You can turn right on red in Indiana after coming to a complete stop, as long as no sign at the intersection prohibits it and you yield to pedestrians and cross-traffic first.1Indiana General Assembly. Indiana Code 9-21-3-7 – Signals Exhibiting Colored Lights or Arrows; Requirements; Explanation of Colors
The Default Rule
Indiana Code 9-21-3-7 permits a right turn at any steady red signal in the state once the driver has stopped completely. The permission is automatic; a posted “No Turn on Red” sign is what takes it away, not the other way around.1Indiana General Assembly. Indiana Code 9-21-3-7 – Signals Exhibiting Colored Lights or Arrows; Requirements; Explanation of Colors
The statute uses the word “cautiously.” A right on red is a deliberate maneuver, not a rolling yield. Stop first, look, then go only when the path is clear.
How to Make the Turn Legally
Every step matters. Skip one and a lawful maneuver becomes a citable violation.
- Stop completely. Stop before the stop line. If there’s no stop line, stop before the crosswalk. If there’s no crosswalk either, stop before entering the intersection. A rolling stop does not count.1Indiana General Assembly. Indiana Code 9-21-3-7 – Signals Exhibiting Colored Lights or Arrows; Requirements; Explanation of Colors
- Yield to pedestrians. Anyone lawfully in an adjacent crosswalk has the right-of-way. Wait until they’ve cleared your path.1Indiana General Assembly. Indiana Code 9-21-3-7 – Signals Exhibiting Colored Lights or Arrows; Requirements; Explanation of Colors
- Yield to cross-traffic. Any vehicle already using the intersection has the right-of-way over you. If an approaching car is close enough to create a hazard, stay put.1Indiana General Assembly. Indiana Code 9-21-3-7 – Signals Exhibiting Colored Lights or Arrows; Requirements; Explanation of Colors
- Stay close to the curb. Indiana law requires both your approach and your turn to be as close as practical to the right-hand curb or edge of the roadway. Swinging wide into a far lane can get you ticketed even if you stopped and yielded properly.2Indiana General Assembly. Indiana Code 9-21-8-21 – Intersections; Right and Left Turns
The most common ticket comes from the incomplete stop. If your wheels never fully stop rolling, that’s a violation even on an empty intersection.
When the Turn Is Prohibited
A posted “No Turn on Red” sign makes the turn illegal regardless of conditions. Clear sight lines, empty cross-streets, and the absence of pedestrians change nothing when the sign is up.1Indiana General Assembly. Indiana Code 9-21-3-7 – Signals Exhibiting Colored Lights or Arrows; Requirements; Explanation of Colors
Local governments can add their own restrictions. Indianapolis passed an ordinance in 2023 creating “Pedestrian Safety Priority Areas” where the city can install no-turn-on-red restrictions at intersections supported by crash data.3Indy.gov. No Turn on Red Other Indiana cities have similar authority. School zones, busy downtown corridors, and intersections with poor sight lines are the most common places you’ll find local restrictions, so check for signage even at intersections you’ve turned on red before.
Left on Red From a One-Way Street
Indiana also allows a left turn on red in one narrow situation: turning from the left lane of a one-way street onto another one-way street that flows in the direction of your turn. The same requirements apply, including the complete stop and the duty to yield to pedestrians and traffic.1Indiana General Assembly. Indiana Code 9-21-3-7 – Signals Exhibiting Colored Lights or Arrows; Requirements; Explanation of Colors
If either street carries two-way traffic, the left on red is not allowed. A posted sign prohibiting the turn also overrides the default, just as with right turns.
Penalties
An illegal turn on red is a Class C infraction. The maximum judgment scales with your record of moving violations in the past five years in the county where you’re cited:
- No prior moving violations: up to $35.50, plus court costs.
- One prior moving violation: up to $250.50, plus court costs.
- Two or more prior moving violations: up to $500, plus court costs.4Indiana General Assembly. Indiana Code 34-28-5-4 – Judgment for Infractions
If you admit the violation or plead no contest on or before your court date, the maximum judgment is capped at $35.50 plus court costs regardless of your driving history. The escalating fines apply when you contest the ticket and lose.4Indiana General Assembly. Indiana Code 34-28-5-4 – Judgment for Infractions
Court costs added on top of the judgment can exceed the fine itself. Indiana also tracks moving violations through a point system; points stay active for two years, and accumulating too many can lead to a license suspension.5Indiana Bureau of Motor Vehicles. Driver Record Points A conviction can also push your insurance premiums higher, and if an illegal turn causes a crash, you could face civil liability for the resulting injuries or property damage.
How the Rule Is Enforced
Indiana bans automated red light cameras and speed cameras statewide. Every right-on-red citation in the state comes from a law enforcement officer who personally observed the violation.