If you received a ticket from one of Beaverton’s red light cameras, you have 30 days from the mailing date printed on the citation to respond, and the presumptive fine is $265. You can pay, ask for a mitigation hearing to try to reduce the fine, request a trial to contest it, or file a Certificate of Innocence if someone else was driving your car. The Beaverton red light cameras are operated by the Beaverton Police Department under Oregon law, and the same equipment can also issue speed citations, so it helps to know exactly what you’re being cited for before you decide how to respond.
What Triggered the Citation
Oregon law requires a driver facing a steady circular red signal to stop at the stop line. If there is no stop line, you must stop before the crosswalk; if there is no crosswalk, you must stop before entering the intersection. Running a red light falls under the broader offense of failing to obey a traffic control device, a Class B traffic violation.1Oregon State Legislature. Oregon Revised Statutes 811.265 – Driver Failure to Obey Traffic Control Device; Penalty
The cameras are triggered by sensors in the pavement. Once the light turns red, any vehicle that crosses the sensor sets off the camera, which captures the rear license plate and the driver’s face.
Rolling Right Turns
Oregon allows right turns on red after a complete stop, unless a sign prohibits it. The word that matters is “complete.” If you roll through the right turn without fully stopping before the crosswalk or stop line, the camera treats it the same as running the light. This is one of the most common reasons people end up with a citation they didn’t expect.
Speed at Camera Intersections
The same equipment can cite you for speeding. Oregon authorizes cities to photograph drivers exceeding the posted speed limit by 11 miles per hour or more at camera-equipped intersections.2Oregon Public Law. Oregon Code 810.434 – Photo Red Light; Operation; Evaluation You can get a ticket at one of these intersections even if the light was green when you went through. Speed enforcement at Beaverton’s camera intersections has been active since at least 2018.
The Fine
The presumptive fine for a Class B traffic violation is $265.3Oregon Public Law. Oregon Code 153.019 – Presumptive Fines; Generally That’s the standard amount a court imposes unless something changes it. A judge has discretion to increase the fine up to $1,000 for an individual.4Oregon Public Law. Oregon Code 153.018 – Maximum Fines Violations in school zones or construction zones can run higher, and administrative surcharges may be added depending on how you resolve the citation.
Look at the Evidence First
Before you decide anything, review what the camera actually captured. Beaverton provides an online portal where you can view the photos and video. Log in using the license plate number and PIN printed on your citation.5Beaverton, OR – Official Website. Photo Radar / Red Light This is worth doing even if you plan to pay. The footage sometimes shows that the images are unclear, that your right turn included a full stop, or that the person driving wasn’t you.
Your Three Response Options
The back of the citation is the response form. You pick one:
- Pay the fine. You accept the violation and pay the amount listed. Online payment is available through the city’s payment portal by entering your citation number.6Beaverton, OR – Official Website. Municipal Court
- Request a mitigation hearing. You admit the violation but want to explain the circumstances to a judge, who may reduce the fine.
- Request a trial. You contest the violation. A judge hears the case, reviews the evidence, and decides whether you’re responsible.
For a hearing or trial, sign and date the back of the citation, mark your choice, and mail it to the Beaverton Municipal Court at the address printed on the notice. The court mails back a hearing date and time. If you’ve lost the paperwork, replacement forms are on the Municipal Court’s forms page.7City of Beaverton, OR. Municipal Court Forms Keep copies of anything you mail, and consider delivery confirmation. A response form that goes missing in the mail can result in a default judgment, which means the court treats the violation as admitted and imposes the fine automatically.
If You Weren’t the Driver
Red light camera citations go to the registered owner, not necessarily the person who was driving. If someone else had the car, you don’t pay the ticket. You file a Certificate of Innocence instead.
Log in to the Zerofatality portal with your license plate number and PIN, click the button labeled “NOT THE DRIVER? FILL OUT CERTIFICATE HERE (COI),” and follow the instructions.5Beaverton, OR – Official Website. Photo Radar / Red Light If the citation was issued to a business, the process is similar but uses a Certificate of Non-Liability, which requires the business to identify the actual driver.
A few things to watch:
- The certificate must be filed with the court before the court date listed on your citation.
- Online submissions reach the Zerofatality system immediately but aren’t filed with the court until the next business day. The Municipal Court then needs 7 to 10 business days to process it.
- Fill in every field. Incomplete forms get rejected, and by the time you resubmit, your deadline may have passed.
If the court compares the high-resolution images and decides you were in fact the driver, the citation gets mailed to you again. You can’t file a second Certificate of Innocence on a reissued citation.
The 30-Day Deadline
You have 30 days from the mailing date to respond.8Oregon State Legislature. Oregon Revised Statutes Chapter 810 – Road Authorities The date printed on your citation is the deadline for entering a plea, not a scheduled court appearance.6Beaverton, OR – Official Website. Municipal Court If you’re mailing a response, the court has to receive it by that date; a postmark alone won’t save you. Miss the deadline and the court can enter a default judgment, treating the violation as admitted.
What a Conviction Does to Your Record and Insurance
A red light camera conviction counts as a traffic offense on your Oregon driving record. Under Oregon’s Driver Improvement Program, three convictions or preventable accidents (or a combination) within 24 months triggers a 30-day license restriction limiting driving to daytime hours. Five incidents in the same period results in a 30-day license suspension.9Oregon Department of Transportation. Suspensions, Revocations and Cancellations
Oregon repealed the “Failure to Comply” suspension in 2020, so an unpaid red light camera fine no longer triggers an automatic license suspension on its own.9Oregon Department of Transportation. Suspensions, Revocations and Cancellations Ignoring the ticket still produces a default judgment and collection consequences, so this isn’t a reason to let one sit.
Insurance impact depends on the carrier. Some Oregon insurers treat red light camera violations as minor moving violations that can raise your premium; others give them less weight than an officer-issued citation. There’s no single statewide rule, so check with your insurer if you’re worried about a rate increase.
Where the Cameras Are
Beaverton Police operate fixed cameras mounted at traffic signals at several major intersections.5Beaverton, OR – Official Website. Photo Radar / Red Light Because locations can be added or removed, the city’s Photo Radar / Red Light page is the most reliable place to check the current list.