Is Car Electro-Optic Paint Legal?

[EstherAnn]

It is legal to apply electro-optic paint to cars without large-scale color changes. Here is some relevant information about electro-optic paint: 1. Description: Electro-optic paint is a product that combines paint with weak electricity, along with other materials processed through specific techniques, rather than being a single type of paint. Electro-optic paint can match the original color of the car. A common concern is whether traffic police will intervene if Nightwalker electro-optic paint is applied to a car. According to traffic regulations, vehicle modifications involve changing the car's color, structure, etc. Since electro-optic paint does not alter the car's original color or its electrical circuits, it complies with regulations and is therefore legal, so there's no need to worry. 2. Painting Precautions: When painting, first apply a layer of rust-proof paint, followed by a layer of primer. For cars with dents, these need to be addressed. Minor dents can be filled with putty, while more severe dents require metalworking to restore the original shape.

[DiSarah]

To be honest, electro-optic paint itself isn't illegal, but here's the catch - Chinese traffic regulations limit reflective material coverage on vehicle bodies to no more than 30%. The glittery reflective effect of electro-optic paint could easily exceed this limit when applied to the entire car. I've seen numerous cases on forums where owners got stuck during annual inspections. If you really want to change colors, matte finishes are the safer choice, or better yet, check the latest regulations with the DMV beforehand. Last year, I helped a friend deal with a dispute - he applied ice-blue electro-optic film, only to have traffic police classify it as highly reflective material. Not only was he ordered to restore the original color within three days, but also fined 500 yuan. The registration process is getting stricter now, especially in big cities where inspection stations even use spectrometers to measure reflectivity.

[VonMadison]

Many young car owners have stumbled over this issue. To pass inspection for electro-optic paint, two strict criteria must be met: the color scheme must not imitate the exclusive patterns of police or fire trucks, and the paint's reflectivity must fall within the standard range. It's best to bring color samples to the DMV for pre-approval rather than trying to fix things after the modification. Last time when helping a neighbor register his electro-optic purple paint, we deliberately chose a low-reflectivity formula and preserved 30% of the original factory paint during application. The final reflectometer reading was 29.8%, just passing the threshold. Remember that emblem colors cannot be altered, and there are separate regulations for wheel rim recoloring.

[DiJack]

Essentially, the legality of repainting lies not in the color but in the construction standards. The common issue with electro-optic paint containing metal particles is the excessive increase in reflectivity, as evidenced by the 21 related penalties reported in Beijing last year. A practical suggestion is to use gradient spraying by area—for instance, applying matte electroplating on the hood and transitioning to conventional paint on the sides. I know a professional team that always checks the new national standard GB7258 before accepting orders and shows clients the filing receipt before collecting the final payment, which is the safest approach.

[SanAva]

The key is whether all the filing procedures are completed. Last week, I just accompanied a friend to deal with this issue: his modified liquid metal silver car was impounded due to lack of filing. When supplementing the procedures, we found that three documents were required: the vehicle registration certificate, tax payment proof, and the construction party's qualification documents. The inspection station also required the paint surface to be dust-free for taking the certification photos, and we spent a full two hours cleaning it. In fact, low-reflective color schemes like matte diamond white have a higher pass rate during inspections. Alternatively, you could try the recently popular gradient color splicing scheme—using the original black paint for the roof and modifying the lower part of the body, which doesn't count as full-body coverage.