The topic of illegal car window tinting is still relevant in 2021. Last spring, a bill appeared to toughen penalties for tinting glass that exceeds the norm. The deputies proposed:
- increase the fine to 1,500 rubles for committing this offense for the first time;
- introduce a new fine of 5,000 rubles for repeated fixation of illegal tinting.
How much is the fine for tinting starting in 2021? Has the new law come into force or not? What kind of tint can you use when driving abroad? You will learn the answers to these questions from our article.
Is tinting prohibited in Russia?
The issue of tinting car windows regularly becomes a topic of lively debate among both car owners and legislators.
Proponents of tinting say that darkening the windows allows you to maintain a comfortable microclimate in the car, and this is especially important in the southern regions of the country. In addition, in their opinion, tinting protects the car from being opened by intruders.
Opponents of tinted glass motivate their point of view by the fact that tinting impairs the driver’s visibility of the road and increases the risk of an accident. They also believe that cars with dark windows are often used to transport illegal goods.
Requirements for the light transmission of car windows are established in the Technical Regulations of the Customs Union TR CU 018/2011 “On the safety of wheeled vehicles” dated December 9, 2011 and in GOST 32565-2013 “National Standard of the Russian Federation. Safety glass for ground transport. General technical conditions" dated November 22, 2013 No. 2008-st.
In accordance with these documents:
- The light transmittance of the windshield must be at least 70%;
- in the upper part of the windshield it is permissible to have a light protection strip no more than 14 cm wide with any degree of darkness; for freight vehicles, buses, trolleybuses and specialized passenger vehicles, the regulation presupposes a different standard: the width of the lane should not exceed the minimum distance between the upper edge of the windshield and the upper boundary of the area where it is cleaned by the wipers;
- windshield tinting should not distort the perception of white, yellow, red, green and blue colors;
- tinting with a mirror effect is prohibited;
- There are no restrictions on rear window tinting;
That is, there is no need to talk about a complete ban on tinting. On the contrary, according to the previously valid GOST 5727-88, the level of light transmission should have been at least 75%, but now the figure has dropped to 70%.
In addition, most modern cars leave the assembly line with tinted windows, so it is very difficult to find a car with 100% transparent windows on the roads.
Acceptable glass tinting standards according to GOST
Before deciding to darken the optics, including the windshield and side windows, it is necessary to study the legislation of the Russian Federation. In 2018, the standards governing the tinting of car windows are presented in the following documents:
- GOST 32565-2013 is a standard that specifies the permissible light transmittance for glass of land transport;
- TR CU 018/2011 – regulation on vehicle safety;
- provisions included in the traffic rules regarding the admission of vehicles and the responsibilities of officials regarding road safety;
- Code of Administrative Offenses of the Russian Federation - liability for darkening a car more than the established norm.
Note!
According to the Decision of the Customs Union Commission, the light transmittance of the windshield and side front windows should not be less than 70%.
What kind of front window tinting will happen in 2021?
The bill to increase fines, introduced this spring for discussion by deputies, once again did not receive support, and the punishment for tinting remained the same as it was in 2021. We would like to remind you that United Russia has repeatedly come up with a similar initiative.
In accordance with clause 3.1 of Art. 12.5 of the Code of Administrative Offenses of the Russian Federation, driving a car with windows whose light transmission does not meet the requirements of the law is an administrative offense. In this case, the fine for tinting a windshield in 2021 is 500 rubles.
Protocol under Part 3 of Art. 12.5 of the Code of Administrative Offenses of the Russian Federation can be compiled only on the basis of data obtained using a special device - a taumeter. Currently, the most common models are: “Blik” in various modifications, “Tonic”, “Light”.
The traffic police officer who carries out the measurement must have documents confirming the serviceability of the device and its certification.
Penalty for tinting under the new law from 2021
Car tinting is not just tuning for the sake of beauty. This is convenience for the driver and passenger, protection from ultraviolet rays and street thieves. Many car owners use temporary film on their front windows, which is convenient for long trips and when traveling during daytime sunny hours. This option for darkening the interior is convenient because you can always quickly remove the film before the traffic police post without a fine or lengthy negotiations.
In addition to the positive side, protective film has some disadvantages:
- deterioration of visibility at night;
- obstructed view of the rear seats from the traffic police inspector.
If the transparency of the rear windows has little effect on the driver’s visibility, then the law defines permissible values for the tinting of the front windows.
The fine for tinting above 70% for the front and side windows of a car is 500 rubles. In the event of a repeated violation, the amount remains unchanged, which is especially important for car owners to know.
A fine can be imposed on a driver only after appropriate measurements have been taken using a toumameter.
Note!
The application of sanctions under the article on driving a vehicle with defects is a violation on the part of the inspector and can be appealed.
Rules for measuring glass tinting
Not everyone knows that there are a number of standards for measuring the light transmittance of glass, which must be observed by the inspector. The procedure must occur under certain conditions:
- external ambient temperature – from -10C to +40C;
- humidity – 60% with a deviation of no more than 20% in both directions;
- air pressure – from 86 to 106 kPa;
- absence of rain, fog, snowstorm.
