrapping is also practiced to protect the car body; a wide variety of materials are used here - transparent, matte, carbon-style and other films.

Glass tinting seems like a simple procedure only at first glance, but in reality it is a complex process that must be performed by qualified craftsmen. The most common mistakes when tinting are:

• non-compliance with the traffic police requirements for the light transmittance of windows;
• use of low-quality materials in order to save money;
• unqualified installation.

If the car is tinted incorrectly, the owner of the car can become the culprit of an accident due to the deterioration of the view of the surrounding environment (a car that is too dark, especially in the evening, turns into a real bunker from which nothing can be seen), and high-quality materials for shading are quite expensive, so You shouldn’t trust the first “master” you come across.

Technical regulations

Some car enthusiasts mistakenly believe that any darkening of the windows is already a violation of current legislation. However, this is not the case; the administrative code clearly states the permissible technical indicators of toning:

• The rear window of a car can be covered with a film with any light transmission value. The same goes for the rear side windows. The only limitation is mirror tinting, as it can cause inconvenience to other road users;
• The windshield and front side windows must transmit at least 70% of light. Last year this figure was 5% higher;
• Tinting of front windows according to GOST 2021 also allows for the application of a completely dark stripe up to 14 cm wide from the top edge;
• The use of SP80 and SP90 films is prohibited, as they may distort the shapes and colors of approaching objects.

In practice, the new tinting law of 2021 does not have fundamental differences from the previous legislative act. However, it is worth considering that some car models are initially equipped from the factory with glass that allows only 90-95% of light to pass through. Dirt, minor scratches and dust reduce this figure by another 10%. So before upgrading, we advise you to measure how much light the windows of your vehicle let in under ideal conditions, so that you know what you will have to rely on when darkening and will not fall below the permissible level.

What exactly do politicians want to do about motorists?

Next year, the amount of penalties for car owners will double or triple the previous figure, thus reaching 1.5 thousand rubles. There is also a limited number of offenses, and if a driver wants his car to match the style requirements, then he can violate the tinting law in 2021 a maximum of twelve times.

If this number of offenses is exceeded, a person faces administrative or criminal punishment, as well as a fine of 5 thousand “wooden”. If the motorist refuses to pay the fine, he is deprived of the opportunity to use the car for 3 months.

In addition, representatives of government agencies have the right to confiscate a driver’s license if it is not the first time that the driver deviates from the above-described requirements of the law or evades paying a fine. The set of adopted adjustments to the legislation of the Russian Federation will become operational from January 1 of the coming year. However, among ordinary people, opinions are divided regarding this amendment: some support it, while others do not see the point in it.

The position of the masses

In principle, many owners of “iron horses” agree with the implementation of such legitimate adjustments and follow the letter of the law. People are aware of the need for such conditions for the use of personal transport to ensure traffic safety. Although, as in any other issue, there are also a number of citizens who do not support politicians in similar innovations and are collecting signatures against regulations.