What tinting is allowed, and for which you can get a fine or even administrative arrest. What regulatory documents should be followed? What changes in legislation await us in this matter? About these and other important points in our material.
What is tinting
Wikipedia tells us that tinting is a change in the light transmission, color and reflective properties of car windows. In other words, this is an additional coating applied to the car glass that reduces the light transmittance of this glass.
Tinting is used for various reasons. Some so that the car interior heats up less in the sun (especially important in the southern regions), some - to hide the interior from surrounding eyes. But lately, cars have been tinted less frequently.
The most popular methods of tinting car windows today are:
- painted or metallized adhesive-based films;
- silicone tinting;
- frame curtains;
- double glazing.
Let’s make a reservation right away, without going into discussions - all these methods do not comply with the requirements of current legislation.
Requirements for tinting car windows (permissible percentage of shading)
According to the requirements established by the technical regulations of the Customs Union “On the safety of wheeled vehicles” (section 4 of Appendix 8):
Clause 4.2. It is not allowed to have additional objects or coverings that limit visibility from the driver's seat.
Clause 4.3. The light transmission of the windshield and windows through which forward visibility is provided to the driver must be at least 70%.
At the top of the windshield, it is allowed to have a light-protective strip made in the bulk of the glass, or using a tint film - no more than 140 mm wide. If tinting is carried out in the bulk of the glass, the width of the shading strip must correspond to that established by the vehicle manufacturer. The light transmittance of the light protection strip is not standardized.
Clause 4.4. Painted and tinted windshields must not distort the correct perception of white, yellow, red, green and blue.
Clause 4.5. It is not allowed to use glass whose coating creates a mirror effect.
In other words, in order to avoid problems with traffic police officers, tint so that the light transmittance of the front and windshield windows is at least 70%.
Fine for car tinting
If you still decide to get tinted with the “five”, you need to know that, according to Part 3.1 of Article 12.5 of the Code of Administrative Offenses of the Russian Federation, for driving a car with glass installed (including those covered with transparent colored films), the light transmission of which does not meet the requirements of the technical regulations on the safety of wheeled vehicles vehicles, threatens administrative fine of 500 rubles.
Is it possible to leave the tint after paying the fine?
Some time ago, traffic police officers issued a fine to the car owner and let him go. He continued to drive a tinted car, received fines again, paid again, and so on ad infinitum.
The traffic police decided that a driver who was previously subject to administrative punishment for driving a car with tinting and did not remove it (i.e. did not eliminate the violation) falls under the concept of “failure to comply with a lawful request of a police officer.” . And they introduced written demands to eliminate the violation while simultaneously issuing a fine for tinted windows.
If the driver subsequently does not comply with the requirement and does not remove the film, his actions are interpreted under Article 19.3 of the Code of Administrative Offenses of the Russian Federation. As punishment under this article, the law provides for a fine in the amount of 500 to 1000 rubles or administrative arrest for up to 15 days.
Administrative arrest for car tinting
Is it legal to be arrested for tint? We studied the practice of applying the law and got the result: courts issue administrative arrests against violators who did not remove the tinting from the front windows of the car in time.
If we interpret the law literally, we can conclude that administrative arrest cannot be used as a punishment for tinting. And that's why. Article 19.3 of the Code of Administrative Offenses of the Russian Federation states that administrative liability for this offense occurs in the event of disobedience to a lawful order or requirement of a police officer in connection with the performance of his duties to protect public order. And the offense provided for in Article 12.5 of the Code of Administrative Offenses of the Russian Federation does not apply to actions that infringe on public order and public safety.
But practice develops differently. We made a request to the traffic police to clarify the situation. We received the following response. When initiating an administrative case under Part 3.1 of Article 12.5 of the Code of Administrative Offenses of the Russian Federation, the presence in the specialized federal records of traffic police departments of information about previously issued demands to stop similar illegal actions is checked. If such information is available, the issue of initiating a case against the driver for an administrative offense, provided for in Part 1 of Article 19.3 of the Code of Administrative Offenses of the Russian Federation, is decided. Otherwise, the offender is issued a demand to cease the illegal actions. The response contains a link to a letter from the Prosecutor General's Office of the Russian Federation, which recognizes this procedure as legal.