In other situations, the device data may be considered invalid, which will require evidence from the driver.
In 2021, there are no requirements for the devices, and the inspector is not required to carry instructions for each of them. On this basis, disputes may arise due to the error of the device in reality and in words. In controversial situations, when the toilet meter shows numbers bordering on the permissible limit, it would be reasonable to check the device for errors or study its technical indicators during legal arguments.
Penalty for re-fixing tint
Regardless of whether the first time a protocol is drawn up against you for tinting exceeding the norm or the second time, the punishment will always be the same - a fine of 500 rubles. As of 2021, Russian legislation does not have a separate, more serious penalty for repeated commission of this offense.
However, according to Part 1 of Art. 19.3 of the Code of Administrative Offenses of the Russian Federation, a traffic police officer has the right to issue an order to eliminate the offense. That is, when illegal tinting of windows is detected, along with the protocol, an order is issued regarding the need to remove the tinting within a certain period of time (usually within 1-10 days). Information about this is entered into the traffic police database.
If, having stopped the vehicle after the specified period, the inspector again fixes the tint, then a protocol is drawn up against the driver under Part 1 of Art. 19.3 of the Code of Administrative Offenses for disobedience to a lawful order or requirement of a police officer.
The protocol is being reviewed in court. The car owner faces punishment, which can be either a fine not exceeding 1,000 rubles or arrest for up to 15 days.
As judicial practice shows, “malicious” lovers of dark glasses are sent under arrest for a period of 2 to 15 days. Moreover, this trend has developed in many regions of Russia. And when an attempt is made to challenge the Supreme Court, in most cases it takes the side of law enforcement agencies and recognizes the decisions of lower courts as legal and justified.
You can avoid such punishment by removing the film from the glass in the presence of an inspector. Then the traffic police officer will record the fact that the violation has been eliminated, and information about this will be included in the road inspection database.
What is the fine today for tinting?
Fine for a towbar on a passenger car in 2018
Currently, the fine amount is fixed - 500 rubles, regardless of how many times a driver is caught with illegal tinting. This punishment often does not bring any sense to persistent violators, but if you receive such a penalty on a daily or weekly basis, it will significantly hit your pocket. You can pay the receipt in the first two weeks, then the amount will be halved. The amount of the fine is relevant both for Moscow and the region, as well as for other constituent entities of the Russian Federation.
Important! Despite the fact that a vehicle is considered unsuitable for use due to exceeding the tinting standard, it still cannot be sent to the impound lot. It is assumed that the driver, who received a warning and a financial penalty of 500 rubles, will immediately go to the car dealership to remove the film or get rid of the coating.
Toning Rules
The fundamental document that traffic police inspectors refer to is the Technical Regulations, which came into force in January 2015. According to its charter, when assembling a vehicle, it is required to follow safety rules. This also applies to visibility conditions. Therefore, the Technical Regulations are based on GOST. Until the 15th year, GOST 5727-88 was taken into account, and at the moment GOST 32565-2013 is taken as the basis.
Penalties for any administrative offenses are described in Article 12.5 of the Code of Administrative Offenses of the Russian Federation, part 3.1. There is no mention of light transmission standards and tinting in principle, but there is a link to the Technical Regulations. It turns out that from the offense to the punishment there follows a chain of three normative documents:
- GOST;
- Technical regulations;
- Article of the Code of Administrative Offenses of the Russian Federation.
Such paper difficulties lead to confusion. Many car owners do not know their rights, so they follow the lead of the traffic police officers, who right on the spot demand that they remove (literally rip off with their hands) the tint film.
Important! A traffic police officer does not have the right to demand that a car driver tear off the coating from the windows, even if the violation is visible to the eye. This is explained by the fact that, firstly, such a right is not spelled out in any normative act. And, secondly, without a specific procedure for measuring the percentage of light transmission, the inspector cannot issue a fine or force the film to be torn off.
But it is worth noting that disobedience to the traffic police officer in his intention to measure the tint for permeability is a refusal to cooperate with the police. Each driver is obliged, at the first request of a traffic police inspector, to undergo a procedure for checking the light transmission of glass coatings. Refusal or disobedience, obstruction of the procedure may be regarded as an administrative offense, for which the punishment is established - arrest for 15 days.
Conclusion
To summarize, we can say that the penalty for tinting in 2018 has not changed - for exceeding the permissible light transmittance of glass, a fine of 500 rubles is still provided.
But if the tint is re-fixed, there is a possibility of being prosecuted under Art. 19.3 of the Code of Administrative Offenses of the Russian Federation for failure to comply with the requirements of police officers. And as a result, the punishment for tinting today may turn out to be much more serious than just 500 rubles.
Maximum percentage of darkness - tinting standards in 2021
Not a single traffic police officer can say that tinting does not bring any benefit. Therefore, there are state standards according to which window tuning can be done.
