How Much Does Window Tinting Cost in Australia? (2026)

The short answer: In October 2026, the tint shops we checked advertised the side and rear windows of a hatch or sedan for $220 to $900. Carbon film was listed at $240 to $450 (only one shop’s carbon prices went above $360), ceramic film at $285 to $650, and the top multi-layer ceramic films at up to $890. Large 4WDs and people movers cost more at every shop that lists them, SUVs cost more at some shops, removing old tint adds about $100 to $250, and the windscreen is priced separately.

We read the published price lists of 11 tint shops in five states in October 2026: two each in New South Wales, Queensland, South Australia and Western Australia, and three in Victoria. Every price below was published by a named shop or retailer, and each range runs between two of those published prices, not an average we worked out. Treat them as a guide, not a quote.

When a shop advertises a “full car”, it usually means the side windows and the rear window. Complete Car Detailing in Melbourne lists the windscreen as an optional extra, and R1 Auto’s Brisbane guide says a full car “typically excludes the front windscreen”.

Prices by vehicle size

Each shop’s figures run from its lowest-priced film to its highest-priced one. Tint Professionals prices SUVs and 4WDs as one group.

Vehicle Advertised range Shops’ published prices
Hatch or sedan $220 to $900 Tint Professionals (Sydney) $220–$900 · Protekt Auto (Sydney) from $300–$890 · Wet Tint Windows (Brisbane) $325–$745 · SunSmart Tinting (Adelaide) $240–$495 · ROX Auto (Adelaide) $285–$385
SUV or wagon $320 to $1,200 SunSmart $320–$495 · Protekt from $390–$990 · Wet Tint $395–$845 · Tint Professionals (SUV or 4WD) $320–$1,200
Large 4WD, people mover or van $350 to $1,100 SunSmart $375–$550 · ROX $435 · Wet Tint $445–$895 · Protekt from $420–$1,100 · Tint Professionals (passenger van) $350–$1,100
Front two windows only $130 to $380 SunSmart $130–$195 · Protekt from $160–$380 · Wet Tint $175–$350 · ROX $190
Rear window only $120 to $385 SunSmart $120–$195 · ROX $190–$385 (depending on vehicle and whether old film has to come off)

Shops draw the size lines differently. Complete Car Detailing groups cars by window count: sedans, hatches and compact SUVs have two large windows a side, large SUVs have three, and the larger group costs $100 more on both of its films.

Prices by film type

Tint Professionals says the spread in its Sydney prices “reflects film grade more than labour”. These are the advertised prices for a hatch or sedan:

Film Advertised range Examples
Dyed $250 to $350 Protec Glass Tinting (Perth, mobile) $250–$350 · Protekt (XPEL PRIME CS, which XPEL lists as a dyed film) from $300–$350 · Tint Professionals says base dyed film sits near the bottom of its $220–$900 range
Carbon $240 to $450 SunSmart (SunTek Carbon) $240–$320 · Tint Now (Melbourne, mobile) from $350 · Protec $320–$450 (across the two price tables on its page)
Ceramic $285 to $650 ROX (Black Armour) $285–$385 · SunSmart (Solar Gard iON and VTX Pro) $295–$495 · Wet Tint (XPEL N-Line Ceramic, 3M IR Ceramic) $325–$645 · Complete Car Detailing (Black Armor carbon ceramic and nano ceramic) $395–$495 · The Car Tint Man (Perth, SunTek) $395–$445 · Automotive Car Detailing (Melbourne, nano ceramic) $400 · Tint Now from $499 · Radikal Wraps (Gold Coast, Solar Gard VTX Pro) sedan from $595 · Protekt (XPEL PRIME XR Black) from $580–$650
Multi-layer ceramic, top of the range $695 to $890 Wet Tint (XPEL XR Plus) $695–$745 · Protekt (XPEL PRIME XR Plus) from $790–$890

Only two of the 11 shops use the word “dyed”. A third, Protekt, sells XPEL PRIME CS as “Colour Stable Carbon”, but XPEL’s Australian website lists PRIME CS as a dyed film. Film maker Madico says dyed film usually rejects less heat than ceramic, and lower-quality dyed film can fade or discolour over time. Carbon holds its appearance better than dyed film, and ceramic rejects more heat but may cost more. Our guide to window tint film types compares them in detail.

Wet Tint Windows in Brisbane lists four films for a sedan, from $345 for XPEL N-Line Ceramic to $745 for XPEL XR Plus, which Protekt Auto describes as “multi-layer nanoparticle technology”. The same film can also cost different amounts at different shops: XPEL PRIME XR Black on a sedan was $495 at Wet Tint and from $650 at Protekt.

Compare quotes by the film’s brand and product name, not by the word “carbon” or “ceramic”. Two quotes for “ceramic tint” can be for films that sit $300 apart on the same shop’s price list.

What else drives the price

Labour time

Complete Car Detailing says an installation takes two to four hours, and SunSmart says most standard cars take three to four hours. SunSmart lists vehicle size and “the number and shape of the windows” among the main price factors, along with the film and any old tint that has to come off first.

Factory privacy glass

Many newer cars leave the factory with dark rear glass and clear front windows, so you can tint just the front two to match. Complete Car Detailing and Tint Now both say factory privacy glass does little to block heat or UV, and both offer a clear or light film over it.

