Window Tinting
Discussion
some official guidance somewhere said:
Window Tinting - Amendments to Legislation
During the early part of 2004, Section 32 of the Road Vehicles (Construction and Use) Regulations will be amended to include Window Tint Films , where such materials attached to the glass are capable of reducing the Visible Light Transmission of forward windows to below prescribed levels. These changes will be back-dated to become applicable from 1st January 2004.
This will effectively ban virtually all tinted films fitted to windows forward of the B-Post on any vehicle that is to be driven on UK roads.
The reason for these changes is the recent proliferation of vehicles that are excessively tinted. Some vehicles may be so heavily tinted that they present a real danger when used on public roads. The action being taken by the Government follows a fatality that occurred recently where a heavily tinted car was involved in a collision with a motorcycle and the window tints were held to blame due to the vision of the driver being impaired.
There is however, a recognised difference between light window tints which may be considered safe for road use (such as those supplied to you by Pentagon) and excessively dark window tints which are not.
There has also been a great deal of debate in recent years about the legitimacy of window tints that do not obscure the vision of the driver. A clear case has been argued that road-safe window tints do not actually conflict with existing regulations. The Department for Transport have argued however that Section 32 was always intended to cover materials attached to the glass, despite the fact that no mention of this is made in the Regulation itself.
The only solution remaining would be to amend the Legislation.
Consequently and in order to clarify the situation, the Government have finally decided to up-date the Regulations to specifically include Tinted Films since, in the view of the Police and the Department for Transport, this is the only way in which the problems of excessive tints can be remedied.
Unfortunately however, even tint films that may be considered to be safe for road use will now be viewed as in conflict with the Regulations, enabling the Police and Vehicle Inspectorate to take action against vehicle owners.
This has significant implications for the owners of vehicles that have window tints already fitted and also those that are responsible for installing or selling window tints.
Implications for the vehicle owner
After much discussion, a sympathetic Enforcement Policy has been agreed between the Department for Transport and The Glass and Glazing Federation to ensure that all vehicle owners that have had tints applied in the past may be dealt with fairly. This applies in particular where the infringement is with respect to tints that do not pose a significant threat to Road Safety, despite being in contravention with the amended Regulations.
In any event, after the date of the amendment to Section 32, the owner of a vehicle that has window tints applied forward of the B-Post could be challenged by either a Police Officer or by an Inspector from the Department for Transport s Vehicle Inspectorate, where their vehicle is noticed being driven on Public Roads.
Where such a vehicle is stopped and the window tints applied are such that the Visible Light Transmission level, when measured using an approved device falls to below prescribed levels, the following enforcement guidelines have been agreed with, and recommended, by the Government.
Above 30% Visible Light Transmission (Less Severe Window Tints)
The owner or driver of such a vehicle would be required to have the tinted film removed from the windows under the direction of either a Rectification Notice or a Delayed Prohibition Notice. A period of grace will apply for a limited number of days (normally ten) during which time the vehicle may be driven whilst the rectification work is to be completed.
In either case, the vehicle will need to be inspected by either a Police Officer or Vehicle Inspectorate Officer to confirm that the glass has been restored to a compliant condition. Prosecution is unlikely in such circumstances provided the vehicle owner complies fully.
Action that needs to be taken
All Businesses that have supplied window tints forward of the B-Post are being encouraged by the Government and the Glass and Glazing Federation to contact all of their previous customers to inform them of the changes to Legislation and to offer them a chance to have their vehicle rectified by having the front tints removed.
The above text is on loads on window tinting sites (and this thread), but does anyone know where I can get an official copy of it?During the early part of 2004, Section 32 of the Road Vehicles (Construction and Use) Regulations will be amended to include Window Tint Films , where such materials attached to the glass are capable of reducing the Visible Light Transmission of forward windows to below prescribed levels. These changes will be back-dated to become applicable from 1st January 2004.
This will effectively ban virtually all tinted films fitted to windows forward of the B-Post on any vehicle that is to be driven on UK roads.