The courts also recognize the legality of applying Article 19.3 of the Code of Administrative Offenses of the Russian Federation if the driver did not comply with the requirement and did not remove the darkening film from the car windows:
How do they treat tinted cars in other countries?
Despite the fact that our legislators focus on the particular social danger of such an administrative violation, in some countries tinted cars are legal.
In the US, tinting requirements vary from state to state. For example, in Alabama the minimum degree of light transmission of front side windows may be 32%, in Arizona - 33%, and New Mexico - 20%. In Australia, requirements allow up to 35% tint for front side windows. In Thailand, even tinting the windshield is allowed. In most European countries, the requirements are similar to Russian ones or close to them.
What will be the fine for tinting in 2018-2019
This issue has been under consideration for a long time in the State Duma of the Russian Federation. Deputies are in favor of increasing the fine for this offense to 1.5 thousand rubles, and for a repeated violation - up to 5 thousand rubles. In the spring of 2018, a representative of the relevant committee submitted a bill increasing the amount of the fine to the State Duma, however, the law has not yet been adopted.
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How to avoid a fine for tinting
What is the traffic police fine for tinting in 2020? How to avoid a fine for tinting? How to pay a fine for tinting with a 50% discount. How to challenge this fine.
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The current traffic police fines for tinting in 2020 are quite small (500 rubles / with a discount of 250 rubles), license plates are no longer removed for opaque front windows. In the background, or nothing. Tinting protects from prying eyes and does not allow the sun's rays to pass through - what is not a reason to “tint” your car contrary to the rules of the Code of Administrative Offences?
In 2019, the legislator will try to increase the fine for tinting to the level of 2500-5000 rubles. The changes are undergoing approval stages in the State Duma. Taking this into account, is it fair to once again clarify the information on this type of fines in 2020?
Car tinting has become widespread since the mid-20th century. The technology of darkening glass by applying films, paints and pastes came to the transport industry from architecture, where designers fought overheating of the interiors of buildings using window tinting.
Chemists and physicists can easily name several methods for producing tinted glass. In large enterprises, car windows that are transparent on the inside and tightly tinted on the outside can be created in dozens of ways. However, in 99% of road situations, including those related to traffic police fines for tinting, so-called film dimming occurs.
Polymer films of various quality and shades of color in Russia are now the most accessible raw materials for creating so-called tinted cars. In our country, you can make all the windows of a car opaque using this technology, with a sum of money of 1000-1500 rubles, for the simplest option.
According to motorists who tint their cars despite fines and prohibitions, darkening car windows contributes to:
- Safety of things left in the car
- Reducing the number of traffic conflicts
- Fuel economy
- Temperature reduction
- Reduce glare that distracts you from control
- Improving the appearance of cars
It is important to know!
In 2020, as in previous years, full tinting of a passenger car is prohibited by the legislation of the Russian Federation. Only the rear hemisphere (rear window and rear side windows) can be completely tinted; in addition, a dark strip in the upper part of the windshield no more than 140 mm wide is allowed. The windshield and front side windows must have a light transmittance coefficient of at least 70%.
For many motorists, such a clause in the law serves as a call to cover the front hemisphere of the car with “weak” films. However, modern cars, as a rule, already have a maximum permissible level of tinting on the front end from the factory, and additional tinting can lead to fines from the traffic police.
Traffic police fines for tinting in 2020 are constantly being changed. This type of traffic fines is generally one of the most “pendulum” - the legislator either weakens these fines or introduces additional sanctions. So, even before November 15, 2014, traffic police officers removed license plates for tinting and imposed fines of 1,500 rubles.
In 2020, the fine for dark glass in Moscow and the Moscow region, St. Petersburg, Kazan, Krasnodar, Samara, Nizhny Novgorod, Voronezh, Yekaterinburg, Chelyabinsk and other cities is set at 500 rubles (that is, the fine for tinting with a 50% discount is 250 rubles) and license plates are no longer removed for tinted windows. Some motorists still consider tinting a vehicle to be a serious violation. However, this is about the same as searching on the Internet.
