What Each Tint Percentage Actually Looks Like
Move the slider. The legal position updates with it, because the shade you like and the shade you are allowed are not always the same thing.
Lower is darker. VLT is the percentage of visible light the film lets through.
Night matters more than people expect: the same film that reads as comfortable at noon is what you reverse through a dark car park with.
Darkness and Heat Are Two Different Purchases
The slider above changes one property: visible light transmittance. It is what you see, and it is what the law regulates. It is not what keeps the cabin cool.
Heat rejection comes mostly from infrared performance, which is a function of how the film is built rather than how dark it is. That is why a light ceramic film can outperform a much darker dyed one on a hot day, and why the most common regret we hear is from people who bought darkness expecting coolness and got only darkness.
Pick the shade here for how you want the car to look. Pick the film tier separately, for how you want it to perform.
Frequently Asked Questions
What does 20% tint look like?
At 20% VLT the glass reads as clearly dark from outside and occupants are visible as shapes rather than faces. From inside, visibility in daylight stays comfortable; at night it is noticeably reduced, which is worth testing before committing. 20% is legal on rear side windows and the rear window in California, and not legal on the front side windows.
What is the darkest legal tint in California?
Behind the front seats there is no limit — 5% limo tint is legal on rear side windows and the rear window. On the front side windows the film itself must transmit at least 88% under Vehicle Code 26708(d)(1), and the finished window at least 70% once the glass is counted, so effectively only a near-clear film is permitted there.
Is this simulation accurate?
It is a comparison aid, not a sample. The overlay applies a straight darkening proportional to the VLT you select, which is the honest first-order model. What it cannot reproduce is your screen brightness and calibration, the light in your room, or infrared rejection — the part of a good film you feel rather than see. Use it to compare shades against each other, then judge the final choice against real film in daylight.
Does a darker tint reject more heat?
Not necessarily, and this is the most useful thing to understand before choosing. Darkness is visible light transmittance; heat rejection is mostly infrared performance, which is a property of the film construction rather than its shade. A light ceramic film routinely outperforms a much darker dyed film on a hot day. Choose the shade for how you want it to look and the film tier for how you want it to perform.
Come and See the Film in Daylight
A screen can only get you close. We keep the shades on hand — hold them against your own glass before you decide.
916-282-2577