5% Tint Car Window [Can you Possibly See through it at Night?]

5% tint Car Window, also known as limo tint, is the darkest option available and blocks out the majority of light during the daytime. It is used on the back window of limos to separate passengers from gawking passersby.

This level of tint keeps onlookers from seeing into your vehicle from a long way away — nice! The problem is that it’s virtually hard to see through at night, so if you want to go for a night drive, you’ll have to shatter those windows. It’s not the most beautiful approach, but complete secrecy comes with a cost.

Always check local laws and restrictions before tinting your windows, as 5 percent tints are illegal in many states.

5 percent tint window
5% tint window

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What is 5% Tint (Five Percent Tint)

A 5 percent tint is incredibly dark and impenetrable, and you can’t see through it at all. Although most jurisdictions believe this to be criminal, it is often seen on the rear windows of limos. The 5% shade is also known as “Limo Tint.” Only 5% of the available light is let in through this shade.

About 5% Tint

Aside from security, tinted windows can give your vehicle a professional and sleek look while blocking harmful UV rays, which is especially important if you spend a lot of time in your car during the summer.

When it comes to car window tints, there are different levels of darkness that indicate how much protection they can provide. In addition, the darker the car window, the less people can readily see inside the vehicle, which is good for privacy.

Dark window tints, on the other hand, can make driving at night difficult, especially in areas with insufficient light exposure. The percentage can also be used to determine how dark a window tint is.

The lower the percentage, the less light can pass through, resulting in a darker window coating. Several suggestions and personal tastes range from 50 to 35 percent, with factory tints ranging from 15 to 20 percent.

Assume it is in your best interests to have a 5% window tint for your automobile, which implies it will be extremely dark. In that case, you’re curious about whether you’ll be able to see through it at night, which we’ll investigate right away.

5 percent Tint Car Window
5 percent Tint Car Window

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Is it possible to see through a 5% tint at night?

In a nutshell, no, the deepest window tint is a 5% tint. At night, it will be difficult to see through. This is also the reason why 5 percent tinted windows are illegal in several states.

To see through at night, especially in regions where there is no direct light, you may need to roll down the 5 percent tint windows. During the day, driving with a 5% tinted vehicle window may not be problematic, but at night, you should not expect to see much without headlights.

I even discovered that numerous automobile owners who tinted their windows to 5% frequently reported having to push their windows down at night to see.

You may even get a sense of how dark it will be before installing it on your car right there in the tint shop, so you’ll know how difficult it will be to see during the day, let alone at night.

Those who are used to driving with a heavier tint, on the other hand, would not have a problem with a 5 percent tint.

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What would a window tint of 5 percent look like?

Also known as ‘Limo Tint,’ In basic words, a 5 percent window tint indicates that only 5% of visible light will pass through the film. When compared to greater tint percentages, this is fairly dark.

When you first start driving with a 5 percent vehicle window tint, lights may be difficult to see if you are not used to having tint. However, other people seem to enjoy it, maybe because they are accustomed to the vision.

But believe me when I say it’s pitch black. While this may appear to be an exaggeration, if you’ve never been in or driven one, the best way to explain seeing out a 5 percent tinted car window at night is to hold a black shirt out in front of you!

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Is it a good idea to tint your windows by 5%?

For starters, a 5% tint should be the darkest tint you can achieve, which is banned in most jurisdictions since you might not be able to see through it at all.

A 50 percent tint is a great option to go with if you really want the tinted look but don’t want to be entirely dark, even at night, since this will not only block nearly half of the light from reaching your car but will also block Ultraviolet radiation and heat.

What is the optimal window tinting percentage?

You should be aware that the tinting of your windows is governed by state or territory rules. When deciding what window tinting is best, keep in mind that all legal criteria for window tinting must be met.

In general, most states require a minimum visible light transmission of 35 percent. However, a 50 percent tint is good for driver and passenger front windows, while a 35 percent tint is generally advised for rear and side windows.