Knowing about such relaxations, wealthy motorists continue to drive tinted, from time to time getting caught and paying small fines. Moreover, control of the light transmission of car windows is legally carried out only at a stationary traffic police post using technical diagnostic tools. How justified such behavior is, everyone decides for themselves.
Moreover, last year there were proposals to raise the fine for tinting to 5,000 rubles. The authors of the proposals motivate the change in the rules by the fight against the transportation of illegal cargo hidden behind opaque car windows in cars.
However, everything is actually not so simple. A number of legislators and experts representing the southern regions of the country seriously consider tinting to be a useful addition to a car. There is an opinion that the bright sun of the Black Sea region and the Caucasus interferes with driving a car more than dark windows. In a number of warm foreign countries, these are precisely the arguments that formed the basis for the legislative permission for tinting. In some cases, for example, in California (USA), tinting car windows is a mandatory condition for operating a vehicle. The authorities considered that transparent windows cause excessive overheating of the cabin and, as a result, abuse of air conditioners, which increases fuel consumption. There is no fine for tinting windows, but there is a fine for not tinting!
Tinting Law 2020
Clause 2.2.4 GOST 5727 – 88:
The light transmission of windshields of vehicles and trams must be at least 75%, other glass - at least 70%.
Part 3.1 of Article 12.5 of the Code of Administrative Offenses of the Russian Federation:
“Driving a vehicle with glass installed (including those covered with transparent colored films), the light transmission of which does not meet the requirements of the technical regulations on the safety of wheeled vehicles, entails an administrative fine of five hundred rubles. (Part 3.1 introduced by Federal Law dated July 23, 2010 N 175-FZ).
In the event that you remove the tint at the place where the inspector stopped you, then you can avoid a fine, even a minor one.
Fine for tinting rear lights
Tinting taillights is subject to a fine, as is painting or redoing them. In 2020, tinting headlights is expressly prohibited by law. This is specified in paragraph 3.6 of the Technical Regulations of the Russian Federation.
3.6. The absence, destruction and contamination of the lenses of external lighting devices and the installation of optical elements not provided for by the design of the lighting device (including colorless or colored optical parts and films) are not allowed.
Repeated fine for tinting
In 2020, Russian legislation does not contain the concept of “repeated fine for tinting.” Any case of catching a traffic violator in a car with tinted front windows results in the same fine of 500 rubles. The usual fine for tinting in 2020 is always five hundred rubles.
This statement is true for all violations qualified under Article 3.1 12.5 of the Code of Administrative Offenses of the Russian Federation - “Driving a vehicle on which glass is installed (including those covered with transparent colored films), the light transmission of which does not meet the requirements of technical regulations.”
However, in some cases, traffic police officers qualify tinted car windows in an alternative way. The tricks of the traffic police officers are described in the section below.
How to pay a fine for tinting with a 50% discount.
Since January 1, 2016, Russian motorists have the right to pay certain types of traffic fines with a 50% discount. New laws on fines for tinting issued before 2020 also do not prohibit this. However, the ability to pay off a fine by paying only half of the original cost has a number of restrictions.
A 50% discount on a traffic police fine applies to all traffic penalties that do not contradict two conditions
- No more than 20 days have passed since the receipt of the decision (letter).
- The fine is not included in the list of the most socially dangerous types of fines.
