Window tint on Maui

Choosing the film

Every car that comes into the bay at 430 Hookahi St gets one of three ProLayers films. V6 Comfort is a carbon film: no metal, no signal problems, a clean charcoal look and solid UV blocking. V10 Ceramic IR adds a nano-ceramic layer that rejects infrared heat, which is the part of sunlight you feel on your arm at a red light on Kaahumanu Avenue. V16 Ceramic IR MAX pushes that rejection further, which suits Teslas and anything with a glass roof.

The shade is a separate decision from the film. Any tier can be installed at a Hawaii-legal front shade, and the back glass can go darker if you want more privacy. If you are deciding between the two ceramic tiers, read ceramic tint first; if you want the plain-English difference between carbon and ceramic, the ceramic vs carbon comparison covers it.

Hawaii tint law in short

Front side windows and wing vents must pass at least 35% of visible light, measured through the film and the glass together; inspection allows a 6% tolerance, so a reading of 29% passes. Rear side windows and the back glass can be any shade on sedans, vans, minivans and trucks with mirrors on both sides. The statute does not name SUVs, coupes or hatchbacks, so on those bodies we confirm the rear shade with you before we cut.

The windshield can only take a strip across the top, down to the AS-1 line (or 4 inches from the top where there is no AS-1 mark). Mirrored film is out, so is film that looks red, yellow, amber or blue from outside, and no film goes over the third brake light on 2013 and newer vehicles. The installer must give you a certificate that the film complies, and it stays in the car; we hand one over with every vehicle install. The full breakdown, including the fines and why there is no medical exemption here, is on the Hawaii window tint law page.

What the quote is based on

Tint at Offshore is priced from labor hours, not from a flat menu, so two identical trucks get the same number and a Suburban does not pay the sedan rate. The glass layout sets the hours: two front doors is the smallest job, a four-door sedan or truck with back glass is the default, and a three-row SUV with quarter and cargo glass is the largest. Each film tier carries its own hours.

Windshield, sunroof and brow strips are add-ons, and the windshield is only offered on V10 and V16. The quote form asks for your year, make and model; the shop confirms the figure with Hawaii GET included and takes a deposit to hold the slot.

How long you will be without the car

A four-door sedan with back glass runs roughly two hours and change on V6 and about three and a half on V16. Trucks with two doors and back glass are faster; full-size SUVs with cargo glass take most of a day. If you only have a lunch break, the tint in 2 hours page explains which jobs fit and which do not, and how long window tint takes goes window by window.

New cars, shipped cars and work trucks

New cars come in straight from the dealers in Kahului, a few minutes down the road, because the UV that fades a dashboard starts on day one. New vehicles also have driver-assist cameras and rain sensors behind the glass; a non-metal ceramic film is the right call there, and we map every sensor before we cut.

Cars shipped over from the mainland are the other common job. Many arrive with front tint that was legal where they came from and is too dark for Hawaii’s 35% test, which the annual safety inspection meters. We read the glass with a meter, replace the front film if it fails, and give you the certificate; the shipped to Maui page explains the steps.

Trucks fill the rest of the schedule. Crew-cab F-150s, Silverados and Rams get the four-door plus back glass package, and a lot of them go dark on the rear with a legal front. Fleet owners with three or more vehicles get a volume rate and a schedule that keeps trucks working; if the goal is heat rather than looks, the Maui Heat package pairs ceramic tint with a windshield film.

What is covered

Coverage comes from two places: the written ProLayers manufacturer terms for the film you choose, and Offshore’s workmanship terms. Before installation we document the film and the window list and go over the duration, exclusions and claim process for your project. If an issue comes up later, bring the vehicle in; we inspect it, check the written terms and explain the next step. You also get a short care sheet at pickup.

Care after the install

Keep the windows up for three to five days. The haze or small water pockets you see in the first week are moisture under the film and they clear on their own; do not press on them. After that, clean the inside of the glass with an ammonia-free cleaner and a soft cloth. The outside can be washed the same day.

Driving in from around Maui

Kahului is about 8 minutes from the shop, Paia about 18 minutes along Hana Highway, Pukalani about 20 minutes up Haleakala Highway, and Kihei about 25 minutes on Mokulele Highway. Pricing is the same wherever you drive in from. Because the work takes a few hours, drivers from Lahaina, Kaanapali and Napili–Kapalua (about 45 to 60 minutes on Honoapiilani Highway) usually book the first slot of the morning and make a half day of it in Wailuku or Kahului.

Scheduling

Drop-offs start at 7 a.m. Monday to Friday and 8 a.m. on Saturday; the shop is closed Sunday. Request a quote with your vehicle, pick a drop-off time, and we will confirm the film, the shade and the window list in writing before you arrive.