What does a Box 2 Notice & Order for tint require?
It’s a repair-and-inspect order: get the illegal film off, then have the car pass a complete mechanical inspection at a DIF, a designated inspection facility, before 30 days are up. Mission RCMP spells out the tint version in two lines: “Remove the illegal tint” and “Have the vehicle inspected at a designated inspection facility.”
The CVSE information sheet adds the part most drivers miss. A Box 2 car “is not out of service and may be driven from the location”, but the key word is “promptly”. CVSE says the order “does not mean you have 30 days to drive around” before the repairs and inspection happen.
| Box on the form | What it means | Inspection needed |
|---|---|---|
| Box 1 | Vehicle “immediately removed from the road”; any tow is at the owner’s expense | A complete inspection at a DIF before it drives again |
| Box 2 | Go “promptly to a DIF”, repair it, pass within 30 days | A complete mechanical inspection |
| Box 3 | Fix the specific item the officer names, in the time given | None; you may have to report back |
What happens if you miss the 30-day deadline?
The driver faces a $598 fine, and the car can be taken off the road. CVSE states that if a Box 2 order “is not satisfied within 30 days, the driver operating the vehicle on highway is subject to a fine of $598.00”, the amount set for failing to comply with an order under MVAR 25.30.
CVSE also allows escalation: an officer who stops the vehicle while the order is outstanding can pull it off the road. The order is also recorded on ICBC’s Vehicle Information Database, which matters the day you try to sell: an open Box 2 blocks the buyer from licensing and insuring the car.
The order itself carries no fine and no demerit points. A tint ticket is a separate thing; the fine for illegal tint in BC is $109, and an officer can write one alongside the order.
Which film has to come off to clear the order?
Whatever the inspection would reject, which in practice means the two front side windows and any windshield film below the top 75 mm. Officers don’t have to list the defect on the form; CVSE calls that section “discretionary”, so clear every tint item the facility checks rather than only the one you were stopped for.
The 2025 Vehicle Inspection Manual sets out the glass checks, all based on MVAR s. 7.05(8):
- Front side windows (item 13d): any after-market film, coating or material on glass forward of the driver’s seat back, at any shade, clear included.
- Windshield (item 12e): any film below the 75 mm strip at the top.
- Back glass (item 14c): if the vehicle is missing an outside mirror on either side, the film is reflective or not allowed by the ANSI/SAE Z26.1 standard, or it materially impairs the driver’s normal vision.
Rear side windows can stay as dark as they are. BC has no shade limit behind the driver, so there’s no reason to pay to strip them.
How removal works on the day
You drop the car off, we strip the glass the order covers, and you collect it with bare front windows, usually 1 to 3 hours later. The steps:
- Tell us it’s for an order. Mention the Box number and which windows carry film when you book, so we strip what the inspector will look at.
- Interior covered. Door cards and seats are protected, because steam removal is wet.
- Film lifted with steam. The adhesive softens and the film peels away from the glass.
- Glue dissolved. Leftover adhesive is taken off completely, not smeared around.
- Glass checked. If the old film was hiding a chip or a scratch, you’ll hear about it before you leave.
Passing the full inspection, not just the glass
A Box 2 order means a complete mechanical inspection, so the facility looks at the whole car, not only the windows. CVSE warns that an officer may note one item “however there could be further items that are also non-compliant.”
Check the lights on a tinted car before you go. Item 1.0(a) in Section 6 of the 2025 manual fails a lamp whose lens “reduces transmission of light” or “is covered in any manner”, which puts smoked tail-light film in the same position as front window film. Every lamp item is set out in the guide to inspection rules for tint and lights.
Budget for it: Mission RCMP says standard inspection fees “vary by facility but generally range from $150 to $250.”
What does clearing a tint order cost?
The removal is quoted per window, the inspection is paid to the facility, and the $598 only applies if you run out the clock.
| Cost | Amount | Where the number comes from |
|---|---|---|
| Tint removal | Quoted per window, discounted with a re-tint | Brookswood Tint |
| Inspection at a DIF | Generally $150 to $250, varies by facility | Mission RCMP |
| Order not satisfied in 30 days | $598 | CVSE, MVAR 25.30(4) |
| Tint ticket, if one was written too | $109, or $84 paid within 30 days | Violation Ticket Administration and Fines Regulation |
To price the removal, give us the car and the Box number on the quote form for tint removal, or text the details to 604 534 6433. Find us at Unit 312, 20560 Langley Bypass; the doors open at 9:00 and close at 17:00, Monday to Saturday.
Can you tint again once the order is cleared?
Yes, behind the driver, in any shade. Rear side windows and the back glass (with two outside mirrors) can take LLumar ATC, IRX or AIR, covered for life on film and workmanship. A sedan or pickup’s rear set in ATC is $240 and up, and every package is on window tint prices.
The front doors are a different story. Film there, clear or dark, is not road-legal in BC, and putting it back after the inspection leaves the car open to the next ticket or order. If you ask us for it, we’ll lay out that risk before anyone decides.
