Tinted windows and the Law

I dont know what the law is on the mainland but today i just had my 1998 Range Rover Autobiographey fail its MOT, here in Northern Ireland, because they said the tint in the front drivers and pass windows is too dark. Im not sure if this is an MOT requirment on the mainland. The glass does not have a film over it but it is actual tinted glass. I lived on the mainland before this year and never had a problem with the glass and MOT. I have owned the vehicle since new and never asked for any added extra tint and i contacted Land Rover and they told me that they are the windows that come factory fitted on the model of Range Rover. So what it is looking like is i have to buy new front windows to get my car through the jobsworth MOT here in NI. Can anybody shed any light (scuse the pun) on the tinted window law and why its diffirent in Northern Ireland?

not sure about NI, but i think in mainland Britain the law says that front windows must let in 70% of natural light. the cops have a machine that can test it. my 2001 DHSE has a light tint on the front door windows which i think was a landrover option

As Rodent says 70% of natural light is legal. Did the garage measure the light? If its factory fitted I can't see how that can be illegal as they have to follow the legal requirements!! Some loser always has to be a bloomin jobsworth!!!!!!!

Thanks for the replies guys, ive been reading up on the law since last night and i now understand the 70% light thing. The diffirence between the MOT in Northern Ireland and the rest off the UK is that we dont take our vehicles to a garage we take them to a government test centre. Its meant to be one off the strictest in europe. Considering ive heard about them turning down a car for a rip in the drivers seat and also because the gearing was not marked on the top of the gear stick off a manual car, now thats jobsworth. The vehicle was taken into the test centre which is basically a big warehouse, the examiner got into the car and basacally as far as i seen used his eyes too guage the light coming through the window (inside a building) he must have some kind off special guage surgically implanted. I was thinking off doing two things 1. just borrowing a set off front doors off someone or 2. Taking it up with now drivers or passengers windows fitted, is there any law that says they have to be there?

In the UK, tinted windows aren't an MOT fail - just an advisory. I checked this with our MOT techs the other day.

It is however, illegal to have more than a 30% tint.... weird

this might be a very stupid option but perhaps you could lower the front windows, then remove the fuse that controls them - no glass visible to inspect and easier than changing doors or removing glass.
one point,not sure what other systems may be on that fuse.
just a thought

Rodent said:

this might be a very stupid option but perhaps you could lower the front windows, then remove the fuse that controls them - no glass visible to inspect and easier than changing doors or removing glass.
one point,not sure what other systems may be on that fuse.
just a thought

Click to expand...

This could actually be an option, as long as there is no law about having front windows, it would be a re-test so they really only have to check the front windows (the only failure point) if there isnt any there then they cant check them. Hell i would do it just to sock it too them, even if she failed again

I tend to agree with everyone else, I have no idea whether it would work but I would also try with the windows down.

Just before you get there, wait round the corner, put both front windows down and then pull fuse 22 from the BeCM (30amp).

Then drive in and present the vehicle, if they ask just tell them you have decided its going to be a summer only vehicle and as such you have removed the front windows or some rubbish like that.

Like others have said, if theres no windows to test then they can't really fail you.

Im hoping someone who knows more about MOT's than me comes along and confirms this

If this doesn't work I would try and find a 'LR friendly' garage and have it done there, maybe even have it done at the main dealer??

-Wills

Thanks guys you have been a great help, i think i may go one stage further and just lift the winbdows out off it completley. That way if they decide they want to see inside the door panels, if the glass is'nt present then it cant be inspected. Just in case that fails, cause with the MOT system here in Northern Ireland the saying "Never take an idiot with you, you will always find one when you get there" totally applies, does anyone know where i can buy a set off front windows or an approxmite cost. Ive tried every breakers here in Northern Ireland and i cant find any of them anywhere. I suppose its a comfort that the breakers dont have any or maybe the windows are all bought up by people having the same problem as myself. From what i can see, reading the vehicle legislation, it says the vehicle must have a windscreen it does not say anything about it must have side windows. Is there anyone out there that knows if a law states any diffirent?

dunno about NI, but here, side windows are not part of the MOT as such. the door mirror has to be clearly visible from the normal driving position though.

Did you see "Traffic Cops" last week where they pulled the rangie with tinted front windows and made him pull some of the plastic tint off the window else he'd get 6 points on the license? Was this just cops showing their bullying little man syndrome side or for real - surely if it's 6 points it must be an MoT fail too?

nope
it's illegal, but not tested in the MOT.

seems a bit bizarre to have something that is wrong with the vehicle and makes it dagerous not as an MoT failure but as a driver penalty!

i agree, but every MOT station would have to have the equipment to accurately measure the degree of tint.
Maybe that's what they've got in NI, what with the test stations being govt. run?

It's in the manual tints are not a reason for rejection MOT UK car and vehicle MOT information

Man that's hard!! there must be an appeal system? when you do tell them he didn't use a meter, also get your windows tested, ask a cop, to do it for you, and see if they are 30% or not first

Im already going through the appeal system, banging my head off a wall more like. Thing i cant understand is with my job i drive a car, for a government department, that has tinted windows all round. From the outside they look completly black. This is me as an employee off the firm saying if this is such a safety risk having tinted windows why dosnt the government lead by example. Id put it too my management but i reckon by the time i was finished i wouldnt be able to afford to run the Range Rover anymore on my un-employment benifit

OK guys enough is enough, here goes...
Here's your official reply from 'Plod'.

In England and Wales we use a machine called a 'Tintman'

This tests the light transmission through a vehicle's windows. It shines light through glass and measures the amount of light that gets through and can give a reading within minutes of a driver being stopped.

For vehicles used post 01.04.85 - The law states that at least 75 per cent of the available light must be able to pass through a vehicle's windscreen and 70 per cent of the available light must be able to pass through the driver and passenger side front windows.

(Pre 01.04.85 its 70% windscreen AND front windows)

Any tinted glass or film used in such areas should be type approved and bear the European 'E Mark' or a British Kite Mark.

I hope this answers the question.
James.

Here is the NCT Manual
All I could see that may be used as an excuse is on page 22

Nothing says it has to be tested with a Tintman or has to allow a certain amount of light through.

Folks,
Tinted windows are NOT included in the MOT test.

Check the VOSA website for a full explanation.
No, I'll save you the bother - click the link below:

http://www.vosa.gov.uk/vosacorp/repository/Tinted%20Windows%20Nov%202005.pdf#xml=http://www.vosa.gov.uk/SCRIPTS/texis.exe/webinator/search/xml.txt?query=tinted+glass&pr=CORP&order=r&cq=&id=481952c9f

Hope this helps..??
James.