Headlight tinting fine

What is the fine for tinting headlights in 2020?

Any changes to the external appearance of the vehicle must comply with current legislation. If the regulations do not allow changing the view, then this cannot be done. And one of the unacceptable practices is tinting the headlights. It indirectly affects road safety, increasing the risks of all road users. To minimize the risks of an emergency event, a penalty for tinting headlights has been introduced at the federal level.

And further about what tinting of headlights is, in what situations it is acceptable and when the driver will have to pay for such changes in the appearance of the vehicle.

Headlight tinting: types of monetary penalties

You can tint the front or rear lights, or all at once. The color of the coating can be bright red or match the tone of the car. The headlights can simply be covered with a colorless film, protecting the surface of the device.

The following sanctions are provided:

penalty for incorrect tinting of headlights - 3,000 rubles (more than 15% of light transmittance);
penalty for tinting rear lights - 500 rubles.

And then we will consider the various options.

Headlight Coverings: When is Covering Appropriate?

To be honest, tinting is an absolutely useless procedure from a practical point of view. The coating hardly protects the vehicle element in any way, but simply gives it aesthetic beauty. For example, a covered headlight harmonizes perfectly with the color of the car or, conversely, contrasts perfectly against its background. Most drivers tint their headlights not because they need to, but because they look beautiful.

What tinting options are there?

Despite the apparent uniformity of headlights, there is not one, but several methods of tinting.

This can be done using:

vinyl film. The coating can be glossy or matte. The advantage of the coating is that it allows you to protect the headlights themselves from minor scratches and other damage and physical impact. If necessary, the film can be easily removed or renewed.
varnish. A popular option among old-school drivers. The downside is that the method reduces the light transmittance of the headlight. The result is less light, more risks on the road. With this option the penalty will be 100%.

Not popular, but common options are painting. There are many paint options, each owner uses the one he considers necessary. There is also the option of “decorating” the headlight even with nylon tights.

The most correct option is film tinting. But you need to use such a coating correctly, understand its properties, strength, etc. Partial tinting of specific areas of the headlight is used, rather than full coverage.

Fine for tinting headlights 2020

Interesting fact: the owner of a vehicle can be held accountable for several measures at once - both for installing headlights and for driving such a vehicle.

based on Administrative Code 12.4.1

The essence of this rule is that the driver is held accountable for tinting the headlights red or another tone equivalent to this color. The penalty is applied not only for covering, but also for installing non-standard red devices on the front or rear headlights.

Based on this violation, either the driver, if the vehicle belongs to an individual, or an official of the company who allowed this fact is held liable (in addition, the company itself is also held accountable). The peculiarity is that the offense is not driving a car, but the installation of red headlights itself.

The type of punishment is a monetary penalty in the amount of 3,000 rubles with additional confiscation of such devices.

based on Administrative Code 12.5.1

The essence of the rule is violation of the rules for operating a vehicle, including the installation of lighting fixtures that violate the rules for permitting a vehicle to operate. In fact, these are cases when the headlights are tinted with any color other than red, and the light transmittance of the devices is significantly reduced.

You can simply receive a warning (depending on the severity of the act), and also receive a fine of 500 rubles.

based on Administrative Code 12.5.3

Become somewhat similar to 12.4.1. Code of Administrative Offences, but the only difference lies in the actions of the driver: there he is held accountable for installing tinting or other additional elements, but here he is punished for driving such a car.

Nobody issues a fine. They can immediately confiscate your license for a period of six months to a year.

Penalties

The punishment depends on how serious the offense was committed by the owner of the car and how much the light transmittance of the devices was impaired. For example, it is strictly forbidden to paint headlights. With such coverage, the risks of an emergency on the roads at night are enormous.

But depending on the type of act, there may be different measures of liability, which will be discussed further.

Headlight tinting

Liability for tinting headlights can vary from monetary penalties to confiscation of rights. The type of punishment is even influenced by the color of the tinting:

Thus, for covering headlights in red, a penalty of 3,000 rubles is provided. The sanction for individuals involves not only payment of the specified amount, but also confiscation of such devices. If a car with red headlights belongs to a company, then it will be obliged to pay from 400 to 500 thousand rubles to the budget. The official who committed the violation will be fined 15 thousand rubles. (maximum amount - up to 20 thousand rubles);
When tinting headlights with any color other than red, the penalty will be 500 rubles. The reason for the punishment is a decrease in the light transmittance of the headlight on the road, which can lead to an emergency situation on the roads.

