If you have just bought a new car and are thinking about getting your windows tinted, there are a few things that you need to know before you do. Although window tinting is legal in Canada, the regulations regarding which windows you are allowed to tint and to what degree vary from province to province. In this article, we talk you through the window film tinting laws in Quebec. If you live in Quebec and are considering tinting your windows, keep reading to find out what you are and aren’t allowed to do.
What are the window tinting laws in Quebec?
The window tint laws in Quebec are extremely specific and vary from window to window although the regulations are universal on all cars. There are no restrictions on the window tint you are allowed to apply to your rear side windows or your rear windshield.
However, there are restrictions related to your front-side windows and your front windshield. Your front two windows must allow 70% visible light through your windows. This means only 30% or less UV light can be blocked from your window.
When it comes to your windshield, you are only allowed to apply window tint films to the top 15 cm of your windshield. If you have window tint covering your entire windshield, or anything more than the top 15%, it will be considered illegal in the province of Quebec.
How dark is too dark?
How dark is too dark dependS on which window you are referring to. There is no such thing as too dark for your rear windows. You could tint them to 100% if you wanted to, not allowing any light to enter the back passenger side windows of your car. This is also true for your main rear window, where you can have as dark a window tint as you want, with no light transmission if desired. If you tint your rear window, you must have rear-view mirrors installed on the exterior of your car.
However, there is such a thing as too dark for your front windows, on both the driver side window and the passenger side window. For these windows, you cannot exceed a 30% window tint. This means the percentage of light that is let through must be at least 70 % when tested with a photometer.
Choose the best window tint for your car
What is the darkest legal tint in Quebec?
The darkest legal tint in Quebec is 100% as you are allowed to tint your rear windows up to 100%. However, this is only true for your rear glass windows. For your front windows, the darkest legal tint is 30%.
Does tinting affect insurance?
No, tinting your car windows does not affect your insurance policy. As long as you are abiding by the legal tints allowed for your province, you won’t be penalized by your insurance company. Legal tinting laws are put in place in order to ensure the safety of a vehicle. As long as you are adhering to the law, you are not compromising the safety of your vehicle so there is no reason for this to affect your insurance.
Although tinted glass is unlikely to affect the insurance on your car where you live, it is important to recognize that not all provinces or territories have the same tinting laws. Therefore, although your insurance won’t be affected, you may incur additional fees when driving out of town. If you are on a road trip in a province where window tinting is illegal, police officers might pull you over and issue you a fine. It is worth checking the local laws before heading off on long journeys.
Why window tinting laws exist
The primary reason why window tinting laws are in place is to ensure that your vehicle is completely safe to drive. By preventing dark window tints on cars, you can ensure that a driver’s visibility is not compromised, which may otherwise lead to dangerous situations in which they cannot see things such as hazards on the road, oncoming traffic, etc. By instating window tint laws, provinces mitigate the likelihood of accidents occurring due to poor visibility.
Benefits of tinted windows
Tinted windows come with a wide range of different benefits. Below are a few of the main ones that encourage drivers to increase the percentage of tint on their vehicles.
H3: Aesthetics
There are many drivers who choose to tint their windows due to the aesthetics it affords their vehicle. There has been an increase in cars with window tints as people are looking for cost-effective ways to make their cars more unique.
H3: Privacy
Darker windows mean people cannot see into your car, which increases privacy. Many window tint films are non-reflective which means that you can see outside but other people cannot look in.
H3: Reduces heat
Cars in hotter countries often have window tint applied to them as it helps keep vehicles cooler. This is because it delimits the amount of sun rays that get into the car. Most of the sun rays are reflected away from your car. This leaves your car feeling cooler, which means you use less of your car’s energy to run the air conditioning.
Explore automotive window tint options
How to choose the legal tint percentage
Choosing the legal tint percentage for your car windows is easy as long as you are sourcing your window tint from a reputable source. Professional installers can help you choose the perfect tint for your car and ensure that it is properly applied. Different tints specialize in different things, so it is worth talking to a professional to better understand the best type of tint for your vehicle.
What windows can I tint?
You can tint any of your windows, you just need to ensure it adheres to the laws of your province. If you are in Quebec, this means that you can tint all of your rear windows to whatever degree you like. However, if you want to tint your front windows, it must be no more than 30%. Keep in mind that factory tint, which is the tint that your vehicle automatically comes with, is already usually at 15 or 20 % so additional tinting on your front windows is rarely worth it.
Auto window tinting services
If you’re considering window tinting, Protex is here to help. We specialize in a range of different types of window tints for both vehicles and buildings. Our top-of-the-range window tint removes up to 98% of infrared heat as well as 99% of damaging UV rays, making it the perfect solution for your vehicle. Moreover, we can assure you that the film will be perfectly applied to your windows thanks to our state-of-the-art digital cutting system that uses your car’s exact dimensions to create the perfect fit.
The different levels of window tint we have are:
