How to Fight a Red-Light Camera Ticket in Denver, CO (2026)
Denver's red-light camera program launched in 2008 and is one of the smallest red-light programs of any large U.S. city by intersection count. As of 2026 the city operates 4 active red-light camera approaches at 4 intersections — 6th Avenue at Kalamath Street (eastbound), 6th Avenue at Lincoln Street (eastbound), 8th Avenue at Speer Boulevard (westbound), and 36th Avenue at Quebec Street (northbound). The program is run in-house by the Denver Police Department Photo Enforcement Unit (PEU), not through an outsourced administrative hearing system. All red-light camera events are reviewed by a DPD PEU agent before a notice is issued — per DPD data from 2009–2013, only 58.8% of detected red-light events became citations; non-issuance reasons include poor driver image, obscured plate, or unclear scene images. The cameras monitor traffic 24 hours per day, seven days per week.
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Denver Red-Light Camera Fines
| Violation | Fine |
|---|---|
| Red-light through violation (both rear tires cross stop bar)Matches the Colorado statutory maximum for photo red-light through violations under C.R.S. § 42-4-110.5(4.5). | $75 |
| Red-light stop-bar/crosswalk violation (front tires only cross line)Denver-specific lower tier: only issued when the front tires have completely crossed the white stop line. This two-tier structure is a Denver program design choice not described in the CO statute. | $40 |
| Personal service fee (PAN)Added if the Notice of Violation is ignored and a Penalty Assessment Notice is personally served by a process server. Actual fee may be higher than $29. | At least $29 |
How to Contest a Denver Red-Light Camera Ticket
Where: Denver County Court, Traffic Division, Room 135
How / where to file: Denver County Court, Traffic Division, Room 135, 1437 Bannock St., Denver, CO 80202. Hours: Mon–Thu 8:00 AM–5:00 PM; Fri 8:00 AM–4:00 PM. For NOV-stage questions: Denver PEU at 720-337-1114.
Denver Deadline
The Notice of Violation is an advisement with at least 45 days from issuance to respond (C.R.S. § 42-4-110.5(2)(a)(IV)). If no action is taken, a Penalty Assessment Notice (PAN) is personally served by a process server. Once served, you must appear at Room 135 by 5:00 PM on the respond-by/arraignment date on the PAN — or pay in full at least 5 business days before that date. Use the date on your PAN; no fixed day count applies.
Denver first mails a Notice of Violation — an advisement with no mandatory response, but at least a 45-day window under state law. If the NOV is ignored, the DPD Photo Enforcement Unit authorizes a Penalty Assessment Notice (PAN) served by a process server, adding at least $29. Once personally served with the PAN, you may: (1) call the PEU at 720-337-1114 to request an informal citation review (a courtesy — not a right, produces no discovery, may not result in dismissal); or (2) appear at Denver County Court, Traffic Division, Room 135, 1437 Bannock St., to plead not guilty and receive a hearing date. Do not call the court about a Notice of Violation — the court can only answer questions about citations already filed in court. Denver also provides a Not Pictured Driver Affidavit on the back of the NOV and PAN: sign it, attach a legible photocopy of your driver's license, and mail to the PEU. You are not required to identify who was driving to have it reviewed.
Notable Red-Light Camera Locations in Denver
- 6th Avenue at Kalamath Street — eastbound camera; one of two 6th Avenue corridor cameras feeding into downtown Denver
- 6th Avenue at Lincoln Street — eastbound camera; downtown approach on the same major east-west arterial
- 8th Avenue at Speer Boulevard — westbound camera; near the Capitol Hill neighborhood on a major diagonal arterial
- 36th Avenue at Quebec Street — northbound camera; near the Stapleton/Central Park neighborhood, feeds toward I-70
- Two-camera 6th Avenue corridor: both cameras are on the same arterial, eastbound, making it the most concentrated red-light enforcement corridor in Denver's 4-intersection program
Denver Red-Light Camera — By the Numbers
Denver's red-light camera program launched in 2008 and operates 4 active camera approaches at 4 intersections as of 2026, making it one of the smallest red-light programs of any large U.S. city by intersection count (Denver Police Department Photo Enforcement page, denvergov.org).
Denver photo red-light fines are $75 for a through violation (both rear tires cross the stop bar) and $40 for a stop-bar/crosswalk violation (front tires only cross the line) — both matching Colorado's statutory maximum (C.R.S. § 42-4-110.5(4.5); DPD Photo Enforcement page).
