Got a Red Light
Ticket in Orlando?
Red light tickets in Orlando come with fines, points on your license, and higher insurance premiums. But not every citation holds up under scrutiny.
A traffic attorney can review the evidence, challenge the camera footage or timing, and fight to get the ticket dismissed or reduced.
If you received a red light camera notice in the mail, your first instinct may have been to pay the $158 fine and move on. Before you do, there are a few things you need to understand about how this process works and why paying may not be the only option.
Red light camera enforcement in Florida is governed by § 316.0083, also known as the Mark Wandall Traffic Safety Program. The statute authorizes local governments to operate automated camera systems at intersections to detect vehicles that proceed through a red signal. The initial Notice of Violation is a civil penalty assessed against the registered owner of the vehicle. It is not a criminal charge, and if handled at the initial notice stage, it does not add points to your driving record.
But the process has a second stage that most people do not know about. If the initial notice goes unanswered or is not resolved, it converts into a Uniform Traffic Citation (UTC). At that point, it becomes a formal traffic ticket that carries points, potential adjudication, and higher fines.
Attorney James P. Kelly helps drivers handle red light camera tickets throughout Orlando, Orange County, and Central Florida. When you call the firm, you speak directly with your attorney.
Within 30 days of the camera capturing the violation, the local government or its contracted vendor mails a Notice of Violation to the registered owner of the vehicle.
This notice includes photographic or video evidence showing the vehicle entering the intersection after the signal turned red, the date, time, and location of the violation, and the amount of the fine, which is set at $158 statewide under § 316.0083.
At this stage, you have 60 days from the date the notice was issued to respond.
If you pay the $158 fine within this window, the matter is resolved as a civil penalty. No points are added to your driving record, and no adjudication of guilt appears on your record. This is the key advantage of handling the notice early.
If the Notice of Violation is not resolved within 60 days, the case escalates.
A Uniform Traffic Citation is issued, which is a formal traffic ticket handled through the county court system.
At this point, the fine increases to $262 or more (depending on additional court costs), the citation carries points on your license if you are adjudicated guilty, and you must either pay the UTC amount, elect traffic school (if eligible), or request a hearing.
This escalation is why timely response to the initial notice matters. The difference between the first and second stages is significant in terms of cost, points, and the potential impact on your insurance.
The Notice of Violation is issued to the registered owner of the vehicle, not the driver. Under § 316.0083(1)(d), the registered owner can submit a sworn affidavit establishing that the vehicle was in the care, custody, or control of another person at the time of the violation.
The affidavit must include the other person’s name, address, date of birth, and (if known) driver’s license number. Upon acceptance of the affidavit, the citation against the owner is dismissed, and a new Notice of Violation may be issued to the person identified.
If the vehicle was stolen at the time of the violation, the owner must submit an affidavit accompanied by a police report documenting the theft.
If a police officer issued a Uniform Traffic Citation for the same red light violation at the time it occurred, the camera-generated notice must be dismissed upon submission of the UTC serial number.
If the case proceeds to a UTC and you request a hearing, the local government must prove the violation through the photographic or video evidence and the testimony of the reviewing officer.
Defense strategies at hearings include:
The $158 fine for a Notice of Violation is distributed among multiple state and local entities under § 316.0083.
The majority of the fine is split between the state’s General Revenue Fund and the local government operating the camera program, with smaller portions allocated to the Department of Health for trauma and brain/spinal cord injury programs.
When the citation escalates to a UTC, the total cost increases due to court costs and surcharges. The exact amount varies by county, but in Orange County, UTC-level red light camera fines typically range from $262 to $300+.
If you pay the initial $158 Notice of Violation within the 60-day window, no points are added to your driving record and no adjudication of guilt is entered.
Under these circumstances, your insurance company should not see the violation, and your rates should not increase.
If the notice escalates to a UTC and you are adjudicated guilty, points may be assessed and the conviction may appear on your driving record. At that point, it can affect your insurance rates in the same way as any other red light violation.
Most red light camera cases are straightforward at the Notice of Violation stage. But when the facts support a defense, when you were not the driver, or when the case has escalated to a UTC, an attorney can protect your record and your insurance rates by pursuing the best available resolution.
When you call The Law Office of James P. Kelly, you speak directly with attorney James P. Kelly. The firm handles red light camera cases in Orange County, Osceola County, Seminole County, and throughout Central Florida. English and Spanish-speaking clients are welcome — hablamos español.
The information on this page is provided for general informational purposes and does not constitute legal advice. Every case involves unique facts and circumstances that affect the outcome. Contacting The Law Office of James P. Kelly, P.A. does not create an attorney-client relationship. Past results do not guarantee future outcomes.
If you pay the initial $158 Notice of Violation within 60 days, no points are assessed. If the citation escalates to a UTC and you are adjudicated guilty, points may be added.
Yes. You can submit an affidavit if a statutory exemption applies (you were not the driver, the vehicle was stolen, or a law enforcement officer already cited you). If the case proceeds to a UTC, you can request a hearing and challenge the evidence.
No. A violation of § 316.0083 is a civil penalty assessed against the vehicle’s registered owner. It is not a criminal charge.
If you do not respond within 60 days, the violation escalates to a Uniform Traffic Citation with higher fines, potential points, and a requirement to appear in court or resolve the citation through the court system.
No. Red light camera programs are optional and vary by municipality. Some Central Florida cities operate active camera programs while others do not. The statute authorizes, but does not require, local governments to implement the program.
