When making the decision to purchase tint, whether it be for your auto, home or office, one will eventually hear the term Visible Light Transmission be throw around when describing various films and their performances. In this short blog post, we will describe what VLT is and how it may affect your tint-purchasing decisions.
Visible Light Transmission (VLT) is the percentage of visible light that can penetrate through a tinted window film- The higher the VLT, the more light is able to penetrate through to the other side of the film. For example, a 70% VLT ceramic windshield film lets in 35% more light than a 35% VLT driver side window. VLT is a great measure for light and glare reduction, it is less important when dealing with infrared and UV light performance. If you are strictly concerned about brightness and/or glare reduction, an average tint with low VLT penetration can do trick. However, if you are looking for a higher performing film that will also mitigate infrared and UV light penetration, it would be wise to spend the extra money and invest in ceramic window film, for you can still get the a low VLT for glare reduction while also benefitting from the ceramic film’s superior heat negation.
While VLT ranges fluctuate based on a customers’ desires, it is also important for both the tint shop and their customers to know what their state’s laws are regarding how dark certain windows can be- especially on vehicles. For example, here in Arizona, the LEGAL LIMIT on how dark a vehicle’s front two windows (driver and passenger) doors is 35%. That means it is illegal to tint the driver and passenger side windows on your vehicle anything darker than 35% VLT. That being said, it is legal in Arizona to have all other windows excluding the windshield as dark as you want.
Next time you want to get a window tinted try and plan ahead of time so you know what you’re looking for in your window film. If you know that all you need is glare mitigation, ask your tint specialists about the different levels of VLT they have regular window tint in stock! But if you want it installed on your vehicle, make sure you know your state’s laws on how dark your windows can be tinted!