Speed and Red Light Camera Laws
Speed and red light cameras are a type of automated enforcement technology used to detect and deter speeders and red light runners. Some jurisdictions use similar technology for other traffic violations, such as illegal rail crossings or toll violations.
Many states have enacted legislation either permitting, limiting or prohibiting the use of speed or red light cameras at the state or local level. Enforcement can be limited to a particular area or community. Penalties usually are more lenient than those used with traditional enforcement. For example, the fine may be lower, points may not be assessed, or the citation may not go on the driver's record.
Some localities operate speed and/or red light cameras even if the state does not specific permit or prohibit it. The Insurance Institute of Highway Safety maintains a list of all communities operating automated enforcement. This list changes and is updated regularly.
Speed Cameras
- 12 states have passed laws that prohibit (with very narrow exceptions) the use of speed cameras. 29 states have no law addressing speed cameras. All other states either permit the use of speed cameras (2 + D.C.) or limit their use by location or other criteria (7 + U.S. Virgin Islands).
- 13 states, the District of Columbia and the U.S. Virgin Islands have speed cameras currently operating in at least one location.
Red Light Cameras
- 21 states, the District of Columbia and the U.S. Virgin Islands have enacted laws permitting some form of red light camera use. 9 states prohibit their use, and 20 states have no state law concerning red light camera enforcement.
- 24 states, the District of Columbia and the U.S. Virgin Islands have red light cameras currently operating at least one location.
NOTE: GHSA does not compile any additional data on speed and red light camera laws other than what is presented here. For more information, consult the appropriate State Highway Safety Office.
| State | Violation / State Law | Permitted Locations/Criteria | Citation Issued To / Liability | Image Taken | Penalties (Traditional Penalties) |
| Ala. | Speed: No state law or programs | ||||
| Red light: Limited | Montgomery | Owner/ Owner |
2 images; tag included | $110; no points ($100; 3 points) |
|
| Alaska | Speed: No state law or programs | ||||
| Red light: No state law or programs | |||||
| Ariz. | Speed: Permitted | Statewide | Not addressed | Not addressed | $165; 3 points ($250; 3 points) |
| Red light: Permitted | $165; 2 points ($250; 2 points) |
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| Ark. | Speed: Prohibited (with narrow exceptions) | School zones or rail crossings when officer is present and citation issued at time of offense. No current programs. | |||
| Red light: Prohibited (with narrow exceptions) | |||||
| Calif. | Speed: No state law, but program operating on MRCA park roads. | ||||
| Red light: Permitted | Statewide | Registered owner/ Driver |
Tag and driver | $490 ($100 fine + $390 in penalties and assessments); 1 point (same) |
|
| Rail crossing: Permitted | Statewide | ||||
| Colo. | Speed: Limited | Construction and school zones, residential areas or adjacent to municipal park | Registered owner/ Driver |
Tag and driver | $40 max. ($80 school zone); no points or record; warning for 1st offense if <10 mph over ($151 incl. surcharge; 4 points) |
| Red light: Permitted | Statewide | $75; no points or record ($111 incl. surcharge; 4 points) | |||
| Conn. | Speed: No state law or programs | ||||
| Red light: No state law or programs | |||||
| Del. | Speed: No state law or programs | ||||
| Red light: Permitted | Statewide | Registered owner/ Owner |
2 or more images of vehicle | $110 max.; not record or conviction offense; not used by insurers ($75-$230) |
|
| D.C. | Speed: Permitted | Districtwide | Registered owner/ Owner |
Not addressed | $75-$300 fine based on the MPH over posted limit; no points ($75-$300 fine; 3, 4 or 5 points based on the MPH over posted limit) |
| Red light: Permitted | Districtwide | $150; no points ($150; 2 points) |
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| Fla. | Speed: No state law or programs | ||||
| Red light: Permitted | Statewide | Registered owner/ Owner |
Tag and traffic control device | $158; no points ($125; 3 points) |
|
| Ga. | Speed: No state law or programs | ||||
| Red light: Permitted | Statewide | Registered owner/ Owner |
License tag, intersection and light | $70 max.; not conviction or record offense; no points; not moving violation; not used by insurers ($1,000 max.; 3 points) |
