Learn about the legal requirements of tinting your vehicle in Victoria.
Last reviewed: September 2026
Currently, VicRoads states that cars can have a minimum Visual Light Transmission (VLT) of 35% for your front driver and passenger windows. The rear windows can legally be tinted to a 20% VLT. This is the darkest legal tint in Victoria.
Our team at Auto Complex will guide you through your VLT requirements during your quoting process. Darker doesn't necessarily mean cooler, and we can recommend the best tint for your privacy and heat rejection.
VLT stands for Visible Light Transmission, and it's the percentage of visible light that passes through your car window. For example, a window rated at 70% VLT lets 70% of outside light through to your car.
A lower VLT means a darker tint. A VLT of 20% is nearly black and is typically used for privacy in stretched limousines.
VLTs are measured on the finished window, not the film.
VLT has nothing to do with heat. It measures light only.
Besides VLT, window tint reflectance is also legally regulated.
Here's a breakdown of Victoria's tint limits for passenger cars and SUVs:
Installing the wrong VLT can have serious consequences, such as:
Being issued a defect notice at a roadside inspection. It means you’ll have to get your film removed and the vehicle cleared, generally within 28 days, and there's a clearance fee.
A fine. In addition to a defect notice. Police use calibrated light meters, which allow them to assess your VLT on the spot.
Roadworthy failure. Bubbling, peeling, cracking or discolouration are treated as safety issues, and cheap dyed film is the usual cause.
Insurance issues. Some insurers can decline a claim on a vehicle that wasn't roadworthy at the time of an incident.
At Auto Complex, we know these regulations inside out. Having tinted car windows for over 30 years, we know the darkest tint you can have on each window.
You don’t need the lowest VLT to drive your car comfortably. Our team will discuss your goals with you and recommend the right window tint that’s suitable for your car.
Send us the make, model and year, and tell us more about your vehicle.
We'll guide you on exactly what's permitted, with seamless installation from a professional team.
Open Mon to Fri, 8 am to 4 pm. Saturdays by appointment.
120 Bayfield Road East, Bayswater North, VIC 3153.
The darkest legal tint for passenger cars and SUVs in Victoria is 35% VLT on the front side windows, meaning the glass beside the driver must let through at least 35% of visible light. Windows behind the driver's seat can go down to 20% VLT, but only if the vehicle has a rear-view mirror fitted on each side. The windscreen must maintain at least 70% VLT and no film can be applied to it, apart from a band across the top.
Windscreens darkened during manufacture are permitted, but aftermarket film is not. The windscreen must maintain a minimum VLT of 70% and no film may be applied to it, other than a tinted band across the top. That band can sit above the area swept by the wipers, or across the top 10% of the windscreen, whichever is greater. It also must not cover any sensor or camera mounted inside the glass.
Yes. Factory privacy glass is darkened during manufacture rather than filmed, and it's marked on the glass with the word TINTED or the codes AS3 or V. If you apply film over it, the finished result of glass and film together must still meet the legal minimum. And if the factory glass is already below the limit on its own, you may not apply any film to that window at all, including a clear one.
A vehicle with non-compliant tint is considered unroadworthy. Police can issue a defect notice at the roadside requiring the film to be removed and the vehicle cleared, generally within 28 days, with a clearance fee payable. If you pass that deadline, your registration can be suspended. Police can also issue you a fine separately. You may also have issues selling your car in the future.
Yes. Film that is bubbling, peeling, cracked, or discoloured is treated as a safety issue regardless of its original VLT. This usually happens with cheap dyed film after a while, because it breaks down under the Australian sun. A tint that passed at installation can fail years later, and this is why we advise getting a quality film rather than the cheapest quote.
