How speed cameras work, state by state
Automated speed enforcement is governed at state level, not city level. Whether a camera can cite you at all, the speed that triggers it, what it costs and whether it touches your licence are all set by state law — so that’s how this page is organised.
California
California allows automated speed enforcement only under AB 645, a five-year pilot limited to six named cities and running through January 1, 2032. Outside those six cities, a speed camera cannot issue you a citation.
What applies everywhere in California
- A camera photographs the rear licence plate only — not the driver, not the windshield. The violation attaches to the vehicle, so the notice goes to the registered owner whoever was driving.
- Citations are civil penalties, not moving violations. No points, and not reported to the DMV as a moving violation.
- A 60-day warning period is required when cameras are first switched on along a street.
- Income-based reductions and payment plans are required by the statute. Where a city publishes the reduced amounts, they’re on its fines page.
- The pilot runs through January 1, 2032.
Cities we cover in California
- Los Angeles — how LADOT runs it125 cameras. Not yet issuing citations. LADOT publishes the enforcement zone for each camera.
- San Francisco — how SFMTA runs it33 cameras. Issuing citations since August 5, 2025. SFMTA publishes camera points rather than enforcement zones.
- Oakland — how OakDOT runs it18 cameras. Issuing citations since March 15, 2026. OakDOT publishes camera points rather than enforcement zones.
- Long Beach — how Long Beach Public Works runs it18 cameras. Not yet issuing citations. Long Beach Public Works publishes camera points rather than enforcement zones.
- San José — how SJDOT runs it33 cameras. Not yet issuing citations. SJDOT publishes camera points rather than enforcement zones.
- Glendale — how Glendale Public Works runs it9 cameras. Not yet issuing citations. Glendale Public Works publishes camera points rather than enforcement zones.
AB 645 names 6 cities in total: Los Angeles, San Francisco, San José, Oakland, Glendale, Long Beach. We add a city once its locations can be sourced from the operating agency rather than from press coverage.
Where our data comes from
Every camera location on this site comes from the agency that operates it — published GIS layers and official programme pages, refreshed daily and validated before anything publishes. We don’t use crowdsourced reports, and we don’t estimate. Where an agency doesn’t publish something, the page says so instead of guessing.
Know before the fines start
These cameras issue warnings first, then real citations. We’ll email you once when that changes. No account, no location tracking, no other mail.
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Sources
Everything on this page comes from the primary sources below. If you find something that disagrees with an official source, the official source is right and we want to know — tell us.
- AB 645 — Vehicles: speed safety system pilot program (2023) — California LegislatureThe statute authorising speed cameras in six California cities through Jan 1, 2032.
- Speed Safety System Program — Los Angeles Department of TransportationLADOT’s official program page: locations, fines, timeline and FAQ.
- Speed Safety Cameras — program page and camera location table — San Francisco Municipal Transportation AgencySFMTA publishes an operation status for each of its 33 cameras, plus the fine schedule and the reduced amounts for low-income drivers.
- Speed Safety Cameras Pilot Program — locations, fines and timeline — Oakland Department of TransportationOakDOT’s official programme page: all 18 camera segments, posted limits, fine schedule and the privacy provisions.
Sources last verified August 3, 2026.