If you got a notice in the mail from a red light camera in Clearwater, you have 60 days from the notification date to do one of three things: pay the $158 civil penalty, submit a sworn affidavit naming the person who was actually driving, or request a hearing. Miss that window and the city upgrades the matter to a Uniform Traffic Citation, which carries higher costs, goes through county court, and can put points on your license.1The Florida Legislature. Florida Code 316.0083 – Mark Wandall Traffic Safety Program Everything else about the process turns on that 60-day clock.
What the Notice Contains
The Notice of Violation goes to the registered owner of the vehicle by mail within 30 days of the alleged infraction.1The Florida Legislature. Florida Code 316.0083 – Mark Wandall Traffic Safety Program It includes photos of your license plate, the date and time of the event, and the intersection where the camera captured the movement. It also lists a Notice Number and PIN you can use on the vendor’s website to watch the actual video.
Watch the video before you decide anything. You can see the signal status and where your vehicle was through the whole sequence. That footage is what tells you whether the notice is worth paying, contesting, or transferring to someone else.
Your Three Options Within 60 Days
Pay the $158
Paying the civil penalty within 60 days closes the case. No points go on your license, and because this is a civil penalty rather than a moving violation, it doesn’t appear on your driving record when insurers pull it.1The Florida Legislature. Florida Code 316.0083 – Mark Wandall Traffic Safety Program The notice includes payment instructions; most people pay online through the vendor’s portal with a credit or debit card, or mail a check or money order to the payment center address on the notice. Make sure your payment is received or postmarked before the deadline.
Submit an Affidavit If Someone Else Was Driving
The notice goes to the vehicle’s registered owner, not the driver. If someone else was behind the wheel, Florida law lets you file a sworn affidavit identifying them. Include the driver’s name, address, date of birth, and driver license number if you have it.1The Florida Legislature. Florida Code 316.0083 – Mark Wandall Traffic Safety Program If the vehicle was stolen at the time, attach the police report.
Once the city receives a valid affidavit, a new Notice of Violation goes to the person you named, and their 60-day clock starts. Do not name someone who wasn’t driving. Filing a false affidavit is a second-degree misdemeanor.1The Florida Legislature. Florida Code 316.0083 – Mark Wandall Traffic Safety Program If the vehicle is leased and registered in the lessee’s name, the leasing company isn’t on the hook and doesn’t need to file anything.
Request a Hearing
If you think the notice was issued in error, submit a written hearing request within 60 days using the instructions on the notice. You’ll be mailed a date and time to appear before a local hearing officer, who reviews the evidence and decides whether a violation occurred.
Understand the math before you commit. If the officer upholds the notice, you pay the $158 penalty plus up to $250 in municipal administrative costs, for a possible total of $408. If the officer dismisses it, you owe nothing. There’s also a middle path: if you schedule a hearing and then think better of it, you can cancel before the hearing date by paying the $158 penalty plus $50 in administrative costs.1The Florida Legislature. Florida Code 316.0083 – Mark Wandall Traffic Safety Program Requesting the hearing also buys you time to review the video and decide whether your case is strong.
What Happens If You Ignore the Notice
Do nothing for 60 days and the city issues a Uniform Traffic Citation by certified mail.1The Florida Legislature. Florida Code 316.0083 – Mark Wandall Traffic Safety Program A UTC is a formal traffic ticket that goes through the county court system. Total costs are higher once court fees and surcharges are added, and a guilty finding can put points on your license and show up when insurers check your record. Over several years, the premium impact often costs more than the ticket itself. That’s the practical reason to deal with the first notice on time even when $158 feels steep.
When the Ticket Shouldn’t Have Been Issued
A meaningful number of camera notices in Florida shouldn’t have gone out at all, and right turns on red are the most common reason. State law prohibits issuing a notice or citation when a driver makes a right turn on red in a careful and prudent manner at an intersection where right turns are allowed. Even if your front tires crossed the stop line before you came to a full stop, you can’t be cited so long as you stopped before making the turn.1The Florida Legislature. Florida Code 316.0083 – Mark Wandall Traffic Safety Program
If your video shows a cautious right turn on red, that’s a strong basis for a hearing. Watch the footage closely before paying.
Where the Cameras Are
Confirmed camera locations in Clearwater include Gulf to Bay Boulevard at Belcher Road and Chestnut Street at Fort Harrison Avenue near downtown. Both are high-volume intersections. Placements can change as the city reviews traffic and safety data under its state authority.1The Florida Legislature. Florida Code 316.0083 – Mark Wandall Traffic Safety Program Florida law also requires any camera-monitored intersection to post signs alerting drivers, including specific signage about right-turn enforcement, so watch for warning signs at any Clearwater intersection.2Florida Senate. Florida Code 316.0776 – Traffic Infraction Detectors Placement and Installation