Having tinted windows is one of the easiest ways to modify your car, and it is so common that most people don’t really consider it an actual modification. If you’ve just purchased a car with completely untinted windows, chances are you’ve already started contemplating if it’s worth the money to have your windows tinted. But, there are some downsides to window tinting, such as how much you can legally tint your windows and windshield depending on the state you live in, and worse if it will void your new car warranty.

Does tinting windows void warranty?

Warranty limitations can vary greatly between manufacturers and even between makes and models and vehicle years. The standard limitations that buyers are typically aware of are years and mileage, where a standard warranty becomes void after the vehicle is a certain number of years old, usually around 3 to 6 years after original purchase or mileage.

In the fine print, however, every warranty limits the amount of which you can modify the car while still maintaining the warranty, but what is considered a modification can vary greatly. The safest bet is to read completely through the warranty limitations or reach out to your local dealership or brand representative to ensure that tinting your windows won’t void your warranty.

In some cases, the warranty is specific to the way the tint is installed, which is also an important thing to double-check. If the window must be removed in order to install the tint, the chances are higher that it will void your vehicle’s warranty because this requires the door panel to be taken apart.

Tinting your vehicle windows is illegal in some states

Depending on local and state laws, tinting your windows may be completely illegal. If it isn’t illegal, each state has specific laws on how much you are legally allowed to tint your windows, and it is allowed in most states to some extent because there are some benefits of having your windows tinted. In most states, however, you are not able to tint your entire windshield at all, but rather just the first top inch or so. Even if your car is out of the warranty period, it is important to follow state and local guidelines on window tinting.

Why should you tint your windows?

If it doesn’t void your warranty, or your vehicle is outside of its new-car warranty limitations already, there are a lot of benefits for tinting your car’s windows, according to News9. Tinted windows can minimize the effects of damaging UV rays on your car’s interior, which can lead to premature wearing and wrinkling of certain materials, such as leather. It can also help keep the interior temperature of your car cooler.

Tinting your windows can also protect your skin and eyes from the UV radiation produced by the sun, making it an option that is both convenient and healthy. Besides that, some people just prefer the bit of privacy that having tinted windows offers, regardless of how dark the tint actually is.

It is important to check the terms of your specific vehicle’s warranty before making any major or minor changes to the vehicle. Voiding a vehicle’s new car warranty defeats one of the many benefits that buyers enjoy about owning a new vehicle, and the last thing you want to do is accidentally void your vehicle’s warranty over something as seemingly minor as window tint.