VLT Analysis

Though this may seem to be an uncomplicated process, there is one more thing to consider. The majority of autos do not have perfectly clear windows from the factory. In fact, they virtually all have a VLT of approximately 80 percent.  As a result, you should consider for this when measuring the quantity of light that truly flows through.

For instance, if you want to add a 5 percent tint to glass which already has an 80 percent tint, you’ll need to combine the two (50 percent x 80 percent = 4 percent ). This amounts to a total VLT of 4 percent for the vehicle.

If all of this appears difficult, don’t worry: generally window tinting specialists can estimate the thickness of tinted vehicle windows merely by looking at them. This is the outcome of many decades work expertise. You may find out for sure by having someone measure it using a tool much like those used by cops. This will give you reasonably precise assessment which you can trust.

Tints are defined in a variety of ways.

Before you purchase window tint, it’s a good idea to familiarise yourself with certain popular phrases and window tinting procedures.

To begin, when the word “front-side windows” is being used, it relates to either the passenger or driver’s side windows, but not really the windshield. Any side windows that’s behind the front-side windows usually known to as “rear-side windows. ” Although your windshield will not be tinted, it will have a shade band, which is a film that runs from the top of your windshield down to the bottom.

When discussing reflective window films, most often metallic films, the phrase “tint reflection” is used. You may also hear the phrase “limited colours,” which refers to the fact that colour tinting are not permitted in the state.

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Car Window Tinting Regulations by State

A list of window tinting laws from throughout the country is provided below.

Statewise Window
Tinting Laws
Front Side Car WindowsRear Car WindowsBack Side Car WindowsCar Windshield
Alabama 32 Percent32 Percent32 Percent6 inches
Alaska70 Percent30 Percent40 Percent5 inches
Arizona33 PercentANYANYtinting permitted to the top of the manufacturer’s (AS-1 Line)
Arkansas25 Percent10 Percent25 Percent5 inches
California70 PercentANYANY4 inches
Colorado27 Percent27 Percent27 Percent4 inches
Connecticut35 PercentANY35 Percentnon-reflective tint above the (AS-1 Line)
Delaware70 PercentANYANYnon-reflective tint above the (AS-1 Line)
Florida28 Percent28 Percent28 Percentnon-reflective tint above the (AS-1 Line)
Georgia32 Percent32 Percent32 Percent6 inches
Hawaii32 Percent35 Percent35 PercentThere is no need for an inch, however 70% of the light must be allowed through.
Idaho35 Percent35 Percent20 Percentnon-reflective tint above the (AS-1 Line)
Illinois35 Percent35 Percent35 Percent6 inches
Indiana30 Percent30 Percent30 Percentnon-reflective tint above the (AS-1 Line)
Iowa70 PercentANYANYnon-reflective tint above the (AS-1 Line)
Kansas35 Percent35 Percent35 Percentnon-reflective tint above the (AS-1 Line)
Kentucky35 Percent18 Percent18 Percentnon-reflective tint above the (AS-1 Line)
Louisiana40 Percent12 Percent25 Percentnon-reflective tint above the (AS-1 Line)
Maine35 PercentANYANY4 inches
Maryland35 Percent35 Percent35 Percent5 inches
Massachusetts35 Percent35 Percent35 Percent6 inches
Michigan4 inchesANYANY4 inches
Minnesota50 Percent50 Percent50 PercentNot Legal
Mississippi28 Percent28 Percent28 Percentnon-reflective tint above the (AS-1 Line)
Missouri35 PercentANYANYnon-reflective tint above the (AS-1 Line)
Montana24 Percent14 Percent14 Percentnon-reflective tint above the (AS-1 Line)
Nebraska35 Percent20 Percent20 Percent5 inches or as-1 line, whichever comes first
Nevada35 PercentANYANYnon-reflective tint above the (AS-1 Line)
New HampshireNONE35 Percent35 Percent6 inches
New JerseyNONEANYANYNot Legal
New Mexico20 Percent20 Percent20 Percent5 inches or as-1 line, whichever comes first
New York70 PercentANY70 Percent6 inches
North Carolina35 Percent35 Percent35 Percentnon-reflective tint above the (AS-1 Line)
North Dakota50 PercentANYANYno more than 70 Percent
Ohio50 PercentANYANYno more than 70 Percent
Oklahoma25 Percent25 Percent25 Percentwhatever comes first, 5 inches or as-1 line
Oregon35 Percent35 Percent35 Percent6 inches
Pennsylvania70 Percent70 Percent70 PercentNot Legal
Rhode Island70 Percent70 Percent70 Percentnon-reflective tint above the (AS-1 Line)
South Carolina27 Percent27 Percent27 Percentnon-reflective tint above the (AS-1 Line)
South Dakota35 Percent20 Percent20 Percentnon-reflective tint above the (AS-1 Line)
Tennessee35 Percent35 Percent35 Percentnon-reflective tint above the (AS-1 Line)
Texas25 PercentANY25 Percentwhatever comes first, 5 inches or (AS-1 Line)
Utah43 PercentANYANYnon-reflective tint above the (AS-1 Line)
VermontNONE32 PercentANY32 Percent
Virginia50 Percent35 Percent35 Percentnon-reflective tint above the (AS-1 Line)
Washington24 Percent24 Percent24 Percent6 inches
West Virginia35 Percent35 Percent35 Percent5 inches
Wisconsin50 Percent35 Percent35 Percentnon-reflective tint above the (AS-1 Line)
Wyoming28 Percent28 Percent28 Percentwhatever comes first, 5 inches or (AS-1 Line)