List of traffic police fines for which there is no 50% discount on payment
- Article of the Code of Administrative Offenses of the Russian Federation 12.1.1.1 - Unregistered car or car without technical inspection
- Article of the Code of Administrative Offenses of the Russian Federation 12.8 – Driving while intoxicated
- Article of the Code of Administrative Offenses of the Russian Federation 12.9.6 – Repeated major speeding within a year
- Article of the Code of Administrative Offenses of the Russian Federation 12.9.7 - Repeated particularly large speeding within a year
- Article of the Code of Administrative Offenses of the Russian Federation 12.12.3 – Driving through a red traffic light
- Article 12.15.5 of the Code of Administrative Offenses of the Russian Federation – Repeated driving into oncoming traffic within a year
- Article of the Code of Administrative Offenses of the Russian Federation 12.16.3.1 – Repeated neglect of signs or markings
- Article of the Code of Administrative Offenses of the Russian Federation 12.24 – Road accidents with victims
- Article 12.26 of the Code of Administrative Offenses of the Russian Federation – Refusal of a medical examination for intoxication
- Article of the Code of Administrative Offenses of the Russian Federation 12.27.3 – Alcohol consumption after an accident
Note: all ten of the above articles of the Code of Administrative Offenses of the Russian Federation do not imply the provision of a discount on the payment of a fine in the amount of fifty percent. The discount applies to other fines, including fines for tinting.
The traffic police fine for tinting provided for in Part 3.1 of Article 12.5 is 500 rubles. If this penalty is paid within 20 days from the date of receipt of the resolution or a copy of the resolution, the fine will be halved and amount to 250 rubles.
How to challenge a fine for tinting
Since the traffic police fine for tinting is not issued by automatic means of recording traffic violations, a technical failure in the process of measuring the light transmittance of the car glass is extremely unlikely.
Devices such as the luminous transmittance meter for glass “BLIK-N”, “BLIK-+” and their analogues, used by the traffic police, are regularly tested and must have the appropriate marks.
If it is possible to protest, it is rather the procedural side of determining the degree of tinted glass. The approvals for devices used to measure the light transmittance of glass, as a rule, contain an impressive list of restrictions on use - precipitation, temperature, and even the condition of the “cigarette lighter” into which the device for measuring tint can be inserted.
The rules for appeal are standard. Within the first ten days after receiving the fine, the motorist goes to the court at the place where the offense was committed and, using the samples provided, fills out a statement of claim form.
Traffic police trick
Back in 2017, many regional publications appeared in the press regarding various tricks that traffic police officers use to issue a fine for tinting a car or even arrest a driver for darkening the windows.
So, some traffic police, when they find a tint film on the windshield and side glass that does not meet light transmittance standards, will try to issue you a written warning, which will indicate the time frame within which the cause of the malfunction must be eliminated. If the driver does not try to remove the tint, then the next time he is stopped by the traffic police, he will receive a report with a penalty of a fine of 1,000 rubles or arrest for up to 15 days.
Way out
It so happens that at the moment the traffic police scarves for tinting are not draconian. Whatever you say, 250 rubles 1-2 times a month after stopping at a stationary checkpoint is a small amount even for a very modest motorist - a regional driver.
It's not about laws and fines for tinting, but about your personal responsibility for safety in the car to yourself and your loved ones. Driving a vehicle with tinted front windows at night significantly increases the risk of an accident.
The most optimal tinting option is partial darkening of car windows. Opaque glass on the outside of the rear hemisphere of the car will protect you and your loved ones from sidelong glances and help preserve property left in the car. Tinting your car's rear windows is completely legal in 2020.
Similar to the case with the supposedly introduced changes regarding the transportation of children in cars, the Internet is full of absolutely unreliable information on the topic of the fact that the law regarding tinting car windows has changed since the beginning of the year. Has the fine for tinting changed since January 1, 2017, has it increased, is it true that tinting will be officially allowed in 2017, and penalties will be cancelled.
Why is the law struggling with tinting?
When we talk about tinting car windows, it is worth first of all making a reservation that we are talking only about the windshield of the car and the side windows of the front row of seats. Regarding the rear of the car, you have the right to do whatever you want - tint with any films or completely board up these windows with boards, as long as both side rear-view mirrors are available.
Why is it illegal to tint the front windows of cars? For a reasonable person, the answer is obvious - the driver is obliged to watch the road and must anticipate dangerous situations in advance and prevent them. Driving in a darkened car at night cannot help but worsen visibility; the driver is unable to notice a pedestrian in dark clothes in time (which can be difficult to do even from a normal car) and other similar dangers. Try running at night wearing sunglasses and avoid falling through an open hatch. It's about the same.
