How Much Is a Speed Camera Ticket in LA? The Complete 2026 Fine Guide
The City of Los Angeles is preparing to turn on civil-penalty enforcement at 125 automated speed safety cameras in late 2026, the final phase of the AB 645 pilot program that began rolling out earlier this year. After the warning period ends, drivers caught 11 mph or more over the posted limit will start receiving real fines in the mail. This guide walks through exactly what you'll pay, what fees can be added on top, which AB 645 categories qualify for reductions, and why a speed camera ticket is financially very different from a traffic-court speeding ticket. If you want to see where every camera sits before you read on, the interactive map shows all 125 locations, and the fine calculator on the homepage will give you a per-site estimate.
The base fine schedule
AB 645 wrote the four civil-penalty tiers directly into the statute, so the base amounts are identical across all six pilot cities (Los Angeles, San Francisco, San Jose, Oakland, Glendale, and Long Beach). The threshold for any citation is 11 mph over the posted limit — below that, no citation is issued at all.
| Speed over limit | Base civil penalty | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| 11-15 mph over | $50 | The base tier. The most common citation category. |
| 16-25 mph over | $100 | Frequent on wide arterials where the limit drops abruptly. |
| 26 mph or more over | $200 | Reckless-speed tier. Common on wide arterials with abrupt limit drops. |
| 100+ mph | $500 | "Exhibition speed" tier. |
Critically, these are civil penalties, not criminal fines. The fine amounts are set by Vehicle Code §22426(c), part of the Speed Safety System Pilot Program codified at Vehicle Code §§22425-22431. Under §22429(c), both the 80% reduction for indigent persons and the 50% reduction for those up to 250% of the federal poverty level apply to all fine tiers, including the $500 penalty for driving 100+ mph.
What about fees?
The dollar amounts above are the base civil penalty. AB 645 caps the base fine at the statutory level, but the law contemplates that administrative fees, late penalties, and collection costs can apply on top in some circumstances. The exact LADOT fee schedule for the LA program is still being finalized, and the city has not published a complete, itemized breakdown as of the date of this post.
What we can say with confidence:
- The base civil penalty is fixed by statute and cannot be inflated by local fee add-ons the way a traffic-court fine is.
- Late payment will trigger an additional penalty; the exact amount and timeline are set by LADOT's enforcement protocol.
- An unpaid balance can be referred to collections and can block vehicle registration renewal at the DMV.
This is NOT a regular speeding ticket
The most important thing to understand about an AB 645 citation is what it isn't. Comparing it to a traditional officer-issued speeding ticket is the single biggest source of confusion.
| AB 645 speed camera ticket | Traditional LA speeding ticket | |
|---|---|---|
| Type of penalty | Civil penalty | Criminal infraction |
| DMV points | None | 1 point (often more) |
| Reported to insurance | No | Yes |
| Issued to | Registered vehicle owner | The actual driver |
| Court appearance | No (administrative process) | Possible |
| Typical out-of-pocket cost | $50 - $500 base penalty | Often $230+ with state and county fees |
The headline is that a speed camera ticket is financially simpler but legally narrower. It costs cash and that's it — no points, no insurance hit, no criminal record entry. But you also don't get the procedural protections of a criminal infraction (you can't, for instance, contest it in front of a traditional traffic court judge). The trade-off is intentional: AB 645 was designed to be a pure safety-and-revenue mechanism, not a record-keeping system.
Income-based fine reductions
One of the things that makes AB 645 unusual among traffic-fine statutes is its mandatory income-based reduction. The bill explicitly addresses the regressive nature of flat-dollar traffic fines by tiering relief based on household income and public-benefit enrollment.
- 80% reduction — for "indigent persons" as defined in Vehicle Code §22425(a)(3). A person is indigent if they either meet the income criteria in Government Code §68632(b) or receive public benefits from a program listed in Government Code §68632(a) (the statutory list is the authority).
- 50% reduction — for individuals up to 250 percent of the federal poverty level who do not qualify as indigent.
- Payment plans and community service are also available in lieu of, or in combination with, the reduced fine.
