Is chameleon
tint legal in
Northern Ireland?

Is chameleon tint legal in Northern Ireland?

One of the most common window tinting requests we’re getting at the minute is for chameleon tints on the front windscreen, and it’s easy to see why…

Black BMW with blue chameleon tint on front windscreen

Aside from making your car look amazing, chameleon tints have a number of benefits for you and your passengers. It helps keep your car cool and reduces glare by reflecting way more light than the factory glass. Think about that next time you’re getting baked in your car on a sunny day!

From the outside, windows that have been treated with chameleon tint appear blue to purple, depending on the angle you’re viewing it from. Your windows are therefore difficult to see through, meaning chameleon tint provides the ultimate in privacy and security.

But this is where things start to get confusing…

If you’ve ever used show tints on the road (window tints that are too dark for road use), you might have been pulled over by the police… and the police might have mentioned that your tints weren’t letting enough visible light through to be used on the road.

Car window tinting laws in Northern Ireland are pretty clear in terms of what you can and can’t do. The front windscreen must let through a minimum of 75% of the available light, while the front side windows must let through a minimum of 70% of available light. Rear windows can have any tint you’d like (so feel free to go limo black!).

Chameleon tint light transmittance

And this brings us to one of the most common questions we get about chameleon tint…

Are chameleon tints legal in NI? People often think that because windows with chameleon tints are hard to see through, they must be illegal for road use. Well, here’s the thing…

Chameleon tint comes in a range of light transmissions, most commonly 70% and 85% (we stock both at Tint U).

And that means that in most cases, you can apply 85% chameleon tint to your front windscreen while staying completely legal.

Can I put chameleon tint on my windscreen?

I hate to do it to you, but… it depends.

If you have a factory tinted windscreen as seen on some high end vehicles, your windscreen might already be close to the legal limit of light transmittance in Northern Ireland.

But, you said that in most cases it would be completely legal…

And that’s the good news. In most cases, applying 85% chameleon tint still keeps you inside the legal limit for use on the road in Northern Ireland.

☝️ Obviously not us, but you get the picture.

How to ensure you comply with NI window tinting laws

If you want to stay on the good side of window tinting laws in Northern Ireland, there are two things you need to do.

  1. Only use quality tinting films from a reputable brand when tinting your car. Doing so ensures the film has the light transmittance properties it claims to have. Cheaper films may vary.
  2. Only have your window tints fitted by a professional. You could try it yourself, but then we’ll have to charge you double to remove all the adhesive before we do it properly!

Luckily, you can find both these things right here at Tint U.

So don’t wait any longer – book your chameleon tints with Tint U today. 

Disclaimer

It is illegal for us to fit window tints that impair your ability to drive your vehicle safely – please don’t ask us to break the law. Tint U can give advice on what tints are likely to be legal for road use and what tints are likely to be for show use only for your vehicle.

If you inform us that your car is for show use and you decide to use it on the road, Tint U will not under any circumstance be responsible for any fine, loss or damage to your vehicle or that of any third party arising from such use.