The driver may be left without the right to drive a vehicle for a period of up to 12 months. The sanction applies when installing red tinting. As a rule, inspectors apply the norm in court when a violation is repeatedly recorded.

Tail lights: to tint or not?

Regardless of whether the headlights are front or rear, tinting after the car has left the factory assembly line is strictly prohibited. An exception is if the car, according to production regulations, is already produced with some tinting.

It is also interesting that you cannot even cover the taillights with a protective film. Despite the fact that it does not affect light transmission in any way, it is prohibited by law. And even for this they can issue a fine.

There are people who try to circumvent the law. For example, according to the regulations, you cannot cover the headlights with a coating that somehow distorts the optical image. This could be film, varnish, etc. But, for example, plywood or cardboard do not create such an illusion and can be freely used to “fix” lanterns. So no, this is also a violation.

What if the tint comes from the factory?

The only case when the driver is not responsible in any way for the presence of tinting on his car. There are several models that are already on the market with tinted headlights. If an inspector stops such a car, the owner must explain the situation. He will definitely not be responsible for the manufacturer.

Light tinting: to pay a fine or not?

There are many cars on the roads with poorly tinted headlights. In practice, violators are not often held accountable for such actions. The inspector simply does not see such tinting and cannot hold the owner accountable. In fact, he can do this based on the rules of the law. Therefore, even for weak tinting one day you will have to pay. But if it’s not very visible, then you can try and test your luck.

Headlight tinting: is it possible to pass a technical inspection?

Theoretically, you can pass a technical inspection with tinted headlights. The same Code of Administrative Offenses does not in any way prohibit driving a vehicle where the headlights have a slightly reduced light transmittance. There is a clear ban on tinting the side and windshield, but nothing is said about the headlights. Conclusion of our motorists: not prohibited, therefore allowed.

But no. If you look at the requirements that a car must meet before being allowed to drive, it says: you cannot operate a vehicle where the headlights have a poor lighting function. Therefore, no service station employee should give the go-ahead when the headlights are tinted. And if you can still “close your eyes” when covering the rear lights, then when tinting the headlights this is strictly prohibited.

Headlight tinting is a purely decorative tool, in some cases it performs a light protective function. But in most cases, the coating reduces the light transmittance of devices, which increases the risk of an emergency. That is why there is a punishment for such actions of the car owner.

No one is saying that light tinting can harm road users. With this option, even inspectors can only issue warnings without imposing penalties. But other types of tinting can not only damage the vehicle, but also harm people’s lives. Therefore, it is better to refuse such beauty.

Is tinting the front and rear headlights allowed or prohibited?

Compliance with traffic rules is a vital necessity for every road user. To protect yourself and other drivers, you should also take the time to maintain your vehicle. Any design changes to the vehicle may cause a malfunction and lead to an emergency situation.

The likelihood of an accident also increases if tuning work is carried out, which can reduce the quality of visibility. In particular, we are talking about tinting lighting fixtures. The fine for tinting headlights in 2019 is quite large.

When is headlight tinting appropriate?

To figure out whether tinting headlights is allowed, you first need to decide on the feasibility of carrying out this type of procedure. It should be noted right away that tinting a vehicle’s light fixtures is more of a fashion statement than a vital necessity.

The color of the headlight tinting can be in harmony with the overall color scheme of the vehicle. An option with the implementation of contrasting colors is also possible. You should be as careful as possible, because too dense tinting can lead to a decrease in the brightness of the headlights .

Varnish or film?

Tinting of vehicle lighting equipment is carried out using film or varnish. In the first case, a special vinyl film is used, which also acts as an additional element to protect the headlight from mechanical damage. It protects lighting fixtures from small stones.

If necessary, this type of tint can be removed very easily. And in order to ensure that the level of light transmission does not decrease, you can simply tint only a separate section of the headlight with film. The surface of this type of tinting can be matte or glossy.

Important! According to established safety standards, the tint film must absorb no more than 15% of the brightness of light radiation (this applies primarily to headlights). Otherwise, operation of the vehicle will be prohibited.

