What does a window tint percentage mean?
It’s the share of visible light the film lets through, called visible light transmission or VLT. A film that measures 38% passes 38 of every 100 parts of daylight; a 5% film passes one part in twenty. Lower means darker.
The menu number is less exact than it looks. First, LLumar’s shade names are product codes, not readings: on LLumar’s spec sheet, ATC 50 measures 60% and IRX 15 measures 20%. Second, LLumar measures each film on single-pane 6 mm clear glass. Car glass often has some tint of its own, and light has to pass through both, so the glass on your car ends up darker than the sheet suggests.
What do 5%, 15%, 35% and 50% tint look like?
The light let through drops from more than half at 50% to one part in twenty at 5%. These are the shades the shop sells, with LLumar’s measured figures for both films:
| Shade | Measured VLT, ATC / IRX | Glare reduction, ATC / IRX | From outside in daylight | Suits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 5% | 5% / 6% | 94% / 94% | Near-black | Maximum privacy, a blacked-out look |
| 15% | 18% / 20% | 79% / 78% | Dark, cabin hard to see into | Privacy for passengers and cargo |
| 35% | 38% / 39% | 57% / 56% | Clearly tinted, cabin visible | A finished look that keeps a good view out |
| 50% | 60% / 54% | 32% / 39% | Lightly tinted | Heat and UV control with a subtle look |
| 70–90% (AIR) | 77% (AIR 80), 84% (AIR 90) | 13% (AIR 80), 5% (AIR 90) | Close to clear | Heat and UV control with no visible change |
5%: the blackout shade
From inside you see out well by day and noticeably less at night. LLumar notes that darker shades add privacy and protection for belongings left in the vehicle (LLumar tint FAQ).
15%: privacy without full blackout
Both 15 shades measure lighter than the name: 18% for ATC, 20% for IRX. It suits a family car where you’d rather people didn’t see the kids, the laptop bag or the tools in the back.
35%: the middle ground
The car looks tinted without looking dark, and the view over your shoulder stays close to normal.
50%: light, mostly for heat and UV
Here the film matters more than the shade. IRX 50 measures 54% and rejects 50% of total solar energy; ATC 50 measures 60% and rejects 28%. The trade-offs are on is ceramic window tint worth it.
Which windows does the tint percentage matter for in BC?
Only the ones behind the driver. MVAR s. 7.05(8) sets no VLT percentage at all. Its exceptions are the side glass behind the driver, the back glass when there’s a mirror on each side, and the windshield’s uppermost 75 mm, with no darkness limit on any of them. So in BC you don’t hunt for a legal percentage; you pick a shade for the back, and the front side windows stay clear.
The shop does fit front-door film when a customer asks, but it is not road-legal at any shade. It can bring a $109 ticket, the typical fine per Mission RCMP, and police can also write a Notice & Order that sends the car for inspection once the film is off. The shop goes over that risk with you before you choose. How dark tint can be in BC covers the rule in full.
Because the fronts stay clear, a 5% back makes a stark two-tone down the side of the car; 15% or 35% is a softer step.
Should you tint over factory privacy glass on an SUV or truck?
Only if you want it darker or cooler, because the privacy is already there. Many SUVs, minivans and crew-cab pickups leave the factory with darker glass behind the front doors, the tint built into the glass itself. Film on top of it stacks: light passes through the glass and then the film, so the two percentages multiply. A 50% film over glass that passes, say, 20% leaves roughly 10%.
That gives you three choices for the back of an SUV or truck:
- Leave it, if the factory shade looks right to you.
- Add AIR for heat control without a darker look. LLumar built AIR with factory privacy glass in mind, to add the heat control that tinted glass alone lacks (LLumar AIR).
- Add IRX or ATC to go darker. LLumar pitches IRX as a film that can either alter the look or match factory tinted glass (LLumar IRX); pick a lighter shade than you would on clear glass.
There’s more on tinting an SUV and tinting a pickup truck.
How dark is too dark for driving at night?
Darkness costs you most at night, looking back. A 5% film passes one part in twenty of the light, so on an unlit road or a wet evening, the view through the back glass and over your shoulder drops off sharply. Film on the back glass is only legal in BC when the car has a mirror on each side, so you always have both side mirrors to fall back on.
If you reverse into tight spots after dark, or the car has no backup camera, 15% or 35% on the back glass is the easier choice to live with. If you’re torn between two shades, take the lighter one: changing your mind later means removing the film and starting over.
Which tint percentage fits what you want?
Start from what you want the tint to do, then pick the shade and the film:
| If you want | Shade behind the driver | Film to ask about |
|---|---|---|
| Heat and UV control with no visible change | 70–90% | AIR (LLumar data for 80 and 90) |
| Mostly heat control, with a light look | 50% | IRX 50 |
| A clearly tinted, finished look | 35% | ATC 35 or IRX 35 |
| Privacy for passengers and cargo | 15% | ATC 15 or IRX 15 |
| A blacked-out back end | 5% | ATC 05 or IRX 05 |
| More heat control on factory privacy glass | Keep the glass’s own shade | AIR |
Choosing your shade and booking it
Send the vehicle, shade and film for a price before you book. ATC rear-glass packages begin at $220 for a sports coupe, then $240 (sedan or pickup) and $260 (full-size SUV or wagon); ceramic IRX or AIR adds a per-package quote. Most cars go home the same day, and the film and workmanship are warranted for life.
See window tint prices for the full list and each film’s page for its specs (LLumar ATC, LLumar IRX, LLumar AIR), then book through the quote form.