All this does not need to be explained to a driver who is sensible and has at least an average level of intelligence. Unfortunately, not all drivers meet these requirements, so Russian roads are full of a variety of miracles: completely tinted car windows, artificially lowered suspension that disfigures already unattractive models, blinding light from headlights that do not meet the standards, etc. The drivers of such cars seem incredibly original and stand out from the crowd, in fact causing only laughter among other road users.
The law, meanwhile, punishes any design changes that affect safety, and tinting that goes beyond the standards is no exception. Last year there were persistent rumors that the fine for tinting would increase significantly from January 1, 2017 - either two or three times, or ten at once. We will find out whether this actually happened from an official source.
Has the fine for tinting changed since January 1, 2017?
The penalty for illegal darkening of car windows is specified in Article 12.5 of the Code of Administrative Offenses. At the moment, paragraph 3.1 of this article assumes exactly the same standard for incorrect tinting as it was before - a fine of five hundred rubles. There have been no changes in this regard yet, although, of course, this amount is too small for the punishment to be effective, and the fine really should be increased.
Among other rumors, there is also the opposite information - supposedly tinting will be allowed in 2017 and made legal. This is also not true - tinting is prohibited in 2017, no new law is planned in this regard, and the information that there is a 2017 tinting bill is also incorrect. So far, in this sense, everything has remained the same. You need to turn to official sources for reliable information; fortunately, they are available to everyone. Numerous articles copying blatant fabrications and unverified data from each other are not the best help.
At the end of 2020, many motorists were interested in what fine for tinting would be introduced in Russia from January 1, 2020.
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It turned out that there were no changes; any violation of the blackout rules will still require you to pay 500 rubles.
Important Information
Car tinting is a way to increase the comfort of being in a car for the driver and passengers.
With its help, you can improve the climate in the car and make what is happening in it invisible to those outside.
At the same time, tinting impairs visibility for the driver himself, primarily this applies to the windshield and front side windows.
For this reason, rules have been introduced in relation to them that make tinting these windows with standard indicators illegal.
For violating these rules, the driver is charged an administrative fine, the amount of which in 2020 is 500 rubles.
This amount remained unchanged compared to last year, despite the fact that many assumed that the fine would increase significantly in the new year.
The size of the sanction for a repeated violation will be similar, and in this case it will be 500 rubles.
The fine is levied after identifying a violation, which is carried out by a traffic police inspector using a taumeter.
It was determined that this device must be allowed to carry out measurements, and they themselves must take place under proper conditions. Otherwise, his testimony may be considered invalid.
Initial data
Car tinting is the finishing of its window surfaces with the aim, first of all, of reducing the amount of light entering the car from the outside, as well as to solve a number of other problems.
Tinting is carried out in most cases with various types of film. Other possible options are spraying and purchasing factory-made glass with ready-made tinting, but they are much less common.
A car is considered tinted if its shade level is over 65%.
With its lower value, the applied film is considered as decorative, which many people now use, mistakenly considering it as a tint film. Film thickness ranges from 60 to 380 microns.
A fine for tinting is a sanction established in the Code of Administrative Offenses for drivers who violate car tinting standards. This fine is currently 500 rubles.
Purpose of his appointment
The purpose of a fine for tinting is to encourage drivers to drive with windows that are tinted within acceptable parameters.
Windows that are too small have been found to have a significant impact on visibility.
It is difficult for the driver to make some maneuvers at night, in particular, parking in reverse is difficult.
In addition, when one driver moves in traffic, the driver following him faces difficulties in determining the situation on the road.
In a normal case, the driver is guided by several cars in front of him at once and manages to brake if necessary.
However, if the previous car is tinted, then, not knowing how the cars in front of him are driving, the driver may realize late that he needs to brake and collide with this car.
Difficulties arise when driving through an unequal intersection. A driver with tinted side windows may not see a car approaching from the side.
It is precisely because the tinting of windows, through which the driver receives information about what is happening, makes driving more dangerous for him, and appropriate fines were introduced.
What regulations governs
The following regulations apply to tinting:
- , a state standard that specifies acceptable values for the glass of land-based vehicles, including cars.