The presence of factory tinting on the headlights exempts you from paying a fine for violating the rules of vehicle operation. Personally tinting lighting fixtures with varnish may entail administrative liability. This is due to a decrease in the light transmittance of lighting equipment. Tinting headlights with paint is also fraught with a fine.

Maintenance and tinting of headlights

The legality of tinting lighting fixtures is determined by the Code of Administrative Offenses of the Russian Federation. At the same time, there is no clear interpretation as to whether tinting headlights is prohibited in the presented document. The vagueness of such a concept obliges us to consider each case separately. However, if there is a tint layer on the lighting fixtures, you should be prepared for difficulties during maintenance.

During the technical inspection, the requirements specified in the Technical Code are put forward for external lighting devices. In accordance with this document, during maintenance a set of testing activities is carried out aimed at studying the reliability of fastening and the performance of lighting equipment. Here an inspection is carried out for the presence of mechanical damage.

Non-compliance with established requirements can be raised for various reasons:

changing the shape of external lighting devices;
presence of mechanical damage;
presence of contamination;
lack of light diffusers;
the presence of additional elements covering part of the lighting fixtures;
inoperability of light-emitting diodes (less than 1/3 of the total number).

As for the tinting of the rear lighting devices, the intensity of the emitted light is not measured. Therefore, provided that after applying the film the color has not changed, then there is no reason for the refusal to pass MOT . A change in the color of the headlights is a very good reason for the condition of the vehicle to be recognized as not meeting the established requirements following a technical inspection.

The important point is not the fact that the car has received permission to participate in road traffic, but the possibility of safe operation. The use of tinting for lighting fixtures can be positioned as making changes to the original performance characteristics of the vehicle. And such metamorphoses are fraught with the occurrence of an emergency situation. It is for this reason that before applying a tint layer, it is recommended to weigh all the main points and make the most appropriate decision.

Everything according to GOST

In accordance with established rules, low and high beams must be exclusively white . As for the side lights, they should also glow white at the front of the vehicle and red at the rear. According to GOST, the brake signal always glows red, and the registration plate illumination is always white.

Those wishing to tint fog lights should also take into account the established requirements. Front lights of this type should glow white or yellow. The required light for equipment located behind is red. The turn signals are yellow. The reversing lights should glow white.

However, if you adhere to such rules, then the operation of vehicles of American and Japanese origin will not be possible. This is due to the fact that these cars are equipped with red turn signals. As a result, the main list of faults and conditions under which the operation of vehicles is prohibited was subject to certain changes.

As a result, vehicles with white, yellow or orange lights installed in the front part were allowed to operate. Retroreflective devices must be white.

At the rear it is possible to use red, yellow or orange lights. Reversing lights and license plate lights must be exclusively white.

This interpretation has made it possible in Russia to return cars of Japanese and American origin to the road, as well as to prohibit the operation of vehicles with excessive illumination.

Penalties

Regarding the penalty for non-compliance with the rules for operating external lighting devices of a vehicle, it may be different. Tinting with paint is strictly , as this reduces the light transmittance of the headlights. At night or in conditions of poor visibility, this can lead to an emergency situation on the road.

Headlight tinting

The fine for tinting the headlights of a car is imposed in accordance with Articles 12.4 clause 1, 12.5 clause 1 and 12.5 clause 3 of the Administrative Code. If we talk about the first case, then here we are talking about the installation of lighting devices or red light reflective devices. The penalty for individuals in this case will be equivalent to 3,000 rubles. Additionally, equipment is confiscated. Officials responsible for the operation of vehicles are fined 15,000-20,000 rubles. Legal entities face a fine of 400,000-500,000 rubles.

According to Art. 12.5 clause 1, the driver may also be subject to a fine of 500 rubles for driving a car with malfunctions or failure to obtain permission for general operation due to the application of a tint layer on lighting fixtures with a further reduction in light transmission.

In accordance with the same article, but paragraph 3, the driver may even lose the right to drive a vehicle for different periods of time. The period for confiscation of a driver's license varies from six months to twelve months. This penalty is relevant in the case of installing lighting devices or red light reflective devices.

Tinted rear lights

In the third part of Art. 12.5 of the Code of Administrative Offenses does not say anything specific about the fine for tinting rear headlights. For this reason, an administrative penalty is imposed in accordance with the first part of the article.

