Speed and Red Light Camera Laws

June 2009

Automated enforcement uses technology to to capture images of vehicles committing traffic violations. Most automated enforcement laws apply to red light running or speeding, but some also address rail crossings, toll violations or other offenses.

  • 21 states and the District of Columbia* have laws explicitly permitting at least one type of automated enforcement. In some cases, local ordinances are required. Others require an officer to be present.
  • 9 states* have laws prohibiting all or certain types of automated enforcement.
  • 26 states neither permit nor prohibit automated enforcement by law. However, jurisdictions in many of these states do have automated enforcement programs in place.
  • 24 states and the District of Colubmia have red light camera programs currently operating. 12 states and the District of Columbia have speed camera programs currently operating. The Insurance Institute of Highway Safety maintains a list of these states at www.iihs.org/research/topics/auto_enforce_list.html.

*Some states permit certain types of auotmated enforcement but prohibit others. These states are counted in both categories.

Automated enforcement locations vary significantly: some states allow enforcement statewide, while others permit it only in communities meeting a certain population threshold or other criteria.

Penalties vary as well. In most states, the registered owner of the vehicle is issued the citation. Often, the penalties for automated enforcement are different than traditional enforcement penalties for the same violations. Some states treat automated enforcement just like parking tickets: the owner is liable, points are not assessed and there is no record of the citation.

State

State
Law

Viola-
tions

Loca-
tion

Citation Issued to Whom

Liability

Image

Tradi-
tional Enforce-
ment Penalties

Records/ Points/ Penalties

Defenses

Privacy

Alabama

No state law

Red light

Montgomery

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Alaska

No state law

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Arizona

Permitted; signs required

Red light; speed

Various

Not addressed

Not addressed

Not addressed

$250; 2 - 3 points

$165; no points

Not addressed

Not
addressed

Arkansas

Prohibited except at school zones or rail crossings; officer must be present and citation issued at time of offense

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

California

Permitted

Red light; rail crossing

Various

Registered owner

Driver

Tag and driver

$100; 1 point

Same as for traditional citation

Driver not owner – owner must identify driver

Photo may be used only for purposes of the Act; available only to registered owner or driver

Colorado

Permitted

Any violation (except speed)

Various

Registered owner

Driver

Tag and driver

$111 (includes 4 points and $11 surcharge)

$75 for red light

Driver not owner

Not
addressed

Speed

Various construction zones, school zones, residential areas or adjacent to municipal park

Registered owner

Driver

Tag and driver

$39 (includes 4 points and surcharge)

$40 max. ($80 in school zones); no points or record; warning only for 1st offense if w/in 10 mph of limit

Driver not owner

Not
addressed

Connecticut

No state law

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Delaware

Permitted

Red light

Various

Registered owner

Owner

2 or more images of vehicle

$75-$230

$50 max.; not a record or conviction offense; not to be used by insurers

Owners of commercial vehicles must identify driver or be held responsible

Not
addressed

D.C.

Permitted

Moving infractions

Various

Registered owner

Owner

Not addressed

$75 max.; 2 points

$75 max.; 2 points

Driver not owner; yielding to emergency vehicle; funeral procession or responding to officer direction

Not
addressed

Florida

No state law

Red light

Various

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Georgia

Permitted

Red light

Various

Registered owner

Owner

License tag, intersection and light

$1,000 max.; 3 points

$70 max.; not a conviction or record offense; no points; not a moving violation; not to be used by insurers

Owner not driver

Images and information not part of public record; must not show identity of any person in vehicle

Hawaii

No state law

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Idaho

No state law

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Illinois

Permitted

Speed

Various construction zones or IL Toll Authority roads

Registered owner

Driver

Tag and driver

Mandatory $250; 20 points

$250 or 25 hrs. community service

Workers not present in zone at time of citation

Images avail. only to alleged driver, gov't agencies for adjudicating offense or statistical or other gov't. purpose; admissable in any proceeding resulting from citation

