What does 35% tint measure, film by film?
LLumar ATC 35 passes 38% of visible light and IRX 35 passes 39%, a one-point difference you won’t see. What you’d feel is the heat: IRX 35 turns back 54% of the sun’s total energy against ATC 35’s 35%.
The figures are LLumar’s, from data sheet LL0116NAEN (03/26), where each film is laid on a clear 6 mm test sheet and measured to NFRC methods.
| Measurement | ATC 35, dyed | IRX 35, nano-ceramic |
|---|---|---|
| Visible light through (VLT) | 38% | 39% |
| Glare reduction | 57% | 56% |
| Visible light reflected | 6% | 6% |
| Total solar energy rejected (TSER) | 35% | 54% |
| Infrared energy rejection (IRER) | 22% | 60% |
| SIRR, selective infrared | 29% | 87% |
| UV blocked between 300 and 380 nm | >99% | >99% |
Why 35 makes a fair dyed-against-ceramic test
ATC 35 and IRX 35 sit a point apart in light and share the same 6% reflection, so nothing but the film technology separates them. That leaves the heat numbers as the whole difference: 19 points of total solar energy and almost three times the infrared. Compare that with 50%, where IRX is visibly the darker of the two. If you’ve wondered what the ceramic upgrade actually buys, 35 shows it without a change of look. The broader case is on ceramic vs dyed window tint.
How does 35% tint look on a car?
The car looks tinted, not blacked out. From a few steps away the glass reads as dark; up close, especially in sun, you can make out the seats and the people in them. So 35% suits appearance and heat more than hiding what’s inside.
From the driver’s seat, 35% costs you less after dark than the darker shades. It lets through about twice the light of a 15 and six to eight times that of a 5. It cuts a little over half the glare, 56 to 57%, which takes the edge off low sun through the side glass without turning dusk into night. If the cabin needs to be properly private, the 15% window tint page is the next step down; if you’d like it lighter still, the 50% window tint page is the step up, and 35% vs 50% tint weighs the two.
Can 35% tint go on the front doors in BC?
No. BC allows no aftermarket film on the driver’s or front passenger’s window at any shade, so 35% is legal only behind the driver. It’s easy to assume 35% passes up front because other places draw a percentage line; BC doesn’t draw one.
| Where | Front side windows | Glass behind the driver |
|---|---|---|
| British Columbia | No film at all, MVAR s. 7.05(8) | Any shade; back glass needs two outside mirrors |
| Washington State | 24% or more, film and glass combined | 24% or more on cars; darker allowed on trucks and MPVs |
| Ontario, 2017 and newer | Rejected at inspection under 70% | Not covered by the 70% item |
Washington’s figures come from RCW 46.37.430; Ontario’s from item 10d of the MTO inspection standard, which fails 2017-and-newer vehicles if the glass right beside the driver passes under 70% of the light. In BC, an inspector working from item 13d of the 2025 Vehicle Inspection Manual rejects added film on the front door glass, light or dark.
In BC: The shop will tint front doors at a customer’s request, but only after laying out the risk. Mission RCMP says a tint ticket is typically $109. A Notice & Order may come with it, giving you 30 days to have the film taken off and the car inspected before a $598 fine applies.
Is 35% tint a good choice for Washington trips?
It’s the darkest shade on the menu that starts above Washington’s 24% floor: 38 to 39% on LLumar’s test glass. That makes it a sensible starting point for a car that crosses the border often.
Washington counts the factory glass together with the film, so what matters is the reading on your car, not the sheet. On clear rear glass, 35% film leaves some room; on glass that already has a tint of its own, the combined figure can fall below 24%. Trucks, motor homes and multipurpose passenger vehicles get more latitude behind the driver under the same law. If a sedan or coupe is your daily, 35% behind the driver is the shade to check first.
Is ATC 35 or IRX 35 the better buy?
ATC 35 if you want the look at the posted price; IRX 35 if you want the car noticeably cooler. Both block over 99% of UV, and both look the same from the street.
The deciding numbers are 35% against 54% total solar energy rejected, and 22% against 60% infrared energy rejected. At near-identical darkness, all of that is film technology rather than shade. If your car spends long summer afternoons in the sun, or carries children or a dog in the back, the ceramic upgrade does more for that seat than going darker in dyed film would: even ATC 05, the blackest shade, rejects only 44%. The full IRX range sits on the LLumar IRX page.
What does 35% tint cost in Langley?
In ATC 35, the rear package for a sports coupe starts at $220 (three windows), a sedan or pickup at $240 (five) and a full-size SUV or wagon at $260 (seven). IRX 35 is quoted per package, and combining services usually costs less than the separate list prices.
Expect to drive home on the day in most cases, after two to four hours for an entire sedan or SUV. Once it’s on, don’t open the tinted windows for three to five days, and treat a light haze in the first week as normal drying. Film and labour carry a lifetime warranty. A sedan’s glass layout is drawn out on sedan window tint; for a price on your own car, use the 35% tint quote form or text 604 534 6433.
