Roughly 21 states and the District of Columbia authorize speed cameras in some form, about 10 states ban them outright, and the rest sit in a gray zone where no law clearly allows or forbids them. The states with speed cameras range from Maryland and D.C., which run dense citywide networks, to states that permit cameras only inside school zones or active highway work zones. If you get caught by one, the ticket almost always arrives in the mail as a civil penalty against the registered owner, without points on your license.
States That Allow Speed Cameras Broadly
A handful of jurisdictions let local governments place cameras on many kinds of roads, not just near schools or construction.
Maryland is among the most established. Any local jurisdiction can authorize cameras after a public hearing and a local ordinance, and cameras operate in school zones, residential areas, and highway work zones. Fines top out at $40 per violation, and the ticket does not add points or affect insurance.1Maryland General Assembly. Maryland Code Transportation 21-809 – Speed Monitoring Systems The citation goes to the registered vehicle owner regardless of who was driving.
Colorado permits automated enforcement in school zones, residential neighborhoods, construction zones, streets bordering municipal parks, and any corridor a local government designates by ordinance. The state can place cameras on interstates; local governments cannot. Fines are capped at $40, doubled to $80 in school zones, and a first violation under 10 mph over the limit results in a warning rather than a fine.2Justia Law. Colorado Revised Statutes 42-4-110.5 – Automated Vehicle Identification Systems
Arizona authorizes fixed and mobile photo enforcement statewide. At least two warning signs must be posted ahead of any camera, with the first roughly 300 feet before the site. Mobile units on streets with speed limits of 40 mph or less are exempt from the two-sign rule but must be clearly marked on the rear. Courts can dismiss tickets when signage requirements aren’t met.3Arizona Legislature. Arizona Revised Statutes 28-1204 – Photo Enforcement Zones, Signage, Standards
Oregon permits photo radar on residential streets and in school zones. Cities can use it on other streets only after the local governing body formally finds that speeding has harmed traffic safety there. Controlled-access highways are off limits. A sign reading “Traffic Laws Photo Enforced” must sit between 100 and 400 yards before the camera.4Oregon Revised Statutes. Oregon Code 810.438 – Photo Radar
Washington, D.C., runs one of the densest networks in the country, with fixed cameras throughout the city and some mounted on moving buses. The system triggers only when a vehicle exceeds the posted limit by 11 mph or more.5DC.gov. Automated Safety Camera Program
States That Limit Cameras to School or Work Zones
Most states with speed cameras keep them inside narrow zones where speeding poses the greatest risk.
School Zones
Georgia allows cameras only in marked school zones, and only on school days during instructional hours plus a one-hour buffer before and after. The system captures a violation only when the driver exceeds the posted limit by more than 10 mph.6Justia Law. Georgia Code 40-14-18 – Enforcement of Speed Limit in School Zones with Recorded Images
New York authorizes school speed zone cameras through a program that currently covers New York City, where more than 2,400 cameras operate across all five boroughs around the clock.7Office of the Governor of New York. Governor Signs Legislation Extending New York City School Speed Camera Program A school speed zone extends up to 1,320 feet from a school building, entrance, or exit. Cameras trigger only when a vehicle travels more than 10 mph over the limit, and the maximum penalty is $50, with an additional $25 for a late response.8New York State Senate. New York Vehicle and Traffic Law 1180-B – Owner Liability for Failure of Operator to Comply with Posted Speed Limits in School Speed Zones The program is set to expire July 1, 2030 unless the legislature renews it.
Illinois authorizes automated enforcement in safety zones near schools and parks, but the program is limited to cities of one million or more, which currently means Chicago only. Cameras trigger at 6 mph over the limit, with a maximum $50 fine. Going more than 10 mph over doubles the maximum to $100. Speeds 5 mph or less over the limit draw only a warning notice.9Illinois General Assembly. 625 ILCS 5/11-208.8 – Automated Speed Enforcement System
Work Zones
Pennsylvania runs a work zone speed camera program under Act 86, made permanent by Act 38 of 2023. Cameras operate only when a work zone is active, meaning workers are present or behind barriers, and record vehicles exceeding the posted limit by 11 mph or more. The first violation is a warning letter, the second a $75 fine, and the third or later $150. No points, no insurance impact.10Pennsylvania Department of Transportation. Work Zone Speed Safety Camera Regulations Two warning signs precede each camera, and camera locations are published online.
Virginia authorizes cameras in school crossing zones, highway work zones, and at high-risk intersection segments where a traffic fatality has occurred since January 1, 2014. That last category reaches up to 1,000 feet from school property at intersections with marked crosswalks that have seen deadly crashes.11Virginia Code Commission. Virginia Code 46.2-882.1 – Use of Photo Speed Monitoring Devices The program has been amended several times, most recently in 2025.