It states that driving a vehicle with malfunctions or in the event of failure to obtain permission for the vehicle to be used for general use is punishable by a fine of 500 rubles . This is the maximum amount of monetary penalty that a driver faces if he violates the rules for using vehicle lighting, but in practice, there is usually no fine for tinting rear lights .

What's the result?

Tinting the lighting equipment on a car can lead to a decrease in the overall light transmission of the headlights. In the future, this threatens to create an emergency situation on the road. Additionally, it should be noted that the use of tinted brake lights increases the likelihood of an accident. In this case, the owner of a vehicle with tinted headlights will be considered the culprit.

To avoid this scenario, it is recommended to refrain from using tinted headlights or resort to implementing such a solution only as a last resort. Compliance with established tinting rules is a vital necessity here.

Headlight tinting - fine in 2018

Tinting headlights is a fashion trend, but clearly not an urgent need. Any tuning and design changes to a vehicle can lead to an emergency situation. Therefore, it is so important to know which headlight tinting is acceptable and which entails penalties in the form of penalties. The fine for tinting headlights varies from 500 rubles. for ordinary citizens and up to 500 thousand rubles. for organizations.

Fine for tinting headlights

Headlight tinting fine 2018

Some car owners in Russia like it when the shade of the headlights harmonizes with the color of the car, while others like bright colors of lighting devices. The temptation is especially great to apply tint to a new car. Such citizens do not think about fines for headlight covers. But in vain, because you need to tint wisely not only to avoid a fine, but also to pass technical inspections. inspection.

The main problem is that the law does not clearly state how headlights can be tinted and how not. Therefore, there is always a potential risk of unforeseen situations and difficulties both when undergoing maintenance and when driving a tuned car around the city. The main requirement for headlights is that they transmit the required level of light. According to many car service specialists, applying a film reduces the level of safety of vehicle operation.

Important! The denser the tinting, the higher the likelihood that the headlights will shine dimly: an oncoming car in the evening and at night may not notice the tuned car. The risk of road accidents increases.

There are 2 known ways to apply tone:

vinyl tint film;
varnish

In the case of a reasonable application of tinting film on the headlights, a fine can be avoided: this is the most optimal option, since it can be replaced at any time and removed during maintenance.

Pros of tint film:

ease of application, safe removal;
possibility of quick replacement and adjustment of light transmission;
5 year warranty;
Allows light to diffuse more softly.

Headlights tinted with Chameleon film

Mainly the front headlights are tinted with film; for the rear ones, acrylic varnish with special pigmentation is used.

The advantage of tinting with varnish is that it is cheap. But there are as many as 3 minuses: this is the difficulty of changing the color, a significant reduction in light transmission capacity and poor visibility when driving in the evening at night. The coating is often applied unevenly: as a result, light is diffused less smoothly than with film tinting. Therefore, before saving money and tinting your car with varnish, you should think again about the possible negative consequences.

Headlights, tinted with varnish

According to GOST 3544-75, high and low beam lights should shine white. The side lights should also be white at the front and red at the rear. Headlights that glow during fog can be either yellow or white.

Important! If the tint color of the headlights differs from GOST due to factory assembly - for example, cars from Japan and the USA have red turn indicators - these vehicles will be able to be used without problems. There is no fine for tinted headlights in this case.

Sometimes tinting protects light fixtures from damage: if a pebble gets caught under a wheel, the film can protect the headlight from cracks. Many auto centers even offer to apply a special 2 mm transparent film.

So, the headlights should shine in white to illuminate the distance and near front lights, registration signs and rear lights. Red color is used in the tinting of rear lights, brake lights, and anti-fog headlights on the rear of the car. Fog lights should be yellow or white, and the turn signal for American vehicles and Japanese cars can be red or yellow.

What is the fine?

The 2018 fine for tinting rear lights is regulated by Art. 12.4, 12.5 – clauses 1 and 12.5 clause 3 of the Administrative Code.

