Camera Ticket vs. Officer Ticket in California: Key Differences

Not every camera ticket works the same way. Besides officer-issued tickets, California has three main kinds of camera ticket, and they are not all contested in the same place.

The Four Types

• Officer-issued ticket: a court citation. Contested in superior court, including by Trial by Written Declaration (TR-205). Most moving violations add a DMV point if you are convicted.
• AB 645 speed camera notice (six cities only): a civil penalty of $50 to $500 by speed, no DMV points. Contested with the city: initial review within 30 days of mailing, then a hearing, then an appeal to superior court.
• SB 720 civil red light notice (only in cities or counties that opt in, since January 1, 2026): $100 if no fine was assessed in the previous three years and $200 to $500 for repeat violations within three years, no DMV points. Contested with the agency: initial review, hearing, then appeal.
• Traditional red light camera ticket (Vehicle Code 21455.5): a court citation for a Vehicle Code 21453 infraction, $486 total under the 2026 bail schedule ($234 if cited under Vehicle Code 21453(b), the right-turn-on-red rule), 1 DMV point if convicted. Contested in court, including by Trial by Written Declaration.

See how to tell the three kinds of camera notice apart from the paperwork itself. Camera Ticket or Court Ticket? How to Tell →

Deadlines

• Court citations: respond by the due date on your ticket or courtesy notice; a Trial by Written Declaration must be requested by then.
• AB 645 and SB 720 notices: request the initial review within 30 calendar days of the notice’s mailing date.

DMV Points and Insurance Impact

AB 645 and SB 720 violations carry no DMV point by statute (Vehicle Code 22426(a) and 21455.9(h)). Court convictions for moving violations, including traditional red light camera tickets, generally add 1 point (Vehicle Code 12810), and insurers look at points and convictions on your driving record.