Washington State launched a Work Zone Speed Camera Program through 2023 legislation, pairing the Department of Transportation with the State Patrol to enforce speed limits in construction areas.
California’s Pilot Program
California authorized a limited pilot rather than statewide deployment. Assembly Bill 645, signed in 2023, allows six jurisdictions to test speed cameras until January 1, 2032: Los Angeles, San Jose, Oakland, Glendale, Long Beach, and San Francisco. Each city must run a public information campaign at least 30 days before cameras go live and issue only warnings for the first 60 days.12California Legislative Information. AB-645 Vehicles – Speed Safety System Pilot Program
As of early 2026, San Francisco has 33 active cameras issuing fines. Oakland and San Jose are still in their warning periods. Glendale is transitioning to live enforcement, and Los Angeles and Long Beach are expected to launch later in 2026. The legislature would need to vote again for any expansion or continuation beyond 2032. Cities must track the program’s impact on traffic speeds and crash rates.
States That Ban Speed Cameras
About 10 states have passed laws explicitly prohibiting automated speed enforcement.
Maine prohibits any state or local government from using a traffic surveillance camera to prove or enforce a traffic violation, with narrow exceptions for school bus stop-arm cameras and toll collection by the Maine Turnpike Authority.13Maine Legislature. Maine Code Title 29-A 2117 – Use of Traffic Surveillance Cameras Restricted No camera-based traffic tickets, period.
Mississippi bans any county or municipality from adopting an ordinance that authorizes automated recording equipment to enforce traffic speeds, signals, or other traffic laws. If an officer uses handheld recording equipment, the officer must personally verify who was operating the vehicle.
West Virginia prevents any police officer from using a “traffic law photo-monitoring device” to detect motor vehicle violations. Texas banned photographic traffic signal enforcement systems in 2019, eliminating red light cameras; the state never separately authorized speed cameras, leaving them effectively prohibited.
Other states in this category include New Hampshire and Montana. In states without authorizing legislation and without an explicit ban, local governments generally lack the legal power to install cameras on their own, and a city that tried would likely face a preemption challenge.
What a Speed Camera Ticket Actually Costs You
A camera ticket works differently from a citation an officer hands you on the roadside, and understanding those differences keeps a $40 notice from turning into a bigger problem.
The Owner Gets the Ticket
In almost every jurisdiction, the ticket goes to the registered vehicle owner regardless of who was driving. The camera photographs the plate, the system matches it to the registration, and the citation arrives in the mail. People often assume they can ignore the ticket because they weren’t behind the wheel. They can’t. Most states allow a declaration of non-responsibility identifying the actual driver, but the burden is on you to file it. Do nothing and the fine is yours.
No Points, No Insurance Hit
Camera violations are usually civil penalties, not moving violations. Maryland’s statute explicitly bars the violation from appearing on your driving record or being considered by insurance companies.1Maryland General Assembly. Maryland Code Transportation 21-809 – Speed Monitoring Systems Pennsylvania, Colorado, New York, and most other camera states follow the same approach. One camera ticket shouldn’t change your premiums.
Ignoring it is where costs climb. Unpaid tickets can lead to a hold on your vehicle registration, meaning you can’t renew your tags until you pay. The fine may be small; driving on expired registration is a separate and more serious problem.
Typical Fines
- Maryland: $40 maximum per violation
- Colorado: $40 maximum, doubled to $80 in school zones
- New York City: $50 maximum, plus $25 for late response
- Illinois (Chicago): $50 for 6 to 10 mph over, $100 for more than 10 mph over
- Pennsylvania work zones: warning for first offense, $75 for second, $150 for third and beyond
Base fines run low compared with a standard speeding ticket, but late fees and collection charges stack up fast. Some jurisdictions add a surcharge for missing the response deadline, and tickets sent to collections can reach your credit report.
Fighting a Camera Ticket
Camera tickets aren’t impossible to beat, but the winning arguments usually focus on the equipment and the process rather than on your actual speed.
Calibration records come first. Cameras must be regularly tested and calibrated, and if the agency can’t produce a current calibration certificate, or the records show the device was overdue for maintenance, the reading’s accuracy becomes questionable. Courts have dismissed tickets on that basis.
Signage failures offer another opening. Arizona law allows courts to dismiss tickets when required warning signs weren’t in place.3Arizona Legislature. Arizona Revised Statutes 28-1204 – Photo Enforcement Zones, Signage, Standards Oregon has similar sign-placement rules.4Oregon Revised Statutes. Oregon Code 810.438 – Photo Radar If you plan to contest, photograph the location yourself. Missing, obscured, or improperly placed signs are among the stronger defenses available.
Errors on the citation itself can matter too. An incorrect date, time, location, or vehicle description may be grounds for dismissal depending on local rules. GPS data or dashcam footage of your actual speed can support a challenge, though these are harder to prove definitively. The deadline to request a hearing is printed on the citation, and missing it usually waives your right to contest.