Certification of glass in vehicles

On vehicle windows, such as those of cars, campervans and expedition vehicles, a certification must be present. This certification mark often shows the manufacturer and a logo, but it also shows a variety of numbers and letters. This certification mark indicates that the glass plate is suitable for public roads. On this page, we explain what these markings stand for.

43R

This mark indicates that the glass complies with the ECE safety standard of Europe and other member states of the United Nations. Among other things, ECE is involved in drafting international regulations for vehicles. 43R specifies the requirements for safety glass in motor vehicles. The number series behind the 43R seal is the approval number assigned to the glass.

DOT 906 AS3 M002

A similar mark is available for the United States. This is the DOT 906 AS3 M002 seal of approval. DOT stands for the Department of Transportation and indicates that the glass meets the regulations and standards of the US department. The range after DOT depends on these factors:

  1. The number after DOT refers to the manufacturer's unique identifier. 906 stands for the Italian manufacturer Shipcar, which makes the glass plates for Outbound.
  2. AS stands for American Standard, indicating that the glass meets US standards. AS3 means that the glass may be used for windows that are not windshields with a light transmission of less than 70%. Besides AS3, there is also AS1: laminated windscreens and side and rear windows with a light transmission of at least 70% and AS2: all tinted glass with a transparency of at least 70%, excluding windscreens.
  3. The M number is a number given to the glass by the manufacturer to distinguish the different types of glass in the range by, for example, colour, thickness and transparency.

E3

The E-number stands for the country where the product is certified according to the prescribed quality standards. If the product is approved in a country within the EU or UN, then the product is approved for all member states. In this case, the 3 stands for Italy.

V-VI

The Roman numeral on the glass indicates the type of glass. V-VI indicates double glazing with less than 70% light transmission. Unlike other labels, this is not a requirement for driving on public roads.