The reduction is not automatic — you have to apply. The application is part of the response process when you receive the citation. You'll typically need to submit proof of public-benefit enrollment (a recent benefits statement or EBT card) or income documentation (tax return, pay stubs, or a self-attestation form for the income tier). The exact paperwork and submission channel are set by LADOT; see ladot.lacity.gov for the current forms and filing instructions.
A fine-reduction eligibility checker is on our roadmap — until it ships, the simplest place to start is the homepage, which links to the citation response process.
The enforcement timeline
Knowing when real fines actually start matters, because much of the public conversation about LA speed cameras has been about cameras that are physically installed but not yet issuing citations. AB 645 requires at least 30 days of public information campaign before enforcement begins, followed by a 60-day warning period where cameras issue warning notices instead of fines. After that, real fines begin. The statute also provides that a vehicle's first 11-15 mph violation in a designated jurisdiction is always a warning, never a fine.
The first cameras moved through this sequence in early 2026 and are at or near the live-citation phase. The remainder of the 125-camera network will follow on a staggered schedule. The interactive map shows each camera's current status — sites still in the warning phase are visually distinguished from those issuing live citations.
How to avoid the ticket entirely
The honest answer: drive the posted limit in camera zones. The cameras are not radar traps in the predatory sense — they're installed at fixed, signed locations and they only trigger at 11 mph or more over. If you're going the limit, you will never get a citation no matter how many times you pass one.
If you want a little more help than that, use our interactive map to see exactly where every camera is before you drive, and our fine calculator to understand what a citation at a specific site would actually cost. The point isn't to help you speed past cameras — it's to make sure no one in LA gets a $200 surprise in the mail because they didn't know the program existed.
Frequently asked questions
How much is a speed camera ticket in Los Angeles?
Under Vehicle Code §22426(c), the civil penalty depends on how far over the posted limit you were caught: $50 for 11-15 mph over, $100 for 16-25 mph over, $200 for 26 mph or more over, and $500 for 100 mph or more. These are base civil penalties set by the statute, not traffic court fines.
Do LA speed camera tickets add points to my license?
No. Vehicle Code §22426(a) classifies speed safety camera citations as civil penalties, not moving violations. They are not reported to the DMV and do not add points to your driving record.
Will a speed camera ticket raise my insurance?
No. Because the citation is a civil penalty rather than a moving violation, it is not reported to the DMV or to insurance carriers, and it cannot be used to raise your premiums.
Can I fight a speed camera ticket in LA?
Yes. AB 645 establishes an administrative review process. You can request initial review by the issuing agency, and if denied, request a hearing before an administrative hearing officer. Common defenses include incorrect vehicle identification, unposted or obscured speed limit signs, or the vehicle not being under your control at the time. See LADOT for the current appeals process and exact filing deadlines.
Who gets the ticket — the driver or the car owner?
The registered owner of the vehicle. The camera photographs the license plate, not the driver, so the citation is mailed to whoever the vehicle is registered to, regardless of who was actually behind the wheel. If you were not the driver, AB 645 includes a process to identify the responsible party, but the registered owner is on the hook by default.
What if I can't afford the fine?
Vehicle Code §22429(c) requires income-based reductions. Indigent persons as defined in Vehicle Code §22425(a)(3) qualify for an 80% reduction — a person is indigent if they either meet the income criteria in Government Code §68632(b) or receive public benefits from a program listed in Government Code §68632(a). Individuals up to 250 percent of the federal poverty level qualify for a 50% reduction. Both reductions apply to all fine tiers, including the $500 penalty. Payment plans and community service in lieu of payment are also available. You have to apply; the reduction is not automatic.
Plan your routes — and your wallet
If you want to see where the cameras actually are, the SpeedCamLA interactive map shows all 125 sites with filters for council district, speed limit, and school zone. The fine calculator on the homepage will translate a given speed and location into a dollar figure, including the income-reduction tiers. And if you haven't read it yet, our full district-by-district list of every camera location is the companion to this post.
For enforcement-start notifications — a heads-up when the cameras nearest you transition out of the warning phase — the email signup is on the homepage.