- TR CU 018/2011, a technical regulation in force within the Customs Union with the name.
- “Basic provisions for the admission of vehicles to operation and the responsibilities of officials to ensure road safety”, included as an integral part in the Russian ones.
- (accepted abbreviation of the Code of Administrative Offenses), which establishes penalties for darkening a car that does not comply with the law.
Penalty for tinting according to the new law from 2020
At the end of 2020, there were numerous reports according to which tinting carried out incorrectly should have been punished at an increased rate in the new year 2020.
It was assumed that for the repeated discovery that the driver was driving in a car not according to the rules, the fine would be 5,000 rubles.
In accordance with civil law, a violation is considered to be repeated if it was committed within one year after the previous one.
In fact, the new law on fines for tinting did not come into force in 2020. Therefore, in 2020 everything remains unchanged. The fine for both the first and repeated violations is still 500 rubles.
Acceptable light transmission standards
Permissible light transmission standards are established only for car front windows; they are discussed in the next section of the article.
At the same time, there are no such standards for the rear side and rear wheels. In other words, they can be tinted in any way you like, including with the darkest film with a light transmittance of 5%.
There is only one caveat for the rear window (but not the rear side windows!). When tinting it over the entire surface, the car owner is obliged to equip both sides of the car at the front with side-view mirrors, which will serve to orient the driver. If they are present, completely darkening the rear windows is quite acceptable.
What a driver needs to know about tinted car front windows
According to current legislation, the light transmittance of car front windows should be 75% for the windshield and 70% for the front side windows.
This means that, in fact, there is a ban on tinting these windows. Any tint film will darken the front windows much more, and for them the corresponding value will be inferior to the above. The lightest tint has a darkening factor of 50%.
At the same time, there is a reservation regarding the windshield, according to which full tinting of a 14-centimeter strip on its surface is allowed (but tinting on the windshield cannot exceed this width).
Many drivers use a tinting scheme in which a film with a light transmittance of 35% is applied to the front windows.
This product allows the driver to maintain good visibility of the road. At the same time, it is not formally allowed as a tint for these glasses.
How is a violation detected?
Violations of tinting standards are detected using a device called a taumeter.
Using this apparatus, the light transmittance of glass is measured in three different places located within the field of view.
After this, the arithmetic mean is determined from the three obtained numbers. It is this value that determines the light transmittance of a given window.
In the technical regulations there are a number of rules relating to the measurement of tint. If they are violated, the taumeter measurement results may be invalidated and lose their evidentiary value.
In particular:
The taumeter must have a proper seal; in addition, the drug must be accompanied by all certificates certifying its serviceability.
How much will the penalty be today?
Today, a fine is used as a penalty for tinting car windows that do not meet legal standards. It has a single value of 500 rubles.
What punishment awaits a motorist for a repeated violation if stopped by a traffic police officer?
A repeated violation in accordance with the Code of Administrative Offenses is considered non-compliance with the standards relating to car tinting, provided that it was detected within a year after the previous violation.
If a traffic police officer discovers a similar violation, but more than a year has passed since the previous fact, then such a violation is not considered a repeat violation.
The law establishes that for repeated violation of the rules for applying tint, the driver will face a similar punishment, that is, a fine of 500 rubles. Neither an increase in its value nor additional sanctions are envisaged.
At the same time, in the law enforcement practice of the Russian Federation, there are cases when a more severe punishment is imposed for a repeated violation.
In a number of regions, courts sentenced to administrative arrest car owners who, as it was established, continued to drive with improper tinting after a previous administrative case that resulted in a fine.
Their case was classified under another article of the Administrative Code, namely malicious disobedience to a police officer.
As a result, the period of administrative arrest in some cases was several days, and sometimes the maximum number was 15.
At the same time, many lawyers point out that the article on malicious disobedience contains the condition that it must be accompanied by a violation of public order.
Obviously, a driver who was previously stopped with improper tint and sentenced to an administrative fine and then, less than a year later, was stopped again with improper tint is not violating public order.
