Frequently Asked Questions About Tinting Headlights

People tend to tint their headlights for different reasons. However, despite this ever-increasing popularity, tinting of headlights is replete with risks highlighted in local traffic safety rules and regulations. Without any doubts, headlight tints add beauty to your vehicle and can also make it stand out among others anywhere. There are many things that come with deciding to tint and going ahead to tint your headlight. You have to find out what is allowed and what is not before you venture into anything. For this reason, you are required to know as much as is necessary so that you don’t run foul of the laws and even morals that prevail on tinting.

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In the rest of this post, you would find out answers to different questions about tinting your vehicle headlights, like why should you consider that, cost of doing that, the tinting options available and more.

Why would one want to tint their headlights?

Headlights are now commonly tinted for different and divergent reasons. One of the commonest of these reasons is to add beauty and attraction to your vehicle. Secondly, although most people claim that headlight tinting can improve the visibility of the road, it is still known that tinting headlights can also impair your visibility, especially where you overdo it or use darker colours. Headlight tints are also claimed to protect your lights from damage, scratches, chips, or flying road debris on the road too. In addition, tints are also said to minimize the risks of the headlights turning yellowish, filthy, or toneless, secondary to dirt and sunlight rays.

There are also very strong claims that when you tint your headlights a certain colour, your visibility of the road is enhanced in some cases, although this is a very debatable issue at best. However, regardless of everything, the amount of tinting you apply to your headlights is actually what affects them eventually. Hence, the lighter the tints, the better it is. Also, most headlight tints are said to have superior UV light and temperature resistance, and luckily enough, with just a token of investment, you can turn your car into an awesome beast that stands out contrastingly among other cars in any crowd.

Other reasons may be given for tinting headlights, but those explained here are some of the commonest ones.

Is it better to tint or paint headlights?

On a general note, it is claimed that painting looks more beautiful on vehicle headlights than the application of tint films. However, if you wish to remove painted tints when you no longer need them or when they are old, you can either use any safe paint stripper recommended by the experts or may have to change the covers or panels entirely, but with films, you can easily remove them by just peeling off the coloured films carefully. Therefore, the application of films is preferred by many as against painting them.

Yellow or black tints, which is better?

Yellow headlight tint colour is one of the most preferred and accepted ones in many places, especially when you apply them to within the accepted depths such that it does not compromise too much of the brightness of your headlights. Whatever colour of headlights you may apply, it should not compromise more than about 50 to 60 per cent of the brightness of the headlights. For this reason and in most places, some colours are not permitted by law such as green, black, red, purple, and so on. Consequently, in consideration of all these, yellow tint colours are much better than black tints and are more legal as well.

Where can one get professional headlight tinting?

It is easy to get professional headlight tinting on your car from some of the most reputable auto shops around where you live. Alternatively, you can also find out about any such places by asking questions from experts. Furthermore, it is also easy to conduct online research on the matter through which you can discover many other such places close to you too. You can click on this link to be taken to the page on Google map where you can see addresses of places you can get professional tinting services.

How much does it cost to tint headlights?

The amount you pay to get your headlights tinted will depend on first, the make and model of the car, and second, the design of the headlight lens itself. However, despite everything, it should not cost you more than between 65 to about 150 dollars to get just one of the lenses covered. Therefore, the overall cost will be this amount multiplied by the number of lenses needing attention, although, in some rare situations, the cost can be a little more than this, it still gives you the general idea of the cost.

Where can you buy tinted headlights?

There are a few reliable places where you can get your headlights tints of all features and statistics. Fortunately, most of these reputable suppliers have a global spread such that you are liable to get their retail outlets anywhere you may live in any part of the world. Some of these suppliers are Amazon, Etsy, and Aliexpress, among many others. In addition, you can also find others around you if you conduct online research on the matter.

Which is the best headlight tint?

The best headlight tint is that which will not impair your visibility of the road as well as that which is acceptable by the traffic laws that prevail in the place you live too. Furthermore, these good headlights tints should also be applied such that they will not reduce or diminish the brightness of the lights by more than about 50 per cent. After considering all these factors, tints colours like white, amber, and yellow are adjudged as the best for your headlights, but before you venture into anything, make sure that you inquire from the local traffic authorities, just in a case.

What is the lightest headlight tint you can do?

