Ceramic Window Tinting in Washington

At Kepler, yes. Both ranges — Kepler IR and Kepler IR+ — are nano-ceramic film. The two words describe different things: IR is what the film is aimed at, infrared energy, and ceramic is what it is made of. Other brands use them more loosely, so if you are comparing, ask what the film is actually built from and what infrared figure comes with it.

Kepler IR cuts 81% of infrared heat. IR+ cuts 98%. Both block over 99% of UV. One thing worth knowing: infrared is only part of the sunlight hitting your car, so those figures are not the whole heat story — for the full picture, Kepler rates IR+ at 51% to 72% total solar energy rejection, depending on shade. No number predicts how warm your cabin gets; that is down to your glass, your interior and where you park.

Against standard car window tinting, ceramic earns its money in two places. It works far harder on the heat you actually feel — 81% of infrared on Kepler IR, 98% on IR+. And with no metal in it, it leaves your phone, radio, GPS and keyless entry alone. Kepler also rates both ceramic ranges against fading, so the shade you choose is the shade you keep.

It depends on the car, how many windows you are doing, and whether you go IR or IR+. IR+ costs more because it does more. For a sense of scale before you speak to anyone, our pricing guides set out what moves the number. Kepler does not price the job — the dealer who fits the film does that, once they have seen the car.

Leave the windows up while the film cures. How long depends on the film, the glass and the weather — a damp week west of the Cascades takes longer than a dry one east of them, so let your dealer give you the number rather than guessing. After that, a soft cloth and a gentle cleaner are all it needs. Worth knowing: Kepler’s Warranty Information covers a manufacturing defect in the film, not damage from handling it. Have a look at the window tint laws page before you settle on a shade, so the film you are looking after is one you are allowed to keep.

Not really. A heat lamp and a thermometer will show you a difference, but not a measurement — the answer moves with the lamp, the distance and the glass, and none of that is controlled on a driveway. That is why manufacturers quote infrared and total solar energy rejection from laboratory conditions rather than a temperature. If you want to check something solid, a tint meter reads visible light transmission, and that is the figure Washington actually regulates. The limits are on our window tint laws page.

The same rules as any other film — Washington cares about light and reflection, not what the film is made of. Every window except the windshield has to let through at least 24% of visible light and reflect no more than 35%. One layer of film per window, and mirrors on both sides. Anything darker than 24% goes behind the driver only, and only on a vehicle the manufacturer classed as a truck, motor home or multipurpose passenger vehicle. Windshields take clear UV film, or a tinted strip along the top six inches outside the AS-1 area. The full detail is on our Washington window tint laws page, and the statute is RCW 46.37.430 if you want to read it in full.

Driving with film outside those limits is a traffic infraction in Washington, so agree the shade against the rule before the film goes on, not after.

Metalized film bounces heat off a metal layer, and that layer causes its two problems: it can interfere with your phone, radio and GPS, and it gives the glass a reflective sheen. In Washington that matters twice over, because mirror-finish film is not allowed on vehicles at all. Ceramic film absorbs infrared in ceramic particles instead — same job, no metal. Kepler’s own position is that its nano-ceramic construction handles heat without the mirrored look or the signal trouble.

Because of what is in it. A dyed film just darkens glass. A ceramic film has to hold engineered particles at an even size and density right across the sheet, so it takes out infrared without clouding what you see through it. Kepler IR+ goes further again — a high-purity ceramic layer, an Ultra Bond adhesive and a Scratch Guard+ top coat. Whether that is worth paying for comes down to how much the heat bothers you and how long you are keeping the car.

Send the quote form on this page with your vehicle details and we will introduce you to an independent local tinter. From there it is between you and them — the range, the shade, the price and the arrangements. If you would rather start by looking, the dealer search page is there too. Either way, check availability and timing with the dealer before you plan around the work; Kepler makes the introduction, not the booking.