Red light cameras in New Jersey are not legal. The state ran a five-year pilot program that expired on December 16, 2014, and the legislature has not passed anything to replace it. No New Jersey town can issue you a ticket based on camera footage at an intersection, and every municipality that participated in the pilot was ordered to shut its equipment down when the law sunset.1State of New Jersey. Red Light Running Automated Enforcement Overview
The Pilot Program Expired in 2014
New Jersey signed Assembly Bill 4314 into law on January 13, 2008, creating a five-year pilot at N.J.S.A. 39:4-8.12 et seq. The first camera went live on December 16, 2009, and the program eventually covered 73 intersections in 24 municipalities.1State of New Jersey. Red Light Running Automated Enforcement Overview
The statute had a built-in expiration tied to the Commissioner of Transportation’s fifth and final report on program effectiveness.2FindLaw. New Jersey Code 39-4-8.18 – Effective Date and Expiration of Act That expiration hit on December 16, 2014. The legislature did nothing to extend it. Every camera lost its legal authority that day, and the Department of Transportation directed municipalities to disconnect the systems and take down related signage.1State of New Jersey. Red Light Running Automated Enforcement Overview
Because the law expired instead of being repealed and rewritten, there is no statute for towns to use. Any return of red light cameras would require the legislature to pass an entirely new bill. As of 2026, none has advanced. Public criticism during the pilot years, much of it centered on whether the program was really about revenue rather than safety, has kept the political appetite low.
Cameras You Still See at Intersections
Drivers sometimes spot camera-like equipment mounted above intersections and assume enforcement is back. It isn’t. Those are typically traffic-flow monitoring devices used by the Department of Transportation or local traffic engineers to study congestion and time signals. They don’t record violations, and they can’t generate a fine.1State of New Jersey. Red Light Running Automated Enforcement Overview
If a notice arrives claiming you owe money to a New Jersey municipality for a red light camera violation, it is not consistent with current state law. Treat it with skepticism and verify before paying anything.
Tickets From Cameras in Other States
New York and Pennsylvania do run red light and speed cameras, and New Jersey drivers who cross the border and trip one will sometimes get a ticket in the mail. In New York City, the fine is $50 for a red light camera violation.3NYC311. Red Light Cameras Suffolk County uses the same $50 figure, though late fees can add up quickly.4Suffolk County Government. Red Light Cameras
Here is what those tickets do not do to you at home. They add zero points to your New Jersey driving record. The MVC’s points schedule assigns no points to red light camera violations.5NJ Motor Vehicle Commission. NJ Points Schedule Camera violations are civil penalties in the issuing state, not moving violations, so they don’t touch your New Jersey insurance either.
New Jersey lawmakers have gone further. Senate bill S-460, sponsored by Senator Nicholas Sacco and Senate President Nicholas Scutari, would bar the MVC and other state agencies from handing over driver information to out-of-state entities trying to issue automated camera citations. It cleared the Senate Law and Public Safety Committee unanimously but has not been signed into law.
What can the issuing state actually do? The municipality can pursue the fine and eventually refer it to a collection agency. Whether that shows up on your credit depends on the town’s practices. Some jurisdictions pile on late fees or block you from registering a vehicle in that state until the balance is cleared. Ignoring the notice is a gamble, but paying it will not affect your New Jersey record or premiums.
What a Real Red Light Ticket Looks Like in New Jersey
The only valid red light ticket in New Jersey comes from a law enforcement officer. An officer who sees you run a red can pull you over and write a summons, or in some cases issue one based on direct observation without a stop. Running a red light carries a fine and two points on your driving record.5NJ Motor Vehicle Commission. NJ Points Schedule
That distinction is what matters. An officer-issued ticket puts points on your record, can raise your insurance, and contributes to surcharges if your total climbs high enough. A mailed camera ticket from a New Jersey address does none of that because it should not exist in the first place.
Toll and Speed Cameras Are Separate
Two things people often lump together with red light cameras are not the same and are worth flagging so you don’t guess wrong.
Toll enforcement cameras on the New Jersey Turnpike and Garden State Parkway are legal and operating under separate statutes. If you pass a toll point without paying, you can receive a violation notice with a $50 administrative fee on top of the unpaid toll.6nj.com. NJ Turnpike Boss Defends Toll Violation System After Legislation Proposed
Automated speed cameras are not currently authorized on any New Jersey road. Two bills are pending: Assembly Bill A851, which would set up a five-year pilot for work zone speed enforcement,7BillTrack50. NJ A851 and Senate Bill S3218, the School Zone Automated Speed Enforcement and Safety Act introduced in January 2026, which would allow speed cameras in school zones with a five-year sunset. Neither has been signed into law as of mid-2026.