How to Fight a Red-Light Camera Ticket in Chattanooga, TN (2026)
Chattanooga launched its red-light camera program in December 2007 — before Tennessee's TCA §55-8-198 regulatory framework was even enacted (2008), making it a grandfathered program now fully subject to all the statute's consumer protections. The program is administered not by the police department but by the City of Chattanooga Department of Technology Services — Intelligent Cities Division, and its vendor is the less-common NovoaGlobal, Inc., which runs the ZeroFatality.com payment portal (not ATS/Verra or Redflex). As of 2026 the city runs red-light cameras at two named intersections on Highway 153.
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Chattanooga Red-Light Camera Fines
| Violation | Fine |
|---|---|
| Red-light camera violationTCA §55-8-198(b)(3) caps every Tennessee camera citation at $50. Chattanooga does not exceed this. | $50 maximum |
| Officer-issued red-light (for contrast)This higher fine is a moving violation with points, handed to you at the scene — NOT a camera ticket. Camera tickets are civil, nonmoving, capped at $50. | $119 |
How to Contest a Chattanooga Red-Light Camera Ticket
Where: Chattanooga City Court (NOT Hamilton County General Sessions Court)
How / where to file: Chattanooga City Court, 600 Market Street, Room 104 (Cherry Street entrance), Chattanooga, TN 37402. City Court Clerk: (423) 643-7541. City Court Clerk Anthony Byrd; City Judge the Hon. Sherry Paty.
Chattanooga Deadline
Under TCA §55-8-198(b)(1) the notice must allow 30 days from the mailing date to pay; the citation also prints a court date. Use the date on your notice. Affidavit defenses (owner-not-operating, stolen vehicle) must be filed by the designated court date, or within 30 days of the notice mailing date for the stolen-vehicle affidavit.
If you intend to contest, do not pay — payment is treated as resolution without a hearing. Appear at Chattanooga City Court on the date printed on your citation and present your defense, or call the City Court Clerk at (423) 643-7541 for procedural guidance. A local wrinkle: Chattanooga camera tickets are city ordinance violations heard by Chattanooga City Court, not Hamilton County General Sessions Court — so the court address, phone, and clerk are different from the county system. To pay (not contest), use the vendor portal at www.zerofatality.com with your tag number and the password on the notice.
Notable Red-Light Camera Locations in Chattanooga
- Highway 153 at Gadd Road (northbound