How dark you go

Asked whether darker tint costs more, SunSmart answers “Not necessarily”: pricing “is generally determined by the type and performance of the film rather than simply how dark it is”.

Sunroofs, windscreens and extras

Sunroofs are priced separately: SunSmart lists a single sunroof at $80 to $120, and Radikal Wraps lists $300 for the roof on a Tesla Model 3. The windscreen is also extra, and the law limits what you can put on it.

Every state and territory requires the front side windows, beside the driver, to let through at least 35% of light, glass and film together. On the windscreen, film is allowed only in a band across the top: the area above the wiper sweep or the top 10%, whichever is greater. Check the rest of your state’s rules in our window tint laws by state guide before you choose a shade.

GST

Check whether a quote includes GST. Protec Glass Tinting says its prices include GST, while ROX Auto calls its list “a guide” and says the personalised quote is “plus GST”.

What it costs to remove old tint

Old, bubbling or purple film has to come off before new film goes on. Complete Car Detailing charges $100 to $150, depending on the age of the tint. Western Sydney Windscreens advertises removal from $119, and R1 Auto’s Melbourne guide says to budget an extra $100 to $250.

The rear window needs the most care. R1 Auto uses steam to soften the old adhesive and warns that rushing can snap the demister lines. Our guide on how to remove window tint covers the methods and the risks.

DIY kit vs a professional job

Retail film costs far less than a fitted tint. Supercheap Auto sells Altrex window tint in 3 m rolls for $44.99 (50 cm wide) and $52.90 to $52.99 (76 cm wide). The product page says it is “intended for DIY application to car and home windows” and tells buyers to check their state’s laws first.

You also need squeegees, a stainless steel knife, a heat gun for curved glass and a clean, enclosed space. Our window tinting tools and equipment guide lists the kit. A DIY job comes with no installer’s warranty, and dust under the film or a crease means cutting a new piece, so buy spare film.

Mobile tinting vs a shop

Mobile tinters price the travel in different ways:

  • ROX Auto (Adelaide): its booking form lists workshop jobs at no extra cost and “+$100 Mobile Service”, and asks for a garage, but its homepage FAQ says mobile bookings have “no travel fees”. Ask before you book.
  • Tint Now (Melbourne) is mobile only and says a travel surcharge of $50 to $100 “may apply” for suburbs more than an hour from its base.
  • Protec Glass Tinting (Perth) says its prices include travel within the Perth metro area.

Mobile work needs shelter. R1 Auto asks Brisbane customers for an undercover area out of the wind and direct sun. Tint Professionals in Sydney offers both and says workshop installs give “the cleanest result” because the bay is dust-controlled, so ask a mobile tinter where they’ll do the work.

What “lifetime warranty” usually means

Nine of the 11 shops we checked advertise a lifetime warranty, but the words cover different promises. The ACCC classes a lifetime promise as an express warranty: a voluntary promise that becomes a legal right once you buy. It adds to your basic rights under the Australian Consumer Law rather than replacing them, and its terms can require you to do certain things to keep it. The shops’ wording differs:

  • Who it covers: Complete Car Detailing says its warranty “is not transferrable to new owners” if you sell the car. Tint Professionals says its warranty “is tied to the installation, not the owner”, so the next owner keeps it. R1 Auto’s covers you “for as long as you own the car”.
  • What it covers: Protekt Auto lists “lifetime film & labour”. Automotive Car Detailing says its warranty covers “installation defects, peeling, bubbling, and cracking”. Tint Now lists a “lifetime manufacturer warranty” on its carbon film and says both its films “carry manufacturer warranties”.
  • What it excludes: EverClear Window Tinting, an XPEL installer in Castle Hill, Sydney, lists minor scratches from normal cleaning among the exclusions and asks for the warranty card and original receipt with a claim.
Ask for the warranty in writing before you book, and check four things: the film’s brand and product name, whether labour is covered as well as the film, whether it transfers if you sell the car, and what you must do to keep it, such as how long to keep the windows up and which cleaners to use.

Red flags of a cheap tint job

A low price isn’t a problem on its own: ROX Auto publishes $285 for a hatch in ceramic film. These are the signs to question:

  • No film named. Without a brand and product, you can’t compare the quote or check the warranty. R1 Auto warns about “Full Car Tint $180” ads with no warranty.
  • An offer to go darker than the law allows. Front side windows below 35% are illegal in every state and territory, whoever fitted them.
  • Film across the whole windscreen. Only the top band can be tinted.
  • A blade on the rear window. A scraper run across the demister lines can damage them permanently.
  • Outdoor work in the wind. Dust trapped under the film is the fault customers notice and complain about.

After the job, small water pockets and a slight haze are normal while the film cures. Specks of dirt, strips of bare glass at the edges and lifting corners are not. Our how-to guide explains each fault.

What tinters charge, and what they keep

The prices above are what customers pay. They aren’t what a tinter takes home. A shop’s price has to cover the film, the installer’s time, premises or travel, insurance and, for businesses registered for GST, the tax itself. If you’re weighing up tinting as work rather than buying it, our guide to how much window tinters make in Australia covers employed and self-employed pay, and our guide on how to start a window tinting business covers setting up. You can also see the full lesson list for our online course.

Sources

Prices were read from each shop’s public website on 12 October 2026. Some lists sit behind a calculator or a tab, noted below.

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