Red light

Various; local ordinance required

Registered owner

Owner

2 or more images of vehicle and tag

$500 max.; 20 points

$100; not a moving violation or record offense

Cccurred as part of funeral procession; driver yielding to emergency vehicle; vehicle or tags stolen

Images avail. only to alleged driver, gov't agencies for adjudicating offense or statistical or other gov't. purpose; admissable in any proceeding resulting from citation

Rail crossing

Various; cooperation w/ IL DOT and IL Commerce Commis-
sion; local ordinance required; pilot program authorized

Registered owner

Driver (owner if driver not identified by owner)

Vehicle, driver and tag

$250 max. on 1st offense

$500 on 2nd & subsequent offenses, w/ discretionary 6 month suspension

$250 or 25 hrs. community service

Owner not driver – owner must identify driver

Images are confidential and avail. only to the alleged driver; state may use images as part of a safety study

Speed

Other

Use by local authorities is prohibited. The state may use speed cameras, but only when a law enforcement officer is present and witnesses the event.

Indiana

No state law

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Iowa

No state law

Red light; speed

Various

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Kansas

No state law

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Kentucky

No state law

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Louisiana

No state law, except to restrict reporting convictions on driving record

Red light; speed

Various

 

 

 

 

Not reported on driving record

 

 

Maine

No state law

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Maryland

Permitted

Red light

Various

Registered owner

Owner

2 or more images of rear of vehicle and tag in any medium

$500 max.; 2 points

$100 max. civil penalty; no points or record; not a moving violation; may not be used by insurers

Driver in funeral procession or yielding to emergency vehicle; vehicle or tags stolen; owner not driver – owner must identify driver

Images avail. only to owner and in limited circum-
stances to law enforcement

Speed

Various school zones and residential districts in Montgomery Co.

Registered owner

Owner

2 or more images of rear of vehicle and tag in any medium

$500 max. in residential district; $1,000 in school zone; points depend on speed

$40 max.; no points

Vehicle or tag stolen; owner not driver – must identify driver; other issues the court finds pertinent

Images avail. only to owner and in limited circum-
stances to law enforcement

Massa-
chusetts

No state law

Speed

Blackstone

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Michigan

No state law

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Minnesota

No state law

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Missis-
sippi

Prohibited

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Missouri

No state law

Red light

Various

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Montana

Red light cameras prohibited

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Nebraska

No state law

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Nevada

Prohibited unless hand-held by an officer or installed in vehicle or law enforcement agency

 

 

 

 

 

$1,000 max.; 4 points.

     

New Hampshire

Prohibited unless specific statutory authorization

Toll enforcement

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

New Jersey

Prohibited unless local jurisdictions w/ ordinance; must apply apply to Transportation Commissioner (pilot program)

Red light

 

Registered owner

Registered owner and driver are jointly liable

2 or more images of vehicle and tag

$85

Same as for traditional citation; no points

Not addressed

Not addressed

New Mexico

No state law, except to limit penalties and require posted warning sign and beacon

Red light; speed

Various

 

 

 

 

$75 max. civil penalty; no points or criminal sanctions; municipality may retain operating costs; balance transferred to programs for court construction, drug courts and DWI prevention

 

 

New York

Permitted

Red light

Cities of at least 1,000,000; up to 100 sites per city (New York City)

Owner

Owner

2 or more images of rear of vehicle and tag in any medium

$100 max.; 3 points

$50; not a record or conviction offense; may not be used by insurers

Driver convicted; vehicle stolen; vehicle leased or rented by another; owner may seek indemnifi-
cation by driver

Photos may not include images of the driver, passengers or contents of the vehicle

North
Carolina

Permitted

Red light

Various

Owner

Owner

Photo, video, electronic image

$100 max.; 3 points

$75 max. civil penalty; no points

Owner not driver – owner must identify driver; vehicle stolen

Not
addressed

North Dakota

No state law

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Ohio

No state law

Red light; speed

Various

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Oklahoma

No state law

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Oregon

Permitted

 

Red light

Various

Registered owner or driver, if identifiable

Registered owner

Photo-
graphs; digital images

$355 max.

