How Much Tint is Legal in India? RTO Rules for Black Film and Tinted Glass for Cars

Driving your own vehicle is fun but there are certain rules and regulations which apply to every person driving a car on the roads in India. Some of these rules formulated by the Regional Transport Office or RTO are enforced by law on every driver in India, failing which they may be charged with penalty or fine. These rules are enforced to maintain law and order in the country, and for making driving safe in the country.

Many individuals, in their undertaking to keep their vehicle cool, get a tinted glass, for example to add a sun film to the vehicle’s windows. However, one should realize that making such changes to the vehicle isn’t permitted by the RTO, and you could wind up paying a fine for tinted glass.

In this blog, you will understand what is Tinted glass, how much tint is legal in India, how to get permission for tinted glass, RTO approved black film for cars and more. Read on to know more.

What is Tinted Glass?

The tinted glass used for creating tinted windows helps the vehicle stay cooler when under direct sunlight by preventing a part of the light to enter the car. They reduce the interior temperature of the car which increases the effectiveness of the air-conditioning, while also preventing wear and tear due to exposure to sunlight. They also play a part in providing the occupants with relative privacy.

There are car manufacturers such as Hyundai and Maruti Suzuki that include RTO-approved window film that can offer the benefits of tinted windows without attracting any penalties.

Why Tinted Car Glasses Banned, Reasons Behind Enforcing this Rule in India?

The first thing that you would probably be interested in knowing is the reason for enforcing this rule. So, here are the reasons for this rule:

• To avoid criminal activity – Since most criminals use tinted glass in their vehicles to escape from the eyes of the law. So this rule helps in limiting such activities.
• To avoid accidents – The use of dark glasses led to an increasing number of road accidents in India. This rule also helps in bringing down the number of accidents.
• To aid traffic police – Tinted glass reduced the visibility of traffic police and makes it difficult for them to perform their duties.

All the above and many other reasons make it necessary for people to follow RTO-approved sun control film for car rules so that visibility is not hampered and traffic rules are also maintained. Moreover, it also helps in maintaining safety on the roads and protects the citizens at large from criminal activities that can otherwise take place in a moving car.

Fine for Tinted Glass – What is the RTO Penalty For Applying Tinted Glass

Let’s understand the RTO rules for car glass film, using tinted glass in cars is one such rule that is not permitted legally in India and there is a penalty that you might have to pay if you use car glass film in your car. You will be fined ₹100 for the first time you break the law by driving without a car window film that has been approved by the RTO. Many car motor drivers believe that this is a small and simple fine, but the penalties get worse with repeated offenses.

On 19th May 2012, the government declared the enforcement of this rule with a certain clause to ensure visibility in the glass that you use in your car.

How Much Tint is Legal in India – Permissible Limit of Tinted Glass in India

RTO Approved Sun Control Film for Car are as follows:

• Minimum visibility of 50% on the side window glasses is necessary.
• Minimum visibility of 70% is needed on the glasses in the rear and front.

However, despite the RTO rule, Rs. 2.64 crore fine was received from 1.32 lakh cars in 2019 for violating this law. Though car window tint film can offer despite the hot sun during summers, you cannot get such alterations in your car as you may be penalized by traffic police for doing so and it is legally not permissible.

The process to Remove Tinted Windows from Your Car?

There are many ways of removing tinted glass from your car windows and rear glasses.  Here are the instructions that you need to follow:

You can remove the tinted glass from your car by using a heat gun; here’s how

• Use Heat Gun – A heat gun can be used to melt the glue of sun foil and once the glue melts, it is easy to peel off the tinted foil. You may use a clean cloth to wipe off the glue and wash the car windows. Alternatively, you can also use a hairdryer if you do not have a heat gun.
• Use Fabric Steamer – This also works in the same way as a heat gun as it also applies heat to the sun film to melt the glue and to make it easy to peel the sun film off from the window.
• Use the Solar Peel Process – You will need some soapy water in a spray bottle along with a few garbage bags (black plastic bags). You would also need another spray bottle filled with ammonia along with a tarp. To remove tinting, you must first spray some soapy liquid on the external side of the window and use a plastic bag to cover it. On the inside of the window, you spray the ammonia and use a black plastic bag to cover it. Let them bake under the sun for about 20 minutes. Remove the plastic after 20 minutes and wipe the tint.
• Use Soapy Water – In addition to the above, you can remove the tint by using hot soapy water and some old newspapers. First, wet the tint of your window with the hot soapy water and cover it with newspaper. Once it soaks for about half an hour, wipe it using long strokes. Repeat the process if it doesn’t work in the first instance.

You can also remove the tinted glass from your car by using soapy water; here’s how

• Soapy water is also used to remove the glue from the tinted glass
• Use the soapy water and remove the tinted window from your car
• Also, it will make your car windows clear and clean

What can be used to Replace Tinted Glass?

Since summers in India are very hot, the ban on tinted glass for cars made it difficult for drivers to drive smoothly, especially in the hot summer season. Seeing the inconvenience caused due to the ban on tinted glass, many companies came up with the latest products that can be used to replace tinted glass or sun film for cars.

One such product is the ‘Dark Green UV Cut Glass’, which is a new product launched in the market. This glass is expected to remove UV radiation to a great extent. Also, they are likely to limit the thermal weight generated within the interiors of a car. Further, the glass comes with 50% visibility mark to make it a good choice for cars.

Some Alternatives to Sun Films for Cars

There are several other tint alternatives that can be used to reduce UV exposure and light inside your car. Here are some options:

• Detachable Sun Shades – You can use these sun shades that are made from mesh and are attached to car windows with a suction cup. They are effective in blocking UV rays along with heat and light and are regarded as popular alternatives for side windows.
• Retractable Drop Shades – Another popular alternative is the Retractable Drop Shades which are made of similar fabric and allow one to roll the shades up and down the car window. They perform the same function as the detachable sun shades.
• Clear Films – This is again a good option to reduce light and heat from entering your car. You can use the 3 M’s CR-70 which allows total visibility and it is not that dark either. These films are within the window tint legal limit set by RTO and will not incur fines.
• Dark Green UV Cut Glass – This is another latest alternative available in the market which is used to reduce thermal load within the car. It also removes 82% of UV radiation to comply with RTO regulations.

Black Film for Car RTO Approved

So, if you want to use government-approved tinted glasses, you can search for the black film for car RTO approved online or local shop near you and buy the product accordingly, just remember the permissible limit of Tinted Glass in India.

RTO Approved Sun Control Film for Car are as follows:

• Minimum visibility of 50% on the side window glasses is necessary.
• Minimum visibility of 70% is needed on the glasses in the rear and front.

Can Tinted Glasses Affect Car Insurance?

Exceeding the limits specified by the RTO can cause trouble to car owners when they file insurance claims for their vehicles. It does not have any bearing on the premium of your vehicle insurance or affect the buying process of vehicle insurance. Car owners with tinted windows have sometimes been denied while claiming motor insurance on windows with the tinted film above the limits specified by the authority.