The number is how much light gets through the film. VLT stands for visible light transmission. A 70% film lets most light through and looks almost clear. A 5% film lets very little through and looks nearly black from outside. The lower the number, the darker the tint.
The short version. Many drivers pick a lighter shade for the front doors and a darker one behind them for privacy, and 20% is a common rear choice. Every shade blocks 99%+ of UV, so even the lightest one protects your skin and interior. Check your state's tint laws before you choose.
Changed your mind after the kit arrives? Shade exchanges for the same vehicle are free. Request the first within 30 days of delivery (see returns and exchanges).
- All six shades
- Shade by shade
- Your glass changes the number
- Picks by vehicle
- Two shades, one car
- Questions
All six shades at a glance
| Shade | Look from outside | Daytime privacy | Seeing out at night | Total solar energy rejected |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 70% | Nearly clear | Very little | Like untinted glass | 38.9% |
| 50% | Light, subtle | Low | Very easy | 40.4% |
| 35% | Medium, clearly tinted | Moderate: people up close can see in | Easy for most drivers | 49.4% |
| 20% | Dark | Good: shapes only, up close | Darker; take care reversing | 52.3% |
| 15% | Very dark | Very good | Noticeably darker | 53% |
| 5% | Nearly black ("limo") | Near total | Hard in dark areas | 63.2% |
Total solar energy rejected (TSER) per Union Window Films' spec sheet. Every shade blocks 99%+ of UV, and infrared rejection runs from 74.3% at 70% to 87.6% at 5%. Privacy and night visibility are general descriptions; lighting, your eyes and your glass all change what you see.
Look at the heat column before you go darker than you need. Going from 35% to 20% adds about 3 points of heat rejection (49.4% to 52.3%). The ceramic film does much of the work at every shade, so you don't need the darkest tint to get a cooler car.
Shade by shade
For the front doors, check your state's tint laws before you choose any shade.
-
70%: nearly clear
Heat and UV protection without a tinted look.
- Privacy: very little.
- At night: like untinted glass.
- Heat rejected: 38.9% of total solar energy, and 74.3% of infrared.
- Often chosen for: drivers who don't want their car to look tinted but want a cooler cabin.
-
50%: light
A subtle tint that cuts glare and heat without looking dark.
- Privacy: low.
- At night: very easy to see out.
- Heat rejected: 40.4%.
- Often chosen for: front doors, and drivers who do a lot of night driving.
-
35%: medium
Clearly tinted, still easy to drive with.
- Privacy: moderate. People close to the car can see in.
- At night: easy for most drivers.
- Heat rejected: 49.4%. The film alone measures about 31%.
- Often chosen for: front doors, or a whole car when you want an even, clean look.
-
20%: dark
Real privacy for passengers and cargo.
- Privacy: good. People see shapes only when they're close.
- At night: darker, but most drivers adjust on rear windows.
- Heat rejected: 52.3%. The film alone measures about 23%.
- Often chosen for: rear doors and back glass on family cars, SUVs and trucks. It's close to the look of factory privacy glass.
- Think twice: on front doors if you drive a lot at night.
-
15%: very dark
A strong, dark look without going all the way to limo tint.
- Privacy: very good.
- At night: noticeably darker. Fine for most people on rear windows.
- Heat rejected: 53%.
- Often chosen for: rear windows on trucks and SUVs.
- Think twice: on front doors, especially if you drive a lot at night.
-
5%: limo
Nearly black from outside, and the most heat rejection of any shade.
- Privacy: you can't see in during the day.
- At night: hard to see out in dark areas, especially when reversing.
- Heat rejected: 63.2%. The film alone measures about 7%.
- Often chosen for: rear windows where privacy matters most, work and rideshare vehicles, and glass roofs.
- Think twice: on front doors, on the back glass of a regular cab truck, if you tow, or on top of factory privacy glass, where it gets extremely dark.
Measured film values are per Union Window Films' spec sheet, for the film alone before it goes on your glass. Shade names are nominal labels.