Fine for curtains on front windows in 2018
So, tinting is a special coating of window glass (windshield, rear and side) for a car, the purpose of which is to minimize the penetration of sunlight, as well as to hide from prying eyes. Another plus is that in summer the interior heats up less. Plastic elements of the internal lining suffer significantly during the warm season.
The bill, which came into force on January 1, 2021, regulates GOST - this is the standard for tinting coatings today.
The main value for the law is light transmittance. If it is above a certain value, the driver may receive a fine for tinting. Officially, you can be fined for non-compliance with GOST 32565-2013. According to the document, all tinted glass can be divided into two categories:
- The first includes glass that provides visibility to the driver from the front;
- to the second - a similar indicator from the rear.
Light transmission standards for the first category:
- Windshields - at least 75%.
- Side windows of the front doors - at least 70%.
- The top 14 centimeters of the windshield can have any degree of tint, but the width of this strip should not exceed the specified value.
- The rear and side passenger windows can be completely covered with a tinted coating of any density, but only if the car is equipped with two mirrors on both sides of the car.
The rule that allows the use of curtains for buses (on all passenger windows, except, respectively, the two front ones) falls into the same category, as well as for passenger vehicles in cases where tinting is allowed, i.e. in the rear.
Note! Mirror film is not actually prohibited. But when used, a mirror effect is created, which is technically unacceptable, as it can lead to reflection of headlights and blinding of a vehicle behind, which is prohibited by traffic regulations.
Mirror tinting
The optimal coating is a new offer on the car market - “chameleon”. According to its characteristics, this tint best fits the rules of 2021, since the classic light transmission rate is 80 percent. But even such a slight darkening will save you from glare and overheating of the interior from the inside.
GOST does not say anything about the method of applying the coating, which means that traffic rules do not regulate what can be applied - film or spraying. There are many situations associated with the film when traffic police officers asked to remove non-statutory tinting right on the side of the road in order not to apply penalties, but to limit themselves to a warning. You can't do this with spraying.
Chameleon tinting
Will it be allowed to tint car windows in 2021?
Despite the fact that many car owners are in favor of lifting the tinting ban, no relaxations are expected at the legislative level either in 2021 or in 2021. What requirements do advocates of maintaining incognito within the interior of their car put forward? Their ideas are as follows: allow tinting of the windshield up to 60% of the light transmittance, and the front side windows - up to 40%. These requirements are justified by the following reasons:
- reducing the degree of intrusion into the privacy of the driver and passengers;
- reduction of glare from the bright sun during the day and from the headlights of oncoming traffic at night;
- reducing heating of the car interior, as a result – extending the service life and preserving the appearance of the upholstery and instrument panel;
- reducing the cost of operating the air conditioner.
The listed reasons for demands to lift the tinting restrictions are quite logical, but, nevertheless, do not outweigh the importance and seriousness of the reasons for strict regulation of car tinting.
About tinting
The official website of the State Traffic Safety Inspectorate contains all the information regarding this law. Let's consider this topic in more detail.
According to traffic regulations, tinting is not a prohibited technical action. Requirements for car tinting imply the presence of certain numerical indicators of light transmission, by meeting which the driver avoids punishment. In Russia, coefficients allowing tinting are set at the level:
- For front and side panels – from 70%.
- You can tint the rear windows of a car with a light transmittance of 75%.
If the above marks are not met, then penalties may be imposed on the citizen driving the car. Today, this is 1.5 thousand rubles. Recurrence of these sanctions implies a more severe punishment - 5 thousand rubles.
For reference. Changes to traffic rules are made regularly. This applies to both the size of the fine (which, for example, in 2021 was 500 rubles) and the general provisions of the law that carry out regulatory functions on the correct procedure for applying a coating to glass.
Let us consider, as an example of whether it is possible to tint a car, an extract from the current law. The article for tinting reads: A driver who is driving a car with tinted glass(s) of an unauthorized type is subject to administrative penalties. Recidivism implies a more severe punishment.
It is worth noting that for several years now there have been rumors about completely banning the treatment of car windows with darkening spray. The Ministry of Internal Affairs does not deny this information and, quite possibly, it will soon be completely prohibited to tint cars.
A few years ago, a new version of the law was being considered, which included a ban on tinting. Then it was planned to introduce a fine of 5,000 rubles. for repeated violation. But it did not come into force due to the fact that it did not receive adequate support from deputies.
Proposed compensation mechanisms for tinting resolution
If the authorities at the legislative level compromise in 2021 with the advocates of repealing the tinting law, then, most likely, a certain compensation mechanism will be developed. Let's analyze what it could be, and whether there is a high probability of buying an indulgence for tinting.
It is assumed that one of the types of compensation for permission to tint may be a special tax or state duty. The principle is this: a driver who has paid this tax or duty will have the right to darken the windows of his car as he wants. Car owners who have not paid the required bribe to the state treasury will be forced to adhere to the established rules for tinting permitted by law.
Those who buy off the law will have the right to break it. Such a precedent could become a negative starting point for the creation of other, more dangerous “agreements” with the law. However, if any compromise decisions are made regarding car tinting in 2018, they will be made for all car owners without exception.