Punishment in the form of a monetary sanction threatens motorists who:

the lighting devices do not match the color scheme - on the front of the vehicle they are red: for physical persons. persons 3 thousand rubles* + confiscation of tuning parts (possible deprivation of rights for a period of 6 months to a year according to paragraph 3 of article 12.5.), for persons upon execution - from 15 to 20 thousand rubles*, for organizations – from 400 to 500 thousand rubles*
if the light transmission capacity is insufficient, the fine will be 500 rubles.* In this case, the violation of the specified lighting criteria must be at the front headlights.

In the event of an accident, the driver who has the film pasted on the headlights will be responsible - a fine cannot be avoided.

Who can fine?

Only traffic police officers, in particular traffic police, can fine drivers for this administrative offense. It is their responsibility to monitor the situation on the roads of Moscow and other Russian cities. Representatives of other departmental structures are not vested with similar powers.

Traffic police inspector stops a violator

Important! The traffic police inspector at the scene of the incident is obliged to write out a Protocol, which records the date, information about the vehicle, owner and the essence of the violation. There is no need to pay the fine on the spot. This can be done at a Sberbank branch, a special application or website.

You can appeal the decision within 10 days, and pay the fine within 3 months.

How to pay the fine?

The most convenient way to pay traffic police fines is online: through the State Services portal, the official website of the traffic police, as well as the mobile application. If you don’t have a phone at hand, but you really want to pay the fine “without delay,” you can do it through the Sberbank system: both through an ATM and through a teller.

But it is better to wait for the moment when you have the opportunity to use Internet technologies, since in case of payment through State Services or the website, a 50% discount is provided on the amount from the Protocol. In addition, using the built-in service on the website, you can check whether the owner of the vehicle has any other fines. To do this, you must enter the vehicle registration number and driver's license number. The list will be generated automatically.

How to avoid a fine for booking headlights?

It is allowed to operate a vehicle with the color of lighting fixtures permitted in accordance with GOST after tuning, as well as vehicles with factory-tinted headlights. In other cases, it will not be possible to avoid punishment.

What changes are planned at the legislative level?

Preparation of a new bill

The State Duma Committee is already preparing a draft law to tighten penalties for car tinting by 10 times. There is a high probability that the requirements will become stricter not only for car windows, but also for headlights. In addition, on May 4, 2018, more stringent rules for undergoing maintenance came into force: now any design change must be recorded in the vehicle passport. If a discrepancy between the brand of the steering wheel or the car's injectors is the reason for the car not being allowed into operation, then tinted headlights can bring trouble to the car owner. Therefore, tinting the headlights in 2018 with a dark film and, moreover, varnishing them is strongly not recommended.

Tinted taillights fine 2018

Note! The law does not provide for a fine for tinted taillights.

The rear lights can be tinted in red, yellow and orange. At the same time, reversing lighting devices and state lighting. signs must be white. If there are violations, according to the Code of Administrative Offences, Part 1. Article 12.5. for tinted taillights the fine will be 500 rubles.* Thus, traffic police inspectors can be fined for tinted taillights in exceptional cases.

To tint or not to tint headlights is a personal decision for everyone. But it is not a fact that the owner of a tuned car will be supported by traffic police inspectors, maintenance employees, and road users. Therefore, it is so important to study all the nuances of the legislation regarding headlight tinting and make the right choice, finding a compromise between safety and design.

*Fine amounts are current as of July 2018.

Fine for tinting headlights and taillights 2019

Which article in the traffic rules says about tinting headlights and taillights?

What is the fine for tinting headlights and taillights in 2019? Requirements for tinting according to GOST. Current fines in this article from the specialists of the website “Traffic Police Fines”

The traffic police fine for tinting headlights and rear lights in 2019 is

Article 12.4 part 1, 12.5 part 1, 12.5 part 3 of the Code of Administrative Offenses of the Russian Federation

Sections:

Checking and paying traffic fines 50% discount

We are checking information about fines,
please wait a few seconds

Fine for tinting headlights 2019

Traffic police officers can fine you for tinting your headlights under several articles of the Administrative Code. The basis for a fine may be the installation of non-standard lighting fixtures itself, or the operation of a car with modified headlights.

Changing the color and dimming of car headlights is a factor that objectively reduces safety on the road.