The lightest headlight tint you can use is one that will not interfere with your visibility of the road, and which will not offend any traffic laws as may be put in place where you live. All in all, the lightest headlight tints should not reduce the brightness of your light by more than about 50 or 60 per cent. Similarly, they should be of colours that are light and not too dark such as white, yellow, or amber, but not green, black, blue, purple, or red.

Can you remove tints from headlights? 

You can remove tints from your headlights and very easily too if they are either old or are no longer wanted anymore. For the painted type of tints, you can affect their removal by using recommended and safe paint strippers, but be sure to find out from the manufacturers or experts before you venture into anything to prevent any hard luck stories afterwards. Alternatively, for painted tints, you can remove them by changing the covers or panels of the headlights altogether. For the films, you can get them removed by simply taking off the coloured film carefully without leaving behind any patches or scratches on the lens.

Can you tint your headlights with film?

Certainly, you can tint your vehicle headlights with any coloured tint film of your choice. However, you must make sure that the tint is not too dark and that it is also of a colour that is permitted by any prevailing laws in the place where you live. Make sure that your headlights tint does not diminish the brightness of your headlights by more than about half or so of their original brightness. This will produce clear visibility and hence reduce the possibility of accidents that could affect you or others on the roads.

In what countries is it illegal to tint headlights?

Headlight tinting is illegal in many parts of the world. In truth, tinting of headlights is more prohibited than permitted in most parts of the world. Even in most places where tinting is permitted, the depth of its colour is especially recommended much as its type too. Conversely, certain colours are not permitted while others are. Some of the places where tinting is illegal are certain states in the US like California and New York, some parts of Canada, and many places in the world.

What countries is it legal to tint headlights?

Despite everything, there are still some places where headlight tinting is not illegal, although with some conditions. For instance, there may not be any specific laws against tinting in some parts of the UK, but you must make sure that you obey all the laid down conditions for doing it right. In some states in the US and some parts of Canada, for example, tinting may be allowed but with certain restrictions that are meant to make every road user safe. Alberta, Texas, and a few other places have flexible tinting laws as long as you go about it with caution

How can you blackout headlights illegally?

Blacking out headlights illegally involves applying coloured tints to the lens of the headlights such that more than about half of their brightness is reduced. This diminished brightness will not be safe for use on the road at night. Furthermore, you are not supposed to apply certain illegal colours too, such as red, purple, black, green, or blue. To be on the side of caution, you should find out from the local traffic authorities which colours are permitted and which ones are not, and also how much of these colours should be applied too.

Will tinted headlights pass MOT?

For short, tinted headlights will not pass MOT (Ministry of Transportation) in the UK, for instance. Whatever is seen as a means of reducing your visibility of the road will not pass MOT, although the rules may not be the same everywhere. For that reason, you should find out from the authorities concerned whether tinted lights can or cannot pass MOT tests where you live.

Can you be pulled over by the cops for tinted headlights?

Whether you can be pulled over by the cops for tinted headlights or not will depend on the type of tint applied, as well as the place where you live too. Even in places where some degree of tinting is allowed, you should not apply those colours that may not be permitted such as blue, green, red, purple, black, and many others.

Whenever you are pulled over for headlight tinting, you may be lucky to escape with only a warning and advice to get them repaired as soon as possible, but if you are not that lucky, you may come into a fine or be served a ticket. This is particularly more grave if you are using such tinted lights at night especially those colours that are seen as illegal. So, yes, the police can pull you over for illegal headlight tinting.

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Conclusion

Without any doubt, tinting of your headlights gives added beauty and appeal to your vehicle, which also makes it stand out among many others in the parking lot. However, the whole thing should be approached with extreme caution for different reasons. Make sure that their use is permitted by local laws, make sure that you do not apply the tints so deep as to contravene any traffic laws or cause you to not see properly, and of course, do not apply tints in colours that are adjudged as illegal.

Fortunately, it is both easy to install as well as remove any headlight tints in a short time. Just be sure to remove old and faded vehicle headlight tints to make sure that they do not put your life, as well as the lives of other road users, at risk unnecessarily.

Disclaimer

Hi, just letting you know that all products recommended here have been used by me, or are properly researched to ensure they are the best you are getting without bias.

I am also an affiliate for certain Amazon products and this means that some links here are affiliate links. If you purchase an item through any of them, I MAY earn a commission at no extra cost on you.

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