However, it is worth keeping in mind what the car owner faces for tinting if incorrect shading is detected again and such punishment as administrative arrest if the judge decides to apply the article on malicious insubordination.
Video: what will 2020 please you with? Fines, signs, maintenance, tinting and more
Is it possible to avoid it?
The ability to get away with driving with improper tint is a controversial issue. There is an opinion that this is possible.
According to one interpretation of the laws, the tinting of a car can be checked for its compliance with the requirements existing in the law exclusively at a stationary traffic police post.
At the same time, directly on the road, an inspection employee, according to this interpretation, does not have the right to determine the light transmittance of car windows.
At the same time, a driver who has not violated any traffic rules does not have the obligation to go to the traffic police post at the direction of the inspector.
According to the law, such an obligation arises for the motorist, since an administrative arrest has been applied to him.
And it is on this basis that he should go to the post. However, if no violation occurred, then there are no reasons for administrative arrest.
With this interpretation of the law, a driver who is stopped in a car with tinting that clearly does not meet the standards can avoid punishment, but it is not clearly accepted.
A more obvious opportunity for a driver to avoid punishment arises if the traffic police inspector does not have a taumeter.
Even if we accept that this employee has the right to measure the light transmittance of windows outside the traffic police post, then if he does not have it in his hands, the driver in any case is not obliged to go to this post for the reason stated above. Of course, in the event that he did not violate traffic rules.
At the same time, it is stipulated that if a taumeter is brought to the inspector while he is communicating with the driver, then he can measure the light transmittance.
Thus, the fine for tinting performed incorrectly in 2020 remained unchanged compared to 2020. Now it is still 500 rubles.
According to new legislative norms, the maximum monetary penalty from a violator of car tinting rules is now 5 thousand rubles. A fine for tinting in 2018 is issued after a violation has been recorded, but in this process there are still a lot of nuances that are incomprehensible to many drivers, which we will help you sort out.
Technical regulations
Some car enthusiasts mistakenly believe that any darkening of the windows is already a violation of current legislation. However, this is not the case; the administrative code clearly states the permissible technical indicators of toning:
- The rear window of a car can be covered with a film with any light transmission value. The same goes for the rear side windows. The only limitation is mirror tinting, as it can cause inconvenience to other road users;
- The windshield and front side windows must transmit at least 70% of light. Last year this figure was 5% higher;
- Tinting of front windows according to GOST 2017 also allows for the application of a completely dark stripe up to 14 cm wide from the top edge;
- The use of SP80 and SP90 films is prohibited, as they may distort the shapes and colors of approaching objects.
In practice, the new law on tinting of 2017 does not have any fundamental differences from the previous legislative act. However, it is worth considering that some car models are initially equipped from the factory with glass that allows only 90-95% of light to pass through. Dirt, minor scratches and dust reduce this figure by another 10%. So before upgrading, we advise you to measure how much light the windows of your vehicle let in under ideal conditions, so that you know what you will have to rely on when darkening and will not fall below the permissible level.
How control occurs
The standards for measuring transmitted light are written in Order of the Ministry of Internal Affairs No. 1240. The process uses a special tool - a taumeter. If you are stopped by a traffic police officer, be sure to make sure that the device is certified, as well as a special seal on the case. Failure to comply with these requirements gives you the right to leave without consequences.
The readings from the device are also affected by environmental conditions. Control is carried out only in dry weather with air humidity from 45% to 80% and temperatures from -10 to 40 degrees Celsius. Atmospheric pressure should be between 645 and 795 mmHg. Instruments for measuring the relevant parameters must be kept by the inspector, otherwise the driver may leave the place of violation without penalty.
Do you have doubts about the accuracy of the taumeter? Request a repeat procedure. During the second check, traffic police officers are required to attract two witnesses. The light transmission of glass is measured at three points. If the inspector recorded the device readings at only one point, the violation report is automatically considered invalid.
Sometimes inspectors may delay the search for witnesses. According to article of the new law 28.5 of the Code of Administrative Offenses of the Russian Federation, this is an unlawfully long delay of the vehicle at the control point. You can safely call the police to clarify the circumstances.
