Everything You Need to Know About Vehicle Light Tinting

Light tinting films are easily applied on top of tail lights and headlights and can allow you to completely change the appearance of your vehicle. Made from a strong and flexible film with a clear layer of adhesive, there are a variety of smoke effect and coloured light tints which will give you a stylish look on the road.

As well as improving your vehicle’s aesthetic, light tinting will provide added protection against damage to the lights such as scratching or chipping. Films are very durable and they’re waterproof, which means that they can be washed and treated like any other surface on your vehicle. Light tinting films can last for years, however if you’re ready for a change they can simply be removed without damaging the lights.

Vehicle light tinting requirements

Although slick smoked tints are perfectly fine to use, if your light tints are too dark you could pose a serious safety risk to yourself and other drivers and you could see a big fine coming your way. In the UK, light tinting films are permitted, though to keep drivers safe there are certain requirements that need to be met when installing them:

●     Lights cannot be dimmed by more than 50%. They need to be bright enough to illuminate the road ahead and be clearly visible to drivers from behind.

●     You must still be able to see their original colour - headlights need to be white/yellow, rear lights must be red.

●     Lights should be visible from a distance.

Click here to see the full MOT regulations regarding light tints. Having light tints installed should not be a reason for MOT rejection, so long as the light outputs are not adversely reduced, it emits the correct colour and the film is securely fitted. Grey or smoked light tints are popular among drivers and less likely to affect the light output than coloured options. If you have high-intensity discharge light bulbs (H.I.D/Xenon) you should be careful when installing light tints as they may produce an excessive heat build-up under sustained high beam use.

Pro-Tints specialise in vehicle wrapping and offer a wide range of Oracal and SPI Vision light tints any tinting in stylish shades and colours. Light tinting is a simple way to give your vehicle an interesting look and works extremely well with a vehicle wrap or custom rims for a complete uplift. To find out more about Pro-Tints light tinting products or to speak to a member of the team for advice, please call 01794 367088 or email sales@pro-tints.co.uk.

The Pro Tints Guide to Vehicle Light Tinting

Vinyl tinting for vehicles’ windows is a popular way to increase privacy, prevent glare and improve security. Many car owners also like that they can customise their vehicle with window tints for a more stylish and individual look. This can also be achieved with light tinting, however light tinting hasn’t yet been so widely adopted in the UK. Light tinting allows you to place a coloured, translucent film over the headlights and tail lights of your vehicle, giving you the chance to update and personalise it quickly and easily. Because of the special vinyl material used, the tinted wrap won’t damage the lights and can be removed with little or no adhesive residue. Light tinting provides a completely unique effect that requires little maintenance.

When opting for vehicle light tints you’ll need to ensure that the materials used are legal and comply with the UK MOT test regulations, stated below:

MOT regulations on light tinting

Headlights: A pair of headlights must emit light of substantially the same colour and intensity, emit a steady colour of either white or yellow and be visible from a reasonable distance.

Brake lights: A brake light must emit a steady red light. At least 50% of the lamp must be visible from the rear. Light must be visible from a reasonable distance.

Reflectors: At least 50% of the reflecting surface must be visible from a reasonable distance.

Indicators: Every indicator must emit amber light. At least 50% of the lamp must be visible. Light must be visible from a reasonable distance.

Masks, or converter kits: A headlamp or rear tail lamp altered in this way is not a reason for MOT rejection. So long as light outputs are not adversely reduced, it emits the appropriate correct colour and the mask is securely attached.

At Pro Tints we have a vast range of approved assorted colours and finishes available for your vehicle’s lights, including mesh effect, smoke effects and even clear wraps, giving you the benefit of stone-chip protection without altering your vehicle’s appearance. The two types of light tints we offer are waterproof and durable, and can conform to most light contours. With easy and fast application that doesn’t require the light fitting to be removed, our vehicle light tints are able to be washed and treated like any other surface, making them a great way to customise your lights and transform the look of your vehicle:

Oracal

This series of vinyl film is transparent, and comes in two shades of grey for a tinted appeal, as well as a range of different colours. Oracal wraps completely cover the headlights or tail lights for a stylish look, allowing for ease of application and removal, without damaging the surface it is adhered to. 

SPi Vision

SPi Vision is a tinting mesh that adheres to the surface of any light, for a dark finish that can improve your vehicle’s appearance. Known for offering durability, SPi Vision light wraps are resistant to most weather and road conditions, and can also be installed and removed easily and quickly, leaving little or no residue. 

It should be noted that high-intensity discharge light bulbs could cause excessive heat build-up under sustained high beam use, which would melt the vinyl. However if the high-beam bulb has a silvered tip or a cowling in front of it, then the tinting should be fine.

If you’d like any advice on updating your vehicle with a new stylish tint, or to speak to us about getting light tinting for your car, feel free to call us on 01794 367088, or email sales@pro-tints.co.uk.

Vehicle Light Tinting and the Law

The worry for many drivers when considering light tinting is whether the tints that they choose will not only pass an MOT, but also be seen as road legal by the police. To pass as road legal, any car must pass all MOT rules and regulations:

-          Headlights – Once tinted, both headlights must be able to emit light of the same colour and intensity. Headlights, must continue to emit a yellow or white colour even when tinted and must remain visible from a reasonable distance.

-          Brake Lights – Your brake lights must still emit a steady read light once tinted. It is vital that at least 50% of the lamp remains visible from the rear light, and brake lights have to be visible from a safe and reasonable distance.

-          Rear Reflectors – For reflectors with light tinting, at least 50% of the reflecting surface must be seen from a safe and reasonable distance.

-          Indicators – All indicators must be able to emit amber light. As with other vehicle lights, indicators must remain to be visible from a safe and reasonable distance when light tinting is applied.

Essentially, as long as all vehicles light outputs are not substantially reduced and they continue to emit the right colour, as long as the tinting film is attached securely, there is no reason for a vehicle to fail its MOT based on light tinting.

When choosing light tinting for your vehicle, it is important to consider that not all tinting films are road legal. SPi Vision is a tinting mesh that can be applied to both headlights and rear brake lights and reflectors, creating a factory finish dark smoke effect. Whereas some means of light tinting require you to remove the light fittings from your vehicle, this is not the case with SPi Vision vinyl, which is designed and built to match most light contours and can be applied quite quickly.

Although SPi Vision is simply an adhesive film, it is extremely durable, with excellent resistance to typical road and weather conditions. When secured to your vehicle by a professional, it is completely waterproof and dust proof and remains looking great as long as you decide to keep it. Should you wish to remove light tinting from your vehicle, SPi Vision can just as easily be removed as installed, leaving very little if any residue from the adhesive, and your headlights and rear lights looking as good as new.

Should you choose SPi Vision tinting for your vehicle, it is important that you take note that this type of film is not appropriate for certain types of light bulbs. For example, if your vehicle has H.I.D or Xenon high-intensity discharge light bulbs, sustained high beam use could use to excessive heat build-up, potentially causing your tinting film to melt.

If your high beam bulbs have a silvered tip of cowling in front of them, then you should be able to safely tint them, however, your lights may have a protecting coating which is not suitable for SPi Vision. When tinting vinyl is removed, protective coating or lacquer can be damaged, so it is vital that you check your headlight configuration before opting for light tinting.

To find out more about light tinting you can visit pro-tints.co.uk or call 01794 367 088 to book your vehicle in.