There are two reasons for the proceedings:

Use of non-standard colors of lighting devices (Front any color except white, yellow and orange. Rear any color except white, red yellow and orange)
Changing the light transmittance of lighting fixtures, tinting

1. Administrative Code 12.4.1

Installation on the front of a vehicle of lighting devices with red lights or red reflective devices, as well as lighting devices, the color of the lights and the mode of operation of which do not comply with the requirements of the Basic Provisions for the admission of vehicles to operation and the duties of officials to ensure road safety, - entails the imposition of an administrative fine on citizens in the amount of three thousand rubles with confiscation of the specified instruments and accessories.

Fine 3000 rub. confiscation of devices

2. Code of Administrative Offenses 12.5.1

Driving a vehicle in the presence of malfunctions or conditions under which, in accordance with the Basic Provisions for the admission of vehicles to operation and the duties of officials to ensure road safety, operation of the vehicle is prohibited, with the exception of malfunctions and conditions specified in parts 2-7 of this article , - entails a warning or the imposition of an administrative fine in the amount of five hundred rubles.

Fine 500 rub. for management with malfunctions, which include headlights with incorrect illumination.

3. Code of Administrative Offenses 12.5.3

Driving a vehicle on the front of which are installed lighting devices with red lights or red reflective devices, as well as lighting devices, the color of the lights and the mode of operation of which do not comply with the requirements of the Basic Regulations for the admission of vehicles to operation and the duties of safety officials road traffic - entails deprivation of the right to drive vehicles for a period of six months to one year with confiscation of the specified devices and accessories.

Driving a vehicle with red lights on the front (headlights or reflectors) will result in license deprivation for 6-12 months.

Fine for tinting rear lights 2019

There is no fine for tinting the rear lights of cars in Russia as such. The only indirect reference to the operation of rear lighting devices is present in the first paragraph of Article 12.15 of the Code of Administrative Offenses of the Russian Federation - “Driving a vehicle in the presence of malfunctions or conditions under which, in accordance with the Basic Provisions for the admission of vehicles to operation and the responsibilities of officials to ensure road safety, operation vehicle is prohibited."

The Basic Provisions for Approval of a Vehicle for Operation states that the number, type, color, location and mode of operation of external lighting devices must comply with the requirements of the vehicle design, and they must not be dirty.

The maximum fine for tinting rear lights is 500 rubles. However, in the event of an accident, tinted rear lights, including brake lights, will be taken into account as an aggravating circumstance.

Requirements for tinting according to GOST 2019

GOST clearly formulates a list of colors of lighting devices permitted for use on the front and rear surfaces of cars. In front, the low, high and side beam headlights can be exclusively white, the turn signal yellow or orange. At the rear, the license plate illumination is exclusively white, as is the reverse signal, the brake lights are only red, the turn signals are yellow, red or orange.

The fork in colors is a forced measure reflected in GOST in response to the appearance in Russia of a large number of American and Japanese cars with red turn signals at the rear. The strictest ban on the operation of cars with red reflectors and lighting devices is due to the fact that drivers on highways, even in poor visibility conditions, must accurately determine the direction of movement of vehicles by color. This increases the safety of overtaking.

Inspection and tinting of headlights 2019

The Administrative Code contains a direct ban on tinting the front side windows and windshield, but there is no such clear ban on changing the light transmittance of headlights and lanterns. This state of affairs leaves hypothetical chances for motorists to pass inspection with tinted headlights.

On the other hand, the Basic Regulations for the admission of vehicles to operation contain clauses prohibiting the operation of a vehicle with non-standard and dirty lighting fixtures.

During the technical inspection of headlights, specialists are required to inspect and test the fasteners, check for damage and measure the transmittance of the headlights. These requirements apply to rear lights to a lesser extent.

Current practice shows that it is very difficult to undergo maintenance on cars with tinted headlights.

Is it legal to tint taillights?

The first thing you need to find out in order to improve technical literacy is the difference between headlights and car lights. The headlights are the front headlights and there are also fog lights. But what shines from behind the car is usually called lights. Although, in fairness, we note that this is not a completely logically correct name, because the lights are designed to illuminate, and not to indicate the car and notify with signals about certain intentions of the driver. And now about the main thing - is it possible to tint the rear lights of a car according to the law for 2019 and what will happen to it? The answer to this question will be quite short.

What regulates the tinting of lighting devices?

