Manitoba Car Window Tinting Regulations
If you are planning to window tint your automobile , you’ll need to know the legal restrictions here in Manitoba. Laws regarding window tinting vary from province to province in Western Canada, so it’s useful to know what limitations apply to your area.
According to the Highway Traffic Act of the C.C.S.M. (Continuing Consolidation of the Statutes of Manitoba), passenger vehicles are limited to a maximum of 45% (+/- 5%) of light transmission blockage at the front side windows. Basically the law states that at least 50% light transmission is required. For rear side windows, the restriction is set at 35%, meaning there is an allowance of an additional 10% of tinting in back side windows. For rear facing windows, there are no restrictions. In all cases, the vehicle is also required to have both left and right exterior rear-view mirrors.
These restrictions have been set forth in an effort to ensure traffic safety as well as the safety of law enforcement officers who need to be able to locate and identify drivers and passengers of vehicles through closed windows. Pedestrians and other drivers need to be able to see and make eye contact with one another when sharing the road to avoid accidents. This is the reason for the more stringent restrictions on the front side windows. Excessively tinted windows can impair drivers’ vision at night as well. Windshield tinting is limited by Manitoba law to a depth of 15 cm from the upper edge downward.
For the purposes of the law, a passenger vehicle is defined as a motor vehicle having a designated seating capacity of no more than 10 passengers, but does not include motorcycles, trucks or multipurpose vehicles.
Window tinting professionals, like your Ming Auto Beauty pros, will know the current local laws regarding tinting restrictions. Contact us at Ming so that we can help you select the right window tinting choice for your vehicle, and keep you on the right side of the law.