Remember that control can only be carried out at stationary traffic police posts under the supervision of a traffic police technical supervision inspector. The corresponding entry must be indicated on his certificate. The surface of the glass being tested must be clean and free of dirt or streaks.
Fine for tinting in 2018
So, measurements have been taken and there is a direct violation of administrative legislation. What awaits the driver in this case? Punishment for tinting is provided for in Part 3.1 of Article 12.5 of the Code of Administrative Offenses of the Russian Federation. It is based on a progressive system of sanctions, that is, with each subsequent violation, the car owner will suffer increasing losses.
The first order for tinting implies a fine of 500 rubles. By the way, back in 2016, a similar incident could have resulted in the removal of state registration plates. To date, license plates are not removed from cars for this reason.
If the driver breaks the rules again, the punishment for tinting will be more severe. A repeated stop by the traffic police will result in a fine of 1,000 rubles. Arrest for up to 15 days is also possible. Remember, you can only be arrested or re-fineed based on a court order. The inspector does not have the right to make such a decision independently.
Repeated violations threaten a monetary penalty in the amount of 5 thousand rubles. The procedure for calculating repeated fines is regulated by Part 1 of Article 20.25 of the Code of Administrative Offenses of the Russian Federation. In exceptional cases, the court may sentence the offender to compulsory community service for up to 50 hours. Please note that a repeated violation is considered to be committed no less than 24 hours after the previous one. A second stop on the same day does not count.
This law also sets a limit on the number of violations. If more than 12 orders for tinting were recorded, the driver may lose his license for a period of two to six months. The same applies to those who refuse to pay the fine issued to them.
Headlight tinting
It is also undesirable to apply third-party film coatings to headlights. Front lighting devices must not be red, that is, any red film is prohibited. The fine for violation is 3,000 rubles.
The light from the headlights can only be yellow, white or orange. The same applies to the rear ones. The only exception is reverse, which is indicated only in white. For repeated violations, a monetary penalty in excess of 3,000 rubles is possible. In exceptional cases, you may even be deprived of your rights.
Public reaction
Increasing monetary penalties for drivers who breach the 2018 window tinting law should gradually reduce the trend of darkening windows among road users. At least Russian officials are sure of this. Such statements are partly supported by statistics, since a large percentage of accidents occur precisely because of poor-quality tinting, which prevents normal visibility of the road.
Car owners greeted the new bill with massive discontent. In their opinion, tougher penalties for tinting are pointless and only lead to new inconveniences. In addition to its purely aesthetic function, tinting is useful for other reasons:
- Basic property protection. It is unlikely that a burglar will leave a valuable item in the cabin if it attracts his attention in a car without tinting;
- Tinted windows reflect most of the sun's rays and the interior does not heat up as much. Accordingly, climate control consumes less energy, reducing fuel consumption;
- Tinting effectively reduces the risk of glare from oncoming traffic, thereby increasing driver safety and comfort.
As a compromise, experts propose a revision of current technical requirements. Reducing the threshold of transmitted light by 10-20% will be beneficial to all parties and will not lead to an increase in the risk of accidents, since overly tinted cars will still remain illegal.
This practice is used in many foreign countries. For example, in the USA. According to California laws, special tinting with metal inclusions is a mandatory element of every car in the state. Such measures lead to a reduction in fuel consumption and negative impact on the environment.
Tricks
Some unscrupulous car owners use a trick by gluing a layer of tint on double-sided tape. It is quickly and carefully removed in front of the inspector, and then glued back into place. We do not recommend doing this; an experienced police officer can indicate in the report about the illegal installation of tinting. The fine will still have to be paid.
To protect the interior from sunlight, it is not necessary to stick tinting on the glass. You can use other options. For example, install an athermal windshield at a service center. It is capable of changing its color and light transmittance depending on the lighting. True, such a solution will cost a pretty penny; the cost of the service ranges from several hundred dollars.
As an alternative, parking tint is also used. These are special plastic curtains that can be quickly removed and put on in front of the glass. They are not a sticker, so they do not officially change the light transmittance. The price of the accessory does not exceed five hundred dollars.
