Traffic Ticket Dismissal | California San Diego
Speed Camera Tickets in California:
What Every Driver Should Know
California Speed Camera Violations Explained
- Table Of Contents
- Can You Actually Get a Speeding Ticket from a Camera in California?
- Speed Camera Locations
- Speed Camera Fee Schedule
- 11 MPH Rule
- Speed Camera Driving Record Points
- 5 Things You Should Know if You Received a Speed Camera Ticket
- How to Fight a Speed Camera Ticket
- Speed Camera Defense Themes
- Get a Free Traffic Ticket Review
You opened your mail and — surprise! — a speed camera ticket in California arrived. You weren’t pulled over, no officer gave you a hard look, but there it is: a civil penalty simply because your car was snapped speeding.
If you’ve lived in California for a while, you probably grew up hearing, “Don’t worry, speed cameras are illegal here!” Well, as of 2025, that’s officially old news. Thanks to Assembly Bill 645 (AB 645), automated speed enforcement has arrived in the Golden State.
Whether you’ve already received a “Notice of Violation” in the mail or you’re just trying to stay ahead of the curve, this guide will walk you through exactly what a speed camera ticket in California really is, how to handle a speed ticket in California, how to protect your driving record, and why you shouldn’t panic, yet.
Key Takeaways:
- Yes, you can get a camera ticket in California, but only in select pilot cities.
- Most speed camera tickets are civil penalties, not moving violations.
- They generally do not add points to your DMV record.
- They often don’t affect insurance the same way traditional tickets do.
- You can often contest, reduce, or dismiss them with the right approach.
Can You Actually Get a Speeding Ticket from a Camera in California?
Yes. While California famously resisted speed cameras for decades, the AB 645 pilot program changed the game. Starting in 2025, six major cities (plus Malibu) were authorized to install “Speed Safety Systems.” These aren’t myths, they’re not future rumors, and they don’t vanish if you ignore them. But they are different from traditional speeding tickets, and that affects how you fight a speeding ticket in California and protect your driving record.
Where are the cameras located?
The pilot program is currently approved in:
- San Francisco (Active)
- San Jose
- Oakland
- Long Beach
- Los Angeles
- Glendale
- Malibu (Added recently due to PCH safety concerns)
Important: Not every street in these cities has cameras, and local rules vary. The cameras are strategically placed in school zones and “high-injury networks” where accidents are most frequent. Automated enforcement was approved to improve safety in high-risk areas.
San Francisco was the first to go fully live starting August 5, 2025 and has 33 speed camera locations.
Rolling Out / Expected Soon
Oakland is in the process of implementing up to 18 speed cameras. The cameras are expected to be installed Winter 2025. After a 60-day warning period from when the last camera is turned on, the program will begin issuing citations for all speed violations. Citations are expected to be issued by mid-January 2026.
San Jose → Long Beach → Los Angeles → Glendale → Malibu: Programs in planning or early installation phases.
San Jose has identified 33 proposed locations for its speed cameras.
Glendale has 16 potential locations to be considered for the speed safety camera pilot program.
The city of Los Angeles is allowed to deploy up to 125 safety camera systems.
Long Beach is expected to install 18 cameras citywide.
Malibu is allowed to install up to five automated speed enforcement cameras once the Governor signed SB 1297.
Camera locations are based on local road safety plans, collision data, speed citations, etc.
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How Much Is a Speed Camera Ticket in California?
Unlike traditional speeding tickets (which include court fees, assessments, and points), currently, speed camera tickets are civil penalties with flat fine amounts.
Speed camera fines are tiered based on how fast you were allegedly driving over the limit.
Typical Speed Camera Fine Structure
Speed Over Limit | Typical Fine Amount* |
11–15 mph | ~$50 |
16–25 mph | ~$100 |
26+ mph | ~$200 |
100+ mph | Up to ~$500 |
*Exact amounts may vary slightly by city.
What is the 11 MPH Rule for Speed Camera Tickets?
Key Rule
A speed camera ticket may only be issued if a vehicle is recorded traveling 11 miles per hour or more over the posted speed limit.If you were driving:5 mph over → No ticket 8 mph over → No ticket 11 mph over or more → Ticket eligibleThis threshold was intentionally built into the law to:- Focus on meaningful safety violations
- Reduce over-enforcement
- Prevent ticketing drivers for everyday speed variance
- Crash severity increases sharply above 10 mph over the limit
- Pedestrian survival rates drop significantly at higher speeds
Do Speed Camera Tickets Put Points on Your Driving Record?
Here is the silver lining: Speed Camera tickets in California do not currently add points to your DMV record. Because the camera captures the vehicle, not necessarily the driver, the state treats these more like a parking ticket than a moving violation. Under AB 645, these citations are issued to the registered owner of the car.
