Customers throw around "5 tint" and "35 percent" like everyone knows what they mean. Your installers do — but the customer usually doesn't. Here is the plain-English version you can hand a customer, plus how to use it to land on the right shade and the right price.
What the percentage actually means The number is **VLT — Visible Light Transmission**: the percentage of visible light the film lets *through* the glass. Lower number = darker tint.
- 50% tint lets half the light through. Light, mostly for heat/UV, barely looks tinted.
- 35% tint is the most popular "looks tinted but you can still see in a little." Legal in many states for front windows.
- 20% tint ("limo-ish") is dark — common on rear glass. You can just make out shapes inside in daylight.
- 5% tint ("limo") lets almost no light through. Often illegal on front windows; common on rear/SUV cargo glass.
What each shade looks like — day vs. night The conversation customers actually care about is visibility. Frame it that way:
- During the day, 35% looks darker than it really is because of the reflection.
- At night, every shade looks darker from the inside — a 20% rear window can make backing up feel sketchy. Steer nervous drivers toward 35% up front and save 5–20% for the rear.