From 2009 to 2013, only 58.8% of detected red-light events at Denver cameras were issued as citations; non-issuance reasons include poor image quality, obscured plates, and observation error (DPD Photo Enforcement page).
Approximately 75% of red-light running violations in Denver are committed by first-time violators, per DPD data cited on the program page (DPD Photo Enforcement page, denvergov.org).
Denver photo red-light violations carry zero points, no DMV report, and no insurance impact under C.R.S. § 42-4-110.5(3); vehicle immobilization for an unpaid camera penalty is prohibited by C.R.S. § 42-4-110.5(4.7).
To plead not guilty to a Denver photo enforcement citation, the vehicle owner must appear at Denver County Court, Traffic Division, Room 135, 1437 Bannock St., Denver, CO 80202, by 5:00 PM on the respond-by date on the Penalty Assessment Notice (DPD Photo Enforcement FAQ).
Which Colorado defenses apply to your ticket?
Denver red-light cameras run under C.R.S. § 42-4-110.5 (as amended by SB 23-200), so every Colorado state-level defense applies — including the 30-day NOV issuance deadline (for CO-registered vehicles), the minimum 45-day response window, the no-points/no-DMV-report rule, the vehicle immobilization prohibition, and the no-collection-without-personal-service rule. The Colorado state page covers those defenses in full; this page adds Denver's two-tier fine structure ($40 stop-bar / $75 through), the County Court Room 135 venue, the Not Pictured Driver Affidavit process, and the PEU informal review step.
See all Colorado red-light camera defenses →Denver Red-Light Camera Ticket FAQ
How many red-light cameras does Denver have, and where are they?
Denver operates exactly four red-light camera approaches as of 2026: 6th Avenue at Kalamath Street (eastbound), 6th Avenue at Lincoln Street (eastbound), 8th Avenue at Speer Boulevard (westbound), and 36th Avenue at Quebec Street (northbound). The cameras run 24/7 and are confirmed on the Denver Police Department's official photo enforcement page. This makes Denver one of the smallest red-light camera programs of any large U.S. city by intersection count — four sites compared to the hundreds operated by cities like Chicago or New York.
What are Denver's red-light camera fines?
Denver has two red-light fine tiers, both matching Colorado's statutory caps exactly. A through violation — where both rear tires cross the white stop bar after the signal turns red — is $75. A stop-bar or crosswalk violation — where only the front tires have completely crossed the stop line — is $40. If you ignore the initial Notice of Violation and a Penalty Assessment Notice is personally served by a process server, a minimum additional fee of $29 is added. Colorado law prohibits any fine above these statutory caps (C.R.S. § 42-4-110.5(4.5)).
How do I contest a Denver red-light camera ticket?
Denver's enforcement process begins with a mailed Notice of Violation — not a court document — giving you at least 45 days to respond under Colorado law. If you take no action, a Penalty Assessment Notice is personally served by a process server (adding at least $29). Once served, appear at Denver County Court, Traffic Division, Room 135, 1437 Bannock St., Denver, CO 80202, by 5:00 PM on the respond-by date shown on the PAN to plead not guilty and schedule a hearing. You may also call the Photo Enforcement Unit at 720-337-1114 to request an informal review before the deadline, but the review is a courtesy — it does not constitute legal discovery and may not result in dismissal.
I wasn't driving the car in the Denver photo. Do I have to identify who was?
No. Denver provides a Not Pictured Driver Affidavit on the back of your Notice of Violation or Penalty Assessment Notice. Sign it, attach a legible photocopy of your driver's license, and mail it to the Denver Police Department Photo Enforcement Unit. You are not required to identify or nominate the actual driver for the affidavit to be reviewed. If accepted, the case against you is dismissed. If not, you may still contest at a final hearing. Be aware: a false statement that you were not the driver may result in criminal prosecution under Denver Revised Municipal Code § 38-40.
Will a Denver red-light camera ticket affect my driving record?
No. Denver photo red-light violations are zero-point infractions not reported to the Colorado Department of Motor Vehicles. They do not appear on your driving record and do not affect insurance rates. This is mandated by Colorado state law (C.R.S. § 42-4-110.5(3)), not just a Denver policy choice. Additionally, Denver may not boot or impound your vehicle solely for an unpaid camera penalty (C.R.S. § 42-4-110.5(4.7)).
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ParkingFight is not a law firm and does not provide legal advice. Information is for informational purposes only and based on publicly available Colorado statutes, Denver program documents, and primary-source research as of 2026-06-07. Verify current rules with your court or a licensed attorney.