CVC 21453

Red Light Camera Tickets — General Information

California has two kinds of red light camera ticket, and they are contested in different places. Both are mailed to the registered owner of the vehicle, who may not be the person who was driving. Read your notice first to see which kind you have.

Educational information only. TicketClear is not a law firm. This page explains issues drivers commonly raise — not legal advice for your specific situation.

How red light camera tickets work in California

Traditional court citation (Vehicle Code 21455.5). A notice to appear for a Vehicle Code 21453 infraction, filed with the superior court. For running a red light, the base fine is $100 and the total is $486 under the Judicial Council's 2026 bail schedule ($234 for a right turn on red under Vehicle Code 21453(b); some counties charge more), and a conviction adds 1 DMV point. You contest it in court, including by Trial by Written Declaration (Vehicle Code 40902).

SB 720 civil notice (Vehicle Code 21455.9). Since January 1, 2026, a city or county may opt in to civil red light cameras. The penalty is $100 for a first violation ($200, $350 or $500 for repeat violations within three years), with no DMV point. You contest it with the issuing agency: a free initial review requested within 30 calendar days of the notice's mailing date, then an administrative hearing, then an appeal to superior court.

Whether these tickets are legal, whether you have to pay, and the notice that only asks who was driving: California red light camera tickets.

What to check on your notice

Who issued it: a superior court (court citation) or a city or county agency (SB 720 civil notice)
The deadline: the court due date, or 30 calendar days from the mailing date for an SB 720 initial review
Whether the photos or video clearly show your plate and the signal
The violation date and the mailing date
The intersection and whether camera warning signs were posted

Commonly discussed issues (general information)

I was not the driver

A red light camera ticket is mailed to the registered owner of the vehicle, who may not be the person who was driving. A court citation comes with an affidavit of nonliability and information on when it applies (Vehicle Code 40520), and the registered owner can review the photos (Vehicle Code 21455.5). If you were not driving, follow the instructions on your notice and say so when you contest, in court or in your Trial by Written Declaration. An SB 720 civil notice is different: it is issued to the registered owner from a photo of the rear license plate. Its affidavit of nonliability covers a vehicle that was rented or leased (with the lease or rental agreement) or stolen (with a police report), and the affidavit must be returned within 30 calendar days of the mailing date (Vehicle Code 21455.9).

Camera inspection and calibration

An agency running a court program must make sure the equipment is regularly inspected and certify that it is properly installed, calibrated and operating properly (Vehicle Code 21455.5). Under SB 720, the agency must inspect the equipment at least once a year and calibrate it to the manufacturer’s instructions when it is installed (Vehicle Code 21455.9). If you know of a problem with the camera on the date of the alleged violation, you can describe it when you contest.

When the notice was mailed

For a court citation, Vehicle Code 40518 requires the notice to be mailed to the registered owner’s address on file with the DMV within 15 days of the alleged violation. Compare the mailing date on your notice with the violation date. An SB 720 civil notice must also be mailed within 15 days (Vehicle Code 21455.9), but requesting a review or hearing waives any challenge or dispute about the delivery of the notice.

Signs at the intersection

Camera warning signs are required. For a court program, they must be posted within 200 feet of the intersection and be visible to traffic approaching from each direction the camera cites (Vehicle Code 21455.5). Under SB 720, a road with a speed limit of 45 mph or less needs one sign 200 to 300 feet from the intersection, and a faster road needs two signs 200 to 500 feet from it (Vehicle Code 21455.9). If the signs were missing or hidden by trees or construction, you can describe that, with photos of the intersection if you have them.

The light was yellow at the limit line

Vehicle Code 21453(a) requires a driver facing a steady red light to stop at the marked limit line (or, if there is none, before the crosswalk or the intersection). A yellow light warns that red is coming next (Vehicle Code 21452). If the photos or video show the vehicle crossed the limit line while the light was still yellow, that is relevant when you contest, even if the light turned red while the vehicle was in the intersection. At a camera intersection, the yellow light must last at least the minimum set by the California Manual on Uniform Traffic Control Devices (Vehicle Code 21455.7).

Got a red light camera ticket?

Upload your notice and we check which kind it is before you pay. TicketClear prepares a Trial by Written Declaration for a court citation, or an initial review request for an SB 720 civil notice, from the grounds you select.

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