Same as for traditional citation

Owner not driver – owner must identify driver

Not
addressed

Speed

Limited

Registered owner or driver, if identifiable

Registered owner

Photo-
graphs; digital images

$355 max.

Same as for traditional citation

Not
addressed

Not
addressed

Penn-
sylvania

Permitted

Red light

Philadelphia

Registered owner

Owner

Photo-
graphs

$25 max.; 3 points

$100 max.; not on operating record

Owner not driver; vehicle stolen; did not own vehicle at time of violation

Images and information not part of public record

Rhode Island

Permitted

Red light

Providence

Registered owner

Registered owner

2 or more images of vehicle and tag in any medium

$75 max.

$75 max.; not a criminal or record offense; not a moving violation; not to be used by insurers until final adjudication

 

Images not part of public record; must be kept private and destroyed w/in 90 days if no violation and w/in one year of disposition for those w/ violation

 

School bus safety violations

 

Registered owner

Registered owner

2 or more images of vehicle and tag in any medium

$500

$500; not a criminal or record offense; not a moving violation; not to be used by insurers

 

South Carolina

No state law

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

South Dakota

No state law

Red light

Sioux Falls

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Tennessee

Permitted

Red light; speed

Various

Registered owner

Registered owner

Not addressed

$50 max.; points

Not reportable; no points

Not addressed

Not addressed

Texas

Prohibited

Speed

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Permitted; requires local ordinance

Red light

Various

Registered owner

Owner

2 or more photo or digital images of tag

$200 max.

$75 max.; not a criminal or record offense

Not addressed

Not addressed

Utah

Permitted only in school zones or where limit is 30 mph or less; officer must be present, signs posted, and citation accompanied by photo of violation; requires local ordinance

Speed

 

Not addressed

Not addressed

Photo-
graph

$1,000 max.; 50 points

Not reportable; no points

Not addressed

Not
addressed

Vermont

No state law

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Virgin Islands

No data

Moving infraction at beginning or end of highway

No data

Driver or registered owner

Driver or registered owner

Photo electron image

No data

$25 or 2 to 12 points

No data

No data

Virginia

Permitted; requires local ordinance; 1 site per 10,000 residents; (exception for metro DC: up to 10 sites or 1 site per 10,000, whichever is greater)

Red light

 

Registered owner

Driver

2 photo-
graphs or other recorded images

$200 max.; 4 points

$50 max.; no court costs; not a criminal offense; no points; may not be used by insurers

Owner not operator; vehicle stolen

Contractor may not obtain driver records; information only used for enforcing violations; not available to the public, sold, or disclosed except by court order; purged no later than 60 days after collection of penalty

Washington

Permitted

Red light

Where two arterial roads intersect

Registered owner

Registered owner

Vehicle, license tag

$250 max.

Up to the max. for parking violations; no record; no points

Owner not operator; rental companies with conditions; vehicle stolen or sold

Only when a violation occurs; photo may not reveal faces

Speed

School zones

Registered owner

Registered owner

Vehicle, license tag

$250 max.

Up to the max. for parking violations; no record; no points

Owner not operator; rental companies with conditions; vehicle stolen or sold

Only when a violation occurs; photo may not reveal faces

Rail crossing

Various

Registered owner

Registered owner

Vehicle, license tag

$250 max.

Up to the max. for parking violations; no record; no points

Owner not operator; rental companies with conditions; vehicle stolen or sold

Only when a violation occurs; photo may not reveal faces

West Virginia

Prohibited

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Wisconsin

Prohibited

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Wyoming

No state law

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Totals

Permitted: 21 + D.C.

Prohibited: 9

No law: 26

Varies

Red light: 24 + D.C.

Speed: 12 + D.C.

Varies

Varies

Varies

Varies

Varies

Varies

Varies

Sources: National Conference of State Legislatures (NCSL), Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) and State Highway Safety Offices.