Your glass changes the number
Factory glass isn't perfectly clear. Clear factory glass usually lets through somewhere between about 70% and 90% of light. When you add film, the two stack. A quick estimate: multiply the film's measured VLT by the glass's VLT.
| Shade | Film alone | On clear glass that passes 80% | On privacy glass that passes 20% |
|---|---|---|---|
| 35% | about 31% | about 25% | about 6% |
| 20% | about 23% | about 18% | about 5% |
| 5% | about 7% | about 6% | about 1% |
Examples only. Your glass varies, and a tint meter on your actual window gives the real number.
What this means for you:
- Expect it a little darker than the label: on clear glass, 35% film looks closer to 25% once it's on the car.
- Factory privacy glass: many trucks, SUVs and minivans have dark glass behind the front doors. Film on top adds heat rejection, and the result gets very dark fast. That's one reason front doors only is our most common order: on vehicles with privacy glass, the front doors are often the whole job.
- Matching privacy glass up front: factory privacy glass often looks close to 20%. Check your state's tint laws before you match it on the front doors.
Not sure if you have privacy glass? On a sunny day, compare the rear side windows with the front doors from outside. If the rear glass looks dark and the front looks clear, you have privacy glass.
Picks by vehicle and use
These are common choices for the windows behind the front doors. For the front doors, check your state's tint laws before you choose.
| Vehicle or use | Rear windows and back glass | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Daily driver (sedan, hatchback, crossover) | 20% or 35% | Shade and privacy for passengers. |
| Pickup truck | Privacy glass: often nothing more needed. Clear glass: 20% or 15%. | Privacy for tools and cargo. On a regular cab, the back glass is your only rear window, so 20% to 35% makes reversing and towing at night easier than 5%. See our truck install tips. |
| Tesla or other car with a glass roof | 20% or 35% | Shade and privacy for passengers. For the roof, see glass roofs and sunroofs below, and read our Tesla install tips. |
| Family car with kids | 20% or 15% | Shade on car seats for naps. UV protection is the same 99%+ in every shade. |
| Lots of night driving, rural roads, or first time with tint | 35% | Keeps your view at night close to what you're used to. |
| Work truck, rideshare, or gear in the back | 5% to 15% | Maximum privacy behind the driver. On a regular cab truck's back glass, or if you tow, 20% to 35% makes reversing and hitching at night easier than 5%. |
Glass roofs and sunroofs
Nobody looks through the roof to drive, so you can choose a roof shade for heat. Darker shades of this film reject more total solar energy: 63.2% at 5%, 52.3% at 20% and 38.9% at 70%. If you like a bright, open-sky cabin, 35% or 50% keeps more light while still blocking 99%+ of UV. Check your state's tint laws before you install.
Two shades, one car
Each coverage option uses one shade for all of its windows. For a lighter front and a darker rear, add Front Doors (2 Windows) in one shade and your vehicle's rear-windows-and-back-glass option in another. Review both selections so you don't order the same window twice.
Shade questions
Does darker tint block more heat?
Yes, but less than most people expect. In Union Ceramic IR, total solar energy rejected goes from 38.9% at 70% to 63.2% at 5%. Between the 35% and 20% shades, the difference is about 3 points (49.4% vs 52.3%). Every shade blocks 99%+ of UV.
Will dark tint make it hard to see at night?
The darker the shade, the less light reaches your eyes at night. 35% and lighter are easy for most drivers. 20% and darker are noticeably darker, which matters most when reversing or parking in unlit areas. If you drive a lot at night or have never had tint, start lighter on the front doors.
Is 70% tint worth it if it's almost clear?
For heat and UV, yes. 70% still rejects 74.3% of infrared and 38.9% of total solar energy, and blocks 99%+ of UV, without making the car look tinted.
Can I change my shade after I order?
Yes. Exchanges for the same year, make and model, including a different shade, are free. Request the first within 30 days of delivery. Opened film can be exchanged too. Start at the returns and exchanges page.
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Still deciding? Email tint@hmu4llc.com with your vehicle and the windows you want to tint.