The reason for these changes is the recent proliferation of vehicles that are excessively tinted. Some vehicles may be so heavily tinted that they present a real danger when used on public roads. The action being taken by the Government follows a fatality that occurred recently where a heavily tinted car was involved in a collision with a motorcycle and the window tints were held to blame due to the vision of the driver being impaired.
There is however, a recognised difference between light window tints which may be considered safe for road use (such as those supplied to you by Pentagon) and excessively dark window tints which are not.
There has also been a great deal of debate in recent years about the legitimacy of window tints that do not obscure the vision of the driver. A clear case has been argued that road-safe window tints do not actually conflict with existing regulations. The Department for Transport have argued however that Section 32 was always intended to cover materials attached to the glass, despite the fact that no mention of this is made in the Regulation itself.
The only solution remaining would be to amend the Legislation.
Consequently and in order to clarify the situation, the Government have finally decided to up-date the Regulations to specifically include Tinted Films since, in the view of the Police and the Department for Transport, this is the only way in which the problems of excessive tints can be remedied.
Unfortunately however, even tint films that may be considered to be safe for road use will now be viewed as in conflict with the Regulations, enabling the Police and Vehicle Inspectorate to take action against vehicle owners.
This has significant implications for the owners of vehicles that have window tints already fitted and also those that are responsible for installing or selling window tints.
Implications for the vehicle owner
After much discussion, a sympathetic Enforcement Policy has been agreed between the Department for Transport and The Glass and Glazing Federation to ensure that all vehicle owners that have had tints applied in the past may be dealt with fairly. This applies in particular where the infringement is with respect to tints that do not pose a significant threat to Road Safety, despite being in contravention with the amended Regulations.
In any event, after the date of the amendment to Section 32, the owner of a vehicle that has window tints applied forward of the B-Post could be challenged by either a Police Officer or by an Inspector from the Department for Transport s Vehicle Inspectorate, where their vehicle is noticed being driven on Public Roads.
Where such a vehicle is stopped and the window tints applied are such that the Visible Light Transmission level, when measured using an approved device falls to below prescribed levels, the following enforcement guidelines have been agreed with, and recommended, by the Government.
Above 30% Visible Light Transmission (Less Severe Window Tints)
The owner or driver of such a vehicle would be required to have the tinted film removed from the windows under the direction of either a Rectification Notice or a Delayed Prohibition Notice. A period of grace will apply for a limited number of days (normally ten) during which time the vehicle may be driven whilst the rectification work is to be completed.
In either case, the vehicle will need to be inspected by either a Police Officer or Vehicle Inspectorate Officer to confirm that the glass has been restored to a compliant condition. Prosecution is unlikely in such circumstances provided the vehicle owner complies fully.
Action that needs to be taken
All Businesses that have supplied window tints forward of the B-Post are being encouraged by the Government and the Glass and Glazing Federation to contact all of their previous customers to inform them of the changes to Legislation and to offer them a chance to have their vehicle rectified by having the front tints removed.
Ta.
As far as I can tell, the text is not issued by any government agency, the best I can find is this leafleft by VOSA:
http://www.vosa.gov.uk/vosacorp/repository/Tinted%...
Or if you mean the regulation referred to, it is:
http://www.opsi.gov.uk/si/si2003/20033145.htm
The reason for the amendment is that apparently the original regulations were a grey area, and may only have referred to the actual glass fitted to the vehicle, and not the sum of the glass and any additional tints.
http://www.vosa.gov.uk/vosacorp/repository/Tinted%...
Or if you mean the regulation referred to, it is:
http://www.opsi.gov.uk/si/si2003/20033145.htm
The reason for the amendment is that apparently the original regulations were a grey area, and may only have referred to the actual glass fitted to the vehicle, and not the sum of the glass and any additional tints.
Edited by g_attrill on Thursday 17th July 00:42
Hi 
Around here in Bournemouth there are LOTS of stretch limos which are totally backed out using limo tint (95% less light) on ALL but the windscreen...
How will it affect them ?
I also have 95% Limo tint on my 928 (to cut down overheating of my Nitrous bottles in rear hatch area)...but mine stop at pillar.....my front screen and side windows forward of the pillar are just normal factory tint.
