Window tint · 5% VLT · limo tint
5% tint: what it looks like
5% film lets through about one twentieth of the light that reaches it. It is the darkest shade most installers fit, and from outside the glass reads as black.
- Front side windows: 5% film on clear glass
- ≈ 4% gets through
- 3.5%–4.3% on glass of 70–85%. Below the 70% minimum for front side windows in Great Britain.
- Rear windows: 5% film on clear glass
- ≈ 4% gets through
- 3.5%–4.3% on glass of 70–85%. Great Britain sets no limit for rear side windows or the rear screen.
An approximation drawn over a stock photo. Real film looks different with the light, the glass colour and the film type, so check samples in person.
What 5% tint looks like from outside
In daylight
Close to solid black. In daylight you see reflections of the sky and surroundings rather than anything inside, even with your face near the glass.
At night
Black. A lit phone screen or interior light may show as a faint glow, but people and objects inside are not visible from the street.
Seeing out from the driver's seat
In daylight
In bright daylight you can see out clearly enough, but everything looks as if it is in deep shade and colours are muted.
At night
Seeing out is hard. On unlit roads, in car parks and when reversing, many drivers find they need to lower the window to check what is behind them.
Common uses for 5% tint
- Rear side windows and rear screen on cars used for privacy, such as chauffeur and executive cars
- Hiding tools, equipment or luggage in the back of a van, estate or SUV
- Keeping direct sun off children or pets in the rear seats
- A blacked-out show look, usually paired with smoked lights and black trim
5% film on factory glass
Film goes on glass that already blocks some light, and the two multiply. This is roughly what a tint meter would read with 5% film fitted.
| Glass | Glass VLT | With 5% film |
|---|---|---|
| Factory clear glass | 70% | 3.5% |
| Factory clear glass, typical | 80% | 4% |
| Factory clear glass | 85% | 4.3% |
| Factory privacy glass | 15% | 0.8% |
| Factory privacy glass, typical | 20% | 1% |
| Factory privacy glass | 30% | 1.5% |
Is 5% tint legal in the UK?
| Window | Minimum light through | 5% film on typical glass | Result |
|---|---|---|---|
| Windscreen | 75% | ≈ 4% | Too dark |
| Front side windows | 70% | ≈ 4% | Too dark |
| Rear side windows and rear screen | No limit | ≈ 4% (≈ 1% on privacy glass) | No GB limit |
In Great Britain, for vehicles first used on or after 1 April 1985, the windscreen must let at least 75% of light through and the front side windows at least 70%. There are no rules for tinting the rear side windows or the rear windscreen. For vehicles first used before 1 April 1985, the windscreen and front side windows must both let through at least 70%.
The limit applies to the window as a whole, glass and film together. Because factory glass already blocks some light, 5% film is likely to take a front side window below 70%. The police and DVSA examiners use light meters, and windows that are too dark can lead to a prohibition notice stopping you using the vehicle until the tint is removed, a penalty notice or a court summons. Source: GOV.UK, tinted vehicle windows: the law.
In the US
There is no single US limit. Each state sets its own rules, usually with separate limits for the windscreen strip, front side windows, rear side windows and rear window, and some states treat sedans differently from SUVs, vans and trucks. Rules on reflective film and medical exemptions vary too. Check your state's DMV or the statute itself before you book, and remember that the limit usually applies to the glass and film together.
Compare 5% with other shades
See this tint on your own car.
The picture above is drawn over a stock photo. The studio renders tint onto a photo of your car, at your angle and in your light. Upload a photo, open Window tint and choose Limo 5%.
See this tint on your own carBoth the visualiser and the render are approximations of how film looks. Ask your installer to show samples and meter the result.
Explained in our guides
Tint counts as a modification, so check what your insurer needs to know.
- UK car insurance: declaring wheels, wraps and other modificationsPrepare a clear modification list for your UK insurer, check acceptance and replacement cover separately, and understand why undeclared-change outcomes vary.
- How to preview car mods before you buy themAvoid expensive regrets: how to see wheels, colours, wraps and stance on your own car before spending, and how to check the parts will actually fit.
Questions
Can you see out of 5% tint at night?
You can see headlights, street lights and lit objects, but dark kerbs, cyclists without lights and people in dark clothing are much harder to pick out. Reversing in an unlit space is the situation most owners mention. That is one reason many people keep 5% to the rear and fit something lighter, or nothing, at the front.
Is 5% tint legal in the UK?
On the rear side windows and rear windscreen, Great Britain has no tint limit. On the front side windows it is not legal for cars first used on or after 1 April 1985, which must let at least 70% of light through, and the windscreen must let through at least 75%.
What is the difference between 5% tint and limo tint?
They usually mean the same thing. "Limo tint" is a nickname for the darkest common shade, which is normally 5%. Some installers also stock 2% or 3% film, and some call that limo too, so ask for the VLT number.
How much light gets through 5% tint on factory glass?
About 4% on typical clear glass (3.5%–4.3% across glass of 70–85%), and about 1% on factory privacy glass. Film and glass VLTs multiply, so a tint meter reads lower than 5%.