Lombard, IL Automated Photo Enforcement: Defenses & Hearings

If you received a Lombard red light camera ticket in the mail, you generally have about 30 days from the notice date to pay the civil penalty (capped at $100) or request an administrative hearing. The ticket is treated as a civil violation, not a moving violation, so paying it won’t put points on your Illinois license or show up on your driving record.¹ Ignore it, and the consequences get much larger.

Look at the Evidence Before You Decide

The notice goes to the registered owner of the vehicle, regardless of who was actually driving.¹ Before you pay anything or request a hearing, pull up the footage.

Go to secure.redlightviolations.com. You’ll need three things from the paper notice: the notice number, your license plate exactly as printed on the notice, and the six verification characters on the document.² The portal shows the video and still images. Watch for two things: was the signal already red when the vehicle crossed into the intersection, and did the vehicle actually enter the intersection or come to a complete stop first?

That second question matters. State law prohibits issuing a violation when a vehicle comes to a complete stop and does not enter the intersection during the red cycle, even if it stopped past the stop line or crosswalk. The exception is when pedestrians or bicyclists are present.¹

Right-on-red situations are the most common trigger. If the intersection posts a “no turn on red” sign, turning right on the red registers the same as running straight through. Where right turns on red are allowed, you still have to come to a full stop and yield. A rolling right turn looks identical to the camera.

Paying or Requesting a Hearing

You have roughly 30 days from the notice date to act. The civil penalty is capped at $100 under state law, and missing the deadline can add a late penalty of up to another $100, taking the total to as much as $200.¹

Pay online through the portal listed on your notice, or mail a check to the address printed on the ticket. Online card payments may carry a convenience fee. Keep the confirmation receipt.

To contest, request an administrative hearing within the window shown on the notice. The hearing may be in person or handled by written submission through the mail. If you request one, the village will send confirmation of the date and time. A successful challenge results in dismissal. If the hearing officer upholds the violation, you’ll typically have a secondary window (often around 14 days) to pay.

Defenses That Can Get the Ticket Dismissed

A hearing officer can consider several defenses set out in state law:¹

The vehicle or its plates were stolen before the violation and were not in your possession or control, supported by a timely police report.
The vehicle was carjacked before the violation, again supported by a police report.
You entered the intersection on red to yield to an emergency vehicle.
You proceeded on red as part of a funeral procession.
Any additional defense recognized by Lombard’s own ordinance.

Beyond the statutory list, the signage requirement itself can be a basis for challenge. Every camera-equipped intersection must display a sign visible to approaching traffic, telling drivers the intersection is monitored and whether a right turn on red is allowed or prohibited.¹ If no sign was posted, raise it at the hearing.

If Someone Else Was Driving

Because the ticket follows the plate rather than the driver, you may receive a notice for a violation you didn’t commit. State law allows you to submit an affidavit swearing that another person had custody and control of the vehicle at the time, identifying that person by name and current address.¹

Note the limit on this process: the affidavit shifts the traffic education program requirement to the actual driver, but the civil fine itself remains the registered owner’s responsibility for payment purposes. Check your specific notice for Lombard’s exact affidavit procedure and forms.

What Happens If You Ignore the Ticket

This is where a $100 administrative penalty can turn into something much worse. Under Illinois law, if you accumulate five or more unpaid automated traffic violations, the municipality can report you to the Secretary of State, who will suspend your driving privileges.³ The five-ticket threshold combines red-light camera and speed camera violations across municipalities; they don’t all have to come from Lombard, and they don’t all have to be the same type.

Unpaid fines may also be referred to collections, adding fees on top of the doubled penalty. Some municipalities pursue vehicle immobilization for repeat offenders with outstanding balances.

Why a Paid Ticket Won’t Affect Your Insurance

The statute is explicit that an automated enforcement violation “is not a violation of a traffic regulation governing the movement of vehicles and may not be recorded on the driving record of the owner of the vehicle.”¹ No points, no record entry, no notification to your insurer. Pay the fine and the matter ends there.

The protection disappears if you let tickets stack up. A license suspension is a driving record event, insurers do see it, and it can trigger premium increases or policy cancellation. The practical takeaway: handle the ticket within the deadline and it stays off your record; ignore it and the costs compound quickly.

Which Lombard Intersections Have Cameras

Lombard has reported camera activity at these intersections:

North Avenue and Main Street, monitoring eastbound and westbound traffic.
Roosevelt Road and Finley Road, near major commercial corridors.
Roosevelt Road and Main Street, near retail centers with steady vehicle flow.

If you received a notice for an intersection and don’t recall seeing a camera warning sign on approach, that fact is worth raising at a hearing.

1
Illinois General Assembly. 625 ILCS 5/11-208.6 – Automated Traffic Law Enforcement System
2
Red Light Violation. Red Light Violation Portal
3
Illinois General Assembly. Public Acts 097-0672 – 625 ILCS 5/6-306.5