How to Fight a Red-Light Camera Ticket in Chicago, IL (2026)
Chicago enacted its red-light camera ordinance on July 9, 2003 — one of the longest continuously operating municipal programs in the United States. As of December 31, 2023 the city ran 300 red-light cameras at 149 enforced intersections, managed by the Chicago Department of Transportation (CDOT) with the Department of Finance issuing and collecting fines. The current vendor is Modaxo (formerly Xerox / Conduent). The network peaked at 384 cameras across 190 intersections in 2011 before CDOT removed underperforming locations following a 2017 Northwestern University study and extended the post-red grace period from 0.1 to 0.3 seconds. Cameras operate 24 hours a day, 365 days a year.
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Chicago Red-Light Camera Fines
| Violation | Fine |
|---|---|
| Red-light camera violationVehicle enters the intersection after the signal turns red, past a 0.3-second grace period. Applies 24/7/365. | $100 |
| Default / Final Determination penaltyA penalty equal to the original fine is added if you neither pay nor contest within the windows on your notice — effectively doubling it to $200. | +$100 |
How to Contest a Chicago Red-Light Camera Ticket
Where: City of Chicago Department of Administrative Hearings (DOAH)
How / where to file: Contest online at chicago.gov/parking, by mail at the address on the violation notice, or in person at a DOAH hearing location.
Chicago Deadline
Use the date printed on your notice. If you miss the initial contest window, a Notice of Determination is mailed finding you liable by default; you then have one additional 21-day window to appear in person to set aside the default before a Notice of Final Determination locks in the doubled penalty.
Chicago red-light camera tickets are administrative violations — not a court matter and no jury. A city hearing officer decides. You may contest online via the city's parking portal, by mail using the address on the notice, or in person at DOAH. If the hearing officer rules against you, the Illinois state framework permits judicial review in the Circuit Court of Cook County.
Notable Red-Light Camera Locations in Chicago
- Lake Shore Drive & Belmont — the single highest-volume red-light camera intersection in 2023 (26,998 tickets)
- Cicero & I-55 (26,183 tickets in 2023)
- Wentworth & Garfield (20,601 tickets in 2023)
- Lafayette & 87th (20,150 tickets in 2023)
- Stony Island/Cornell & 67th (18,633 tickets in 2023)
- Peterson & Western and 55th & Western — Chicago's first two red-light camera corridors, deployed November 2003
Chicago Red-Light Camera — By the Numbers
As of December 31, 2023, the City of Chicago operated 300 active red-light cameras at 149 intersections (CDOT 2023 Automated Enforcement Annual Report).
In 2023, Chicago red-light cameras issued 688,043 tickets with a total dollar value of $68,804,300 (CDOT 2023 Annual Report, p. 8).
In 2023, 60% of Chicago red-light camera tickets were issued to motorists with non-Chicago addresses and 40% to Chicago residents (CDOT 2023 Annual Report, p. 8).
Chicago red-light cameras captured 2,068,121 events in 2023; 35% (732,976) were confirmed as valid violations after multi-step human review before any ticket was mailed (CDOT 2023 Annual Report, p. 8).
Chicago's red-light camera program uses a 0.3-second grace period after the signal turns red — extended from 0.1 seconds in 2017 following an independent Northwestern University study (CDOT 2023 Annual Report, Appendix A).
Which Illinois defenses apply to your ticket?
Chicago's program runs under 625 ILCS 5/11-208.6 and the Chicago Municipal Code, so every Illinois state-level defense applies here too — including the 90-day mailing bar (a notice mailed more than 90 days after the violation is void), the 21-day contest window, the no-points/no-Secretary-of-State-report rule, and the dual-reviewer requirement for cities over 1,000,000 population. The Illinois state page covers those in full; this page adds Chicago's local body, deadlines, grace period, and fine structure on top of them.
See all Illinois red-light camera defenses →Chicago Red-Light Camera Ticket FAQ
How many red-light cameras does Chicago have, and where are they?
Chicago had 300 red-light cameras at 149 intersections as of the end of 2023, per the CDOT 2023 Automated Enforcement Annual Report. The highest-volume intersections in 2023 were Lake Shore Drive and Belmont (26,998 tickets), Cicero and I-55 (26,183 tickets), and Wentworth and Garfield (20,601 tickets). The city publishes the full intersection list on its data portal.
What is the grace period for Chicago red-light cameras?
Chicago red-light cameras do not issue a violation for the first 0.3 seconds after the signal turns red. This grace period was extended from 0.1 seconds to 0.3 seconds in 2017, following a recommendation from Northwestern University's independent study. Additionally, the amber (yellow) signal must be at least 3 seconds long for a violation to be issued — the camera reads the signal phase from the traffic-signal controller. A ticket issued with a sub-3-second amber or inside the 0.3-second grace window is inconsistent with CDOT's own program policy.
How do I contest a Chicago red-light camera ticket?
Chicago red-light camera tickets are contested with the City of Chicago Department of Administrative Hearings (DOAH) — not a court. You have three options: contest online at chicago.gov/parking, by mail using the address on your notice, or in person at a DOAH location. Use the deadline printed on your notice. If you miss it, a default determination is issued and you get one additional 21-day window to appear in person to set it aside before the penalty doubles.
Is there any financial relief available for Chicago red-light camera fines?
Yes. Chicago operates the Clear Path Relief Program, which provides fine reductions or waivers for income-qualified motorists who receive automated camera tickets — red-light, speed, or parking. This is a Chicago-specific program with no equivalent in other Illinois cities. Eligibility and application details are published by the City of Chicago Department of Finance.
How many red-light camera tickets get overturned in Chicago?
In 2023, 18,311 hearing requests were filed for red-light camera tickets and 5,741 of those tickets were overturned, per the CDOT 2023 Annual Report. This is reported here as published city data, not a prediction about any individual ticket — outcomes depend entirely on the specific facts and defenses raised.
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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 Illinois statutes, Chicago program documents, and primary-source research as of 2026-06-05. Verify current rules with your court or a licensed attorney.