Will this affect me ?
My tinting was only done a couple of weeks ago and they did not mention this ?
All the best Brett
Around here in Bournemouth there are LOTS of stretch limos which are totally backed out using limo tint (95% less light) on ALL but the windscreen...
How will it affect them ?
I also have 95% Limo tint on my 928 (to cut down overheating of my Nitrous bottles in rear hatch area)...but mine stop at pillar.....my front screen and side windows forward of the pillar are just normal factory tint.
Will this affect me ?
My tinting was only done a couple of weeks ago and they did not mention this ?
All the best Brett
Brett928S2 said:
I also have 95% Limo tint on my 928 (to cut down overheating of my Nitrous bottles in rear hatch area)...but mine stop at pillar.....my front screen and side windows forward of the pillar are just normal factory tint.
Will this affect me ?
B pillar forwards - so from the sounds of it you should be fine.Will this affect me ?
I guess that the quoted text comes from Pentagon UK, as they are referred to in it. Whether it originated with them or someone else, I have no idea
A search finds nothing directly related on the Glass and Glazing Federation or the DfT (other than the consultation documents) websites - Streaky
A search finds nothing directly related on the Glass and Glazing Federation or the DfT (other than the consultation documents) websites - Streaky
Tuscan Rat said:
Okay, in plain English...
" B " Pillar, is the pillar behind the driver / passenger, A pillar being the one the windscreen is attached to and then it works back A B C etc.
Anything behind B can be as dark as you like.
Thanks! " B " Pillar, is the pillar behind the driver / passenger, A pillar being the one the windscreen is attached to and then it works back A B C etc.
Anything behind B can be as dark as you like.
I've only got pimp windows aft of the B pillar so I think I'll be ok.
monthefish said:
Tuscan Rat said:
All are tested with this little machine
Any idea of the rules regarding the calibration of those devices?Ta.
I won't prosecute unless there is less than 40% light coming through, that gives a damn big margin of safety anyway.
Hope that helps.
thehappyotter said:
monthefish said:
Tuscan Rat said:
All are tested with this little machine
Any idea of the rules regarding the calibration of those devices?Ta.
I won't prosecute unless there is less than 40% light coming through, that gives a damn big margin of safety anyway.
Hope that helps.
t on his strawberries 
Can anybody handy with a camers (Streaky?) give the PH collective some rules of thumb regarding how PH members can test their own tints using a standard SLR.
I know there are hard sums involved but a guide may be useful and a camera is one light meter that many members may have handy.
Russ
I know there are hard sums involved but a guide may be useful and a camera is one light meter that many members may have handy.
Russ
Millionair said:
[
I won't prosecute unless there is less than 40% light coming through, that gives a damn big margin of safety anyway.
Hope that helps.
Would you ask them to remove it first? Any other considerations? ie type of vehicle and use of vehicle ie expediton vehicle with tints?I won't prosecute unless there is less than 40% light coming through, that gives a damn big margin of safety anyway.
Hope that helps.
Edited by superlightr on Friday 18th July 14:46
It depends on the individual. I know full well that a warning for this particular offence isn't likely to work. They're not gonna bother to remove the tint and certainly won't pay to replace the glass.
If the film will come off easily there and then i'll give them opportunity to remove it and send them on their way.
If it won't come off at the roadside then i'll dish out a VDRS form and, if i've had a word with them before, and the windows have been re-tinted then they'll get 3 points and a fine.
Not set in stone but a general guide.
If the film will come off easily there and then i'll give them opportunity to remove it and send them on their way.
If it won't come off at the roadside then i'll dish out a VDRS form and, if i've had a word with them before, and the windows have been re-tinted then they'll get 3 points and a fine.
Not set in stone but a general guide.
Millionair said:
thehappyotter said:
monthefish said:
Tuscan Rat said:
All are tested with this little machine
Any idea of the rules regarding the calibration of those devices?Ta.
I won't prosecute unless there is less than 40% light coming through, that gives a damn big margin of safety anyway.
Hope that helps.
t on his strawberries 
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