|
| Hawaii | Speed: No state law or programs | ||||
| Red light: No state law or programs | |||||
| Idaho | Speed: No state law or programs | ||||
| Red light: No state law or programs | |||||
| Ill. | Speed: Limited | Construction zones or toll roads. Local use prohibited. State use only when officer is present and witnesses the event. | Registered owner/ Driver |
Tag and driver | $250 or 25 hrs. community service ($250 mandatory; 20 points) |
| Red light: Limited | Local ordinance required | Registered owner/ Owner |
2 or more images of vehicle and tag | $100 and/or traffic education program; not moving violation or record offense ($500 max.; 20 points) |
|
| Rail crossing: Limited | Local ordinance required; in cooperation w/ IL DOT and IL Commerce Commission | Registered owner/ Driver (owner if driver not identified by owner) |
Vehicle, driver and tag | $250 or 25 hrs. community service ($250 max. 1st offense; $500 subsequent, w/ discretionary 6 month suspension |
|
| Ind. | Speed: No state law or programs | ||||
| Red light: No state law or programs | |||||
| Iowa | Speed: No state law, but programs operating under local ordinance. | ||||
| Red light: No state law, but programs operating under local ordinance. | |||||
| Kan. | Speed: No state law or programs | ||||
| Red light: No state law or programs | |||||
| Ky. | Speed: No state law or programs | ||||
| Red light: No state law or programs | |||||
| La. | Speed: Limited | Statewide | Not addressed | Not addressed | Per state law, convictions not reported on driving record |
| Red light: Limited | |||||
| Maine | Speed: Prohibited | ||||
| Red light: Prohibited | |||||
| Md. | Speed: Limited | Montgomery Co. school zones & residential; Prince George's Co. school zones; statewide school zones (by local ordinance) and work zones on expressways or controlled access highways | Registered owner/ Owner |
2 or more images of rear of vehicle and tag in any medium | $40 max.: no points ($500 max. in residential; $1,000 max. in work & school zones; points vary) |
| Red light: Permitted | Statewide | $75 max. civil penalty; no points or record; not moving violation; not used by insurers ($500 max.; 2 points) | |||
| Rail: Limited | Montgomery Co. and Prince George's Co. | Vehicle, driver and tag | $100 max.; no points ($500 max.; 1 point) | ||
| Mass. | Speed: No state law or programs | ||||
| Red light: No state law or programs | |||||
| Mich. | Speed: No state law or programs | ||||
| Red light: No state law or programs | |||||
| Minn. | Speed: No state law or programs | ||||
| Red light: No state law or programs | |||||
| Miss. | Speed: Prohibited | ||||
| Red light: Prohibited | |||||
| Mo. | Speed: No state law, but programs operating under Missouri DOT policy. | ||||
| Red light: No state law, but programs operating under Missouri DOT policy. | |||||
| Mont. | Speed: Prohibited | ||||
| Red light: Prohibited | |||||
| Rail: Permitted | |||||
| Neb. | Speed: No state law or programs | ||||
| Red light: No state law or programs | |||||
| Nev. | Speed: Prohibited (with narrow exceptions) | If hand held by officer, installed in vehicle or facility of law enforcement agency. No current programs. | $1,000 max.; 4 points. (same) | ||
| Red light: Prohibited (with narrow exceptions) | |||||
| N.H. | Speed: Prohibited | ||||
| Red light: Prohibited | |||||
| Toll: Permitted | |||||
| N.J. | Speed: Prohibited | ||||
| Red light: Limited | Local ordinance required; must apply apply to Transportation Commissioner for pilot program | Registered owner/ Registered owner and driver jointly liable |
2 or more images of vehicle and tag | >$85 plus court costs; no points (same fine; points) | |
| N.M. | Speed: Limited | DOT has banned on state and federal roads; localities must post warning sign and beacon | Not addressed | Not addressed | $75 max. civil penalty; no points or criminal sanctions; municipality retains operating costs; balance to court construction, drug courts and DWI prevention |
| Red light: Limited | |||||
| N.Y. | Speed: No state law or programs | ||||
| Red light: Limited | Cities of >1,000,000 (max. 150 sites); or by local ordinance | Owner/ Owner |
2 or more images of rear of vehicle and tag in any medium | $50; not record or conviction offense; not used by insurers ($100 max.; 3 points) |
|
| N.C. | Speed: No state law or programs | ||||
| Red light: Limited | Specified in law | Owner/ Owner |
Photo, video, electronic image | $50 max. civil