While speed camera tickets don’t add points, a ticket from a real-life officer definitely does. If you were pulled over and issued a speeding ticket, you’re looking at 1 point.
Speed Camera Ticket vs. Traditional Speeding Ticket
| Feature | Speed Camera Ticket | Officer-Issued Ticket |
|---|---|---|
| Issued by | Automated system | Police Officer |
| DMV points | ❌ No (typically) | ✅ Yes |
| Insurance impact | Usually None | Often Increases |
| Criminal offense | ❌ No | ❌ No (Infraction) |
| Can you fight it? | ✅ Yes | ✅ Yes |
5 Things You Should Know If You Received a Speed Camera Ticket
- Don’t Ignore It: Civil Penalties Still Carry Weight
In California, speed camera tickets are classified as civil violations, not criminal ones. While this sounds less serious, ignoring them is a mistake.
- Late Fees: Unpaid fines can quickly double or triple due to administrative late penalties.
- Registration Holds: The most common consequence is a DMV hold on your vehicle registration. You won’t be able to renew your tags until the debt is cleared.
- Collections: While they don’t lead to arrest warrants, cities can refer unpaid civil debts to collection agencies, which may eventually impact your credit reporting.
- Check the Dates: The 30-Day Response Window
Speed camera systems are designed for high-volume processing, meaning the clock starts ticking the moment the notice is mailed.
- The Deadline: You typically have 21 to 30 days from the date of issuance to either pay the fine or request an initial review.
- The “Mailing Delay”: If your ticket arrived late in the mail, check the postmark. California law requires these notices to be mailed within a specific timeframe (usually 60 days of the violation). If they missed the window, you may have grounds for a dismissal.
- Confirm Signage & Accuracy: Your Best Defense
For a speed camera ticket to be valid in 2025, the city must follow strict technical and notice requirements.
- Mandatory Signage: Every camera location must have clear, unobstructed signs stating “Photo Enforced” at a specific distance before the camera. If the sign was missing, hidden by a tree, or vandalized, the ticket is often invalid.
- The 11 MPH Rule: Cameras are calibrated only to trigger if you are traveling at least 11 MPH over the limit. If your ticket claims you were going 5 MPH over, it was issued in error.
- Proof Matters: Vehicle Liability vs. Driver Identity
This is the most significant difference between a camera and an officer.
- Rear Plates Only: California law prohibits these cameras from using facial recognition or taking photos of the driver. They only snap the rear license plate.
- Owner Liability: Because they can’t prove who was driving, the registered owner is held civilly liable for the fine.
The “Innocent Owner” Defense: If you can prove you weren’t the one behind the wheel (e.g., you sold the car or it was a rental), you can often transfer the liability or have the ticket dismissed.
- Points vs. Insurance: The Silver Lining
Perhaps the most important takeaway for 2025: Speed camera tickets do not add points to your DMV record.
- No “Moving Violation”: It is a civil penalty and it is not considered a moving violation.
- Insurance Protection: Since no points are assessed and the ticket isn’t reported to the DMV’s public record, your insurance company generally cannot see the violation or use it to raise your rates.
How to Fight a Speed Camera Ticket in California?
If you’ve received a “Notice of Violation” in the mail, your first instinct might be to pay it just to make it go away. Stop. Under California’s new AB 645 Pilot Program, paying the fine is an admission of liability that waives your right to challenge the ticket. You have real, legitimate options to fight a camera ticket in California, and drivers can successfully reduce or dismiss these citations by understanding the process and acting early. Here is a roadmap to contesting a California speed camera ticket and keeping your record clean.
Overview: Your Legal Right to Fight a Speed Camera Ticket
Every recipient of a speed camera ticket has the right to:
- Request a free initial administrative review
- Request a formal administrative hearing
- Appeal the decision to Superior Court
Important: Each stage has strict deadlines, and missing one can end your ability to contest the ticket.
Step 1: Request an Initial Administrative Review (No Cost)
Once the Notice of Violation is mailed, the registered owner has 30 days to request an Initial Administrative Review.
- You do not waive rights by contesting
- No payment typically required yet
- Usually submitted online or by mail
What Happens During the Initial Review?
This review is conducted by the issuing agency to determine whether the citation was issued correctly. Administrative reviewers decide cases based on documentation, not explanations. If the agency agrees the ticket should not stand, the notice must be canceled.
If not, the agency must mail you a written decision within 60 days, explaining:
- Why the ticket was upheld
- Your right to request an administrative hearing
- How to request a payment waiver if you cannot afford the fine
Step 2: Request a Formal Administrative Hearing
If you disagree with the initial review outcome, you may request a second-level Administrative Hearing within 21 days of the decision.
