How dark can car tinting be in Malaysia?
Most of you must have pondered upon this. How dark can my windows be tinted to provide the protection that we need from ultraviolet B (UVB) while complying with the local regulations set out by JPJ in Malaysia?
The latest regulation on car tinting was revised and made effective from May 8, 2019 onwards. The notable change in regulation on tinting is the VLT % for rear and back seat rear side windows, both from VLT 30% to being unrestricted.
Old Rules prior to 8th May 2019
New Rules effective 8th May 2019
Having said that, exceptions can be separately applied if you want to tint the front side and windscreens past the current limit of 50% and 70% VLT. There are 2 different scenarios are depicted below:
- You have a health risk. If JPJ approved, you can tint those windows without having to pay extra on tinting.
- You have non-health reasons for wanting to tint. Application itself will cost you RM50.00, subject to JPJ’s approval. You need to have a proper reason for tinting all windows, provided that you do not have any criminal records (vetted by PDRM) and does not have any outstanding summons. Even if you managed to get the approval, it will only last for 2 years and will cost you RM5,000.
Approval process will take 1-3 months. Upon obtaining the said approval from JPJ, you will get a hologram-sticker.
The darker the better?
Darker tints do not mean a cooler cabin. Shady tint installers will share this misconception to entice you into opting for darker tints to make a quick buck. Remember, darker coloured tints do not necessarily offer better heat and UV rejection as the effectiveness of car tints are dependent on the properties (VLT and SPF values discussed in our previous article) and construction of the film layer(s). In some cases, a darker tint may even attract more heat, which creates more problems than solving the problem on hand.
We need to strike a good balance between outward visibility and darkness of the tint. A darker tint might be fine during day time, but not at night. It may hamper visibility, inviting unnecessary inconvenience (e.g. while parking your car) and risks on the road. So get rid of the misconception of ‘Darker is better’ today and tint your car the right way!