There are a number of regulations for the driver that he must know and comply with. The main ones are traffic rules, the secondary ones. There are many of them, and among them there is the Technical Regulation “ On the safety of wheeled vehicles .” It is these 2 legal acts that we need, since the chain of references to answer the question about the legality of tinting the rear lights lies in them.

So, the basics of the Road Traffic Rules tell us that:

all other legal acts of 2019 must not contradict the traffic rules (clause 1.1),
the driver is obliged to know the paragraphs of the Rules that apply to him (clause 1.3).

But the Rules have several more applications that are an integral part of them, and one of them concerns vehicle malfunctions, specifically the design and external lighting devices.

We are interested in paragraph 7.18 of the List of Faults, which states that operation of the vehicle is prohibited if changes are made to the design without permission from the traffic police. And it is precisely the rules for the design features of cars, as well as their changes, that are regulated by the above-mentioned Technical Regulations.

Is it possible to tint the taillights?

It is forbidden. The Technical Regulations prohibit doing this in all cases where this is not provided for by the design - more precisely, if the car has not yet been released from the factory with tinted lights (or headlights). Appendix No. 8, section 4, clause 3.6 of the Technical Regulations regulates the following:

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 .

As you can see, you cannot tint the rear lights of your car. Nothing and nothing that fits the term “ optical element ”. But this does not mean that you can board them up with plywood, assuming that the latter is not an optical element. In fact, lighting devices cannot be covered with anything (Section 23.3 of the Traffic Regulations).

It is prohibited to tint lamps according to the text of the regulations and with transparent films, even if they do not perform any functions of optical color change (for example, they protect the glass of the lamp from damage). Likewise, spray tint cannot be applied to taillights, since it is an optical element.

What if the tint comes from the factory?

And then you can. If the windows of the lamps or headlights are tinted from the factory (this, for example, is found in the VW Passat B5 model in a number of modifications), then if a violation of the regulations is observed, then this is not the driver’s fault.

And bringing him to justice without guilt under the legislation in force in 2019 is impossible due to the lack of corpus delicti.

What if the tint is weak?

This is exactly the case: if it’s a little, then it’s possible. But this is not according to the law. In practice, traffic police officers on the road simply either will not notice or will not “find fault” with the tinting if it does not greatly darken the illumination of the vehicle’s rear lights. But this is not salvation - sooner or later, even for weak tinting you can be fined.

By the way, the common sense of any driver should also incline towards such tinting, which practically does not darken the light. After all, the result may not take long to arrive!

What's the fine?

The fine for tinted light fixtures in our case will be 500 rubles, and in very rare cases it may be limited to a warning. This is provided for by Part 1 of Article 12.5 of the Code of Administrative Offenses, which prescribes punishment for driving a car in the presence of malfunctions listed in the Basic Provisions of the Traffic Regulations.

The logical chain here is simple: the Code of Administrative Offenses refers to the Traffic Regulations Appendix, and the latter, in turn, to the Technical Regulations. In fact, if the safety regulations for wheeled vehicles are violated, then the traffic rules are also violated.

Such a fine can be paid with a 50% discount within 20 days after the decision is made or even later in some cases if this deadline is missed.

Can I avoid a fine if I fix it on the spot?

No. Alas, eliminating the condition leading to the violation on the spot, if possible, is the responsibility of the driver, and it does not affect the fine in any way.

The point here is that, again, traffic rules oblige (clause 2.3.1) the driver to ensure that the vehicle is in good condition on the way. This means that if a malfunction is detected, you are obliged to correct it in any case. But the very fact of the violation - driving the car in the presence of such a malfunction - has already taken place and was recorded by the traffic police inspector, therefore the fine is justified.

Can they issue a claim for this?

The sensational “demand” or “order” for tinting among those who like to tint the front hemisphere of car windows, for which quite successfully in practice they are imprisoned, is allegedly based on the legality of a police officer to demand that a citizen stop an offense. We discussed why it is actually illegal in a separate article.

But in theory, such a requirement could also apply to tinting the rear lights. In practice, there are no known cases of these being written out precisely together with a resolution under Part 1 of Article 12.5 of the Code of Administrative Offenses. However, according to the logic of the courts, the inspector can demand anything that is outside the law - more precisely, back up already issued fines with written requirements - from speeding to running a red traffic light and driving a car while drunk. Therefore, here it’s already “as the cards fall.”