Conclusion on Car Window 5% Tint

Above all, you may choose the 5% tinted vehicle window, but you will be unable to see through it at night, especially if you live in an area with insufficient light exposure.

If you’re not used to driving with tinted windows, your first nighttime trip with a 5% tint can be frightening, since it may force you to drive with the windows down.

Furthermore, depending on the location you live in, there may be restrictions on how dark your car’s window tint may be and which windows it can be placed to. And the last thing you need is cops stopping you all the time because your windows are too dark.

What is our honest opinion? Because this level is still visible out the back and sides, even at night, the lowest you should go is 20%, or perhaps 15% for most other people.

What are your thoughts? Above all, you may choose the 5% tinted vehicle window, but you will be unable to see through it at night, especially if you live in an area with insufficient light exposure.

If you’re not used to driving with tinted windows, your first nighttime trip with a 5% tint can be frightening, since it may force you to drive with the windows down.

Furthermore, depending on the location you live in, there may be restrictions on how dark your car’s window tint may be and which windows it can be placed to. And the last thing you need is cops stopping you all the time because your windows are too dark.

5% Tint Window-How does it look

Here is a video that shows how a 5% tint look like comparing to normal car windows.

Often Asked Questions-5% Tint

Q) Is it possible to obtain a 5% tint all around my car?

A: The factory tint on most automobiles is between 15 and 20 percent. The deepest tint available is 5%, and you can’t see through 5% tinted automobile windows at all. A 5 percent tint is banned in most jurisdictions. It’s most typically seen on the back windows of limos and private automobiles.

Q) What is the ideal percentage of window tint for cars?

A: UV rays and heat are effectively blocked by a car window tint ratio of 50%. It reduces glare and eye strain by blocking half of the light. The optimal window tint percentage for your mobile automobile is 35 percent if you want a fashionable and smooth look.

Q) What is the legal tint that is the darkest?

A: A front windshield and the front side windows should have a 70 percent VLT before 2022, as per California window tint rules. The tint of tint that can be applied to the back and side windows of an automobile in California is unrestricted.

Q) What does the AS-1 stand for?

AS-1 lines go parallel to the top of your car’s windscreen, or five inches underneath and parallel to the top. For most cars, this refers to the space above the rear-view mirror, also known as the visor strip.

AS-1 line
AS-1 line

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