Tint Percentages Explained
What 20%, 35% and 50% actually look like, and why your factory glass is already tinted.
The short answer
The percentage is how much light gets through, so a lower number is darker. 5% is limo. 70% is barely visible. And your windows already have tint from the factory — the film you add stacks on top of that.
VLT, in one sentence
Visible Light Transmission is the percentage of light that passes through the glass and film together. 35% VLT means 35% of the light gets through and 65% is stopped. Lower number, darker window.
What each level actually looks like
| VLT | Appearance | Reality |
|---|---|---|
| 70–80% | Nearly clear | Roughly what your factory glass already is. Ceramic at this level is bought for heat, not looks. |
| 50% | Slight tint | Noticeable in a line-up, invisible on its own. Cuts glare without changing night vision. |
| 35% | Clearly tinted | The most-requested level. Occupants visible in daylight, comfortably legal in Washington. |
| 24% | Dark | Washington's legal floor for side windows. Silhouettes only in bright light. |
| 20% | Very dark | Legal only behind the driver on trucks and MPVs. Common "factory privacy glass" look. |
| 5% | Limo | Cannot see in at all. Not legal on front side windows in Washington on any vehicle. |
The part that surprises people
Factory glass is not clear. Most cars leave the plant somewhere around 70–80% VLT, and many SUVs and trucks come with far darker "privacy glass" already fitted behind the driver.
This matters because the legal limit applies to the combined result. Adding 35% film to 75% factory glass does not give you 35% — it gives you roughly 26%. The multiplication is approximate but the direction is real, and it is why a meter reading sometimes surprises people who thought they ordered something legal.
What this means in practice: if you want a specific final darkness, tell us the number you want to end up at, not the film you want us to use. We measure the glass first.
Darkness is not the same as heat rejection
This is the single most useful thing to understand before spending money. Darkness blocks visible light. Heat is mostly infrared, which is invisible. They are different parts of the spectrum and a film can be excellent at one and poor at the other.
A cheap 5% dyed film looks dramatic and rejects relatively little heat. A quality 70% ceramic film looks almost clear and rejects substantially more. If your goal is a cooler car, the film type matters far more than the number.
Night driving
Worth saying plainly: dark film does reduce visibility at night, particularly reversing and at unlit junctions. 35% is generally fine. 20% is noticeable. 5% on a rear window is genuinely difficult in the rain at night. Consider how you actually use the vehicle.
Questions we get
Is a lower percentage darker?
Yes. The number is how much light gets through, so 5% is very dark and 70% is nearly clear.
What percentage is factory privacy glass?
It varies, but privacy glass on SUVs and trucks is often around 20%. It is dyed into the glass, not a film on top.
Can you match my existing tint?
Usually. We measure what is on the car with a meter and match it, which matters if you are replacing one window.
What percentage should I get?
In Washington, 35% is the popular safe choice and 24% is the legal floor for front windows. If heat is the goal, spend on ceramic before going darker.