penalty; no points; $100 if late ($100 max.; 3 points) |
|
| N.D. | Speed: No state law or programs | ||||
| Red light: No state law or programs | |||||
| Ohio | Speed: No state law, but programs operating under local ordinance. | ||||
| Red light: No state law, but programs operating under local ordinance. | |||||
| Okla. | Speed: No state law or programs | ||||
| Red light: No state law or programs | |||||
| Ore. | Speed: Limited | Specified in law (limited to 4 hrs/day for each location) | Registered owner or driver, if identifiable/ Registered owner |
Photos; digital images | 1-10 mph over = $110; $220 in work/school zone or safety corridor; $250 max. 11-20 mph over = $160; $320 in work/school zone or safety corridor; $500 max. 21-30 mph over = $260; $520 in work/school zone or safety corridor; max. $1,000 30+ mph over = $435 + 30 day license suspension; $870 in work/school zone or safety corridor; $2,000 max. 100 mph or more = $1,150 fine + 30- to 90-day license suspension (same for traditional enforcement) |
| Red light: Permitted | Any city within city limits, no other locations are authorized, run by city jurisdiction | $260; $520 in work/school zone or safety corridor; $1,000 max. (same for traditional enforcement) | |||
| Pa. | Speed: No state law or programs | ||||
| Red light: Limited | Philadelphia, Pittsburgh, and municipalities w/ a population >20,000 and police depat. accredited by the Penn. Chiefs of Police Assoc. in Bucks, Chester, Delaware, and Montgomery Counties; requires local ordinance | Registered owner/ Owner |
Photos | $100 max.; not on operating record ($25 max.; 3 points) |
|
| R.I. | Speed: No state law or programs | ||||
| Red light: Permitted | Statewide | Registered owner/ Registered owner |
2 or more images of vehicle and tag in any medium | $75 max.; not criminal or record offense; not moving violation; not used by insurers until final adjudication ($75) | |
| School bus safety violations: Permitted | Registered owner/ Owner |
$500; not criminal or record offense; not moving violation; not used by insurers ($500) | |||
| S.C. | Speed: Prohibited | ||||
| Red light: Prohibited | |||||
| S.D. | Speed: No state law or programs | ||||
| Red light: No state law or programs | |||||
| Tenn. | Speed: Permitted | Statewide except non-work zone interstates | Registered owner/ Registered owner |
Not addressed | Not reportable; no points ($50; points) |
| Red light: Permitted | |||||
| Texas | Speed: Prohibited | ||||
| Red light: Limited | Local ordinance required | Registered owner/ Owner |
2 or more photos or digital images of tag | $75 max.; not criminal or record offense ($200 max.) |
|
| Utah | Speed: Prohibited (with narrow exceptions). No current programs. | School zones w/ <30 mph speed limit; officer must be present; local ordinance required | Not addressed | Photo | Not reportable; no points ($1,000 max.; 50 points) |
| Red light: No state law or programs | |||||
| Vt. | Speed: No state law or programs | ||||
| Red light: No state law or programs | |||||
| V.I. | Speed: Limited | Beginning or end of highway | Driver or registered owner | Photo electron image | $25 or 2 to 12 points |
| Red light: Limited | |||||
| Va. | Speed: No state law or programs | ||||
| Red light: Limited | Local ordinance required; 1 site per 10,000 residents (up to 10 sites in D.C. area) | Registered owner/ Driver |
2 photos or other recorded images | $50 max.; no court costs; not criminal offense; no points; not used by insurers ($200 max.; 4 points) |
|
| Wash. | Speed: Limited | School zones | Registered owner/ Owner |
Vehicle, license tag | Max. parking violation fine; no record; no points ($250 max.) |
| Red light: Limited | Where two arterial roads intersect | ||||
| Rail crossing: Permitted | Statewide | ||||
| W.Va. | Speed: Prohibited | ||||
| Red light: Prohibited | |||||
| Wis. | Speed: Prohibited | ||||
| Red light: Prohibited | |||||
| Wyo. | Speed: No state law or programs | ||||
| Red light: No state law or programs | |||||
| Total States | Speed Cameras Prohibited: 12 Limited: 7 + Virgin Islands Permitted: 2 + D.C. No state law: 29 Have program(s) operating: 13 + D.C., Virgin Islands |
Red Light Cameras Prohibited: 9 Limited: 11 + Virgin Islands Permitted: 10 + D.C. No state law: 20 Have program(s) operating: 24 + D.C., Virgin Islands |
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Sources: National Conference of State Legislatures (NCSL), Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) and State Highway Safety Offices.