Got a ticket in California? Start here
San José now has two kinds of traffic cameras that can send you a ticket in the mail. They follow very different rules, so the first step is figuring out which one you got.
Need traffic school for a ticket with a point?
DMV-licensed online course, offered through Economic Driving School's partner.
Speed camera vs. red-light camera
| Speed camera | Red-light camera | |
|---|---|---|
| Locations | 33 sites citywide | 4 intersections |
| Fine | $50 to $500 | About $486 (rolling right turn about $234) |
| Point on your record | No | Yes |
| Traffic school | Does not apply | Often eligible |
I got a speed camera notice. What now?
Until citations begin in early 2027, anything you receive from a San José speed camera is a warning only. After that, citations cost $50 to $500 depending on how fast the vehicle was going. Each vehicle also gets one courtesy warning for its first violation.
The ticket is a civil penalty sent to the registered owner. It does not add a point to your DMV record. If your household income is low, you may qualify for a 50% or 80% reduction, or community service. Your notice explains how to pay, how to request a reduction, and how to contest it, along with the deadlines.
Can traffic school help with a speed camera ticket?
No. Traffic school exists to keep a point off your record, and speed camera tickets don't carry one. Anyone offering traffic school for one of these tickets is selling you something you don't need.
I got a red-light camera ticket. What now?
Red-light camera tickets are handled like a regular moving violation through the court. San José police review the images before a ticket goes out. The ticket carries a point on your driving record, and points can raise your insurance rates.
In California, many drivers can take a DMV-licensed traffic school course to keep that point confidential. In general you need a valid non-commercial license, and you can't have completed traffic school for another ticket in the past 18 months. The court decides, so check your courtesy notice for eligibility and the deadline. You still pay the fine plus a court administrative fee.
How do I avoid camera tickets altogether?
- Learn where the 33 speed camera sites are on the city's map. Most are on high-crash corridors, often near schools, parks and senior centers.
- Remember the trigger is 11 mph over the posted limit. On a 35 mph street, that's 46 mph.
- Come to a full stop before turning right on red. A rolling turn can be ticketed at a red-light camera.
- If it's been a while since you studied the rules, a refresher lesson helps. Drivers 55 and over can take a mature driver course that may also lower insurance costs.