Key things to know:
- Often requires the full fine to be paid upfront
- A financial hardship waiver may be requested
- Hearing may be conducted by mail, online, or in person
- You can challenge the evidence and procedures
This is the most technical stage of the process and where procedural errors matter.
What the Administrative Hearing Looks Like?
This is not traffic court. It’s a structured administrative process governed by written rules.
You may choose:
- A written declaration
- A video conference
- An in-person hearing (within the issuing jurisdiction)
- A written declaration
Who Conducts the Hearing?
The hearing must be conducted by a qualified, independent examiner who:
- Is not part of the ticket-issuing or processing department
- Has required training in evidence evaluation and due process
- Is not compensated or evaluated based on how many tickets are upheld
This independence requirement exists to ensure a fair and impartial review.
The Hearing Decision and Refund Rights
The examiner must issue a final decision within 60 days of the hearing’s conclusion.
If You Win
- The ticket is dismissed
Any civil penalty paid must be refunded within 30 days
If You Lose
The examiner may allow:
- Installment payments
- Deferred payment
- Community service (if authorized and hardship is shown)
- Installment payments
Step 3: Appeal to Superior Court (Final Option)
If the administrative hearing is unsuccessful, your final option is an appeal for de novo review in California Superior Court.
- Must be filed within 30 days
- Requires a $25 filing fee
- Judge reviews the case independently
- If you prevail, the fine and filing fee are refunded
If no appeal is filed within the deadline, the decision becomes final, and collection may begin.
Defense Themes for Fighting a Speed Camera Ticket
Let’s clear something up.
What’s the Best Excuse to Get Out of a Speeding Ticket?
There isn’t one.
Excuses don’t win administrative cases. Evidence does.
Here are possible defense themes for challenging a speed camera ticket:
1. Faulty or Inadequate Signage
Speed camera enforcement requires clear, visible warning signs. Obstructed or missing signage can undermine the citation.
2. Incorrect Vehicle or Registration Information
Camera systems can misread plates or associate the wrong registration data.
3. Stolen, Rented, or Unauthorized Use of the Vehicle
Because the registered owner is held liable, documentation matters.
4. Procedural Errors
Missed deadlines, defective notices, or failure to follow adopted procedures can invalidate a citation.
Important: Do not pay the fine first — that often waives your right to challenge.
Why Many Drivers Get Professional Help to Fight a Speed Camera Ticket
While the law provides protections, the process is technical and deadline-driven.
Speed camera tickets are handled through an administrative system, not traffic court, and many drivers are unfamiliar with how that system works.
As a result, drivers often lose because they don’t know how to challenge it properly.
Drivers handling tickets alone can make the following mistakes:
Submit Explanations Instead of Evidence
Drivers frequently respond with personal explanations (“I was late,” “traffic was flowing,” “I didn’t see the sign”), not realizing that administrative reviews are decided based on documentation and compliance, not intent or circumstances.
Aren’t Clear on the Required Steps to Challenge the Ticket
The process involves multiple stages, each with specific requirements. Many drivers simply don’t know:
- Which form to submit
- Where to submit it
- What information is required
- What evidence is relevant
- Which step comes next
- Which form to submit
Without clear guidance, it’s easy to make a small mistake that has big consequences.
Misunderstand What the Agency Is Required to Prove
Because the issuing agency only needs to meet a minimal initial burden of proof, drivers who aren’t prepared may assume the system is unfair, when in reality, they just weren’t shown how to present a proper defense.
When drivers handle speed camera tickets on their own, they’re often learning the system while the clock is already running.
Professional assistance changes that dynamic.
Professional help provides:
- Clarity
- Timing control
- Rights protection
- Proper submissions
Get a Free Speed Camera Ticket Review
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Is It Worth Fighting a Traffic Ticket In California?
Always.
In most cases traffic tickets are successfully challenged with our legal experts.
You have nothing to lose besides your traffic ticket and the hassle of going to court multiple times.
Traffic tickets, even if issued through camera automated enforcement, are not immune to mistakes.
Incorrect or incomplete information, procedural errors, and improper signage or enforcement requirements are just a few of the common issues.
Challenging the ticket is the best way to get it dismissed.
FAQ
We know getting a traffic ticket is no pleasant experience; this is why we help you through it, to avoid all the inconvenience it may bring. The California Traffic Ticket System is a complex world, and this ultimate guide is made to give you an overall idea of what you may face in CA regarding speeding tickets. Ticket Snipers is your team if you ever find yourself in this type of situation. Trust our experience and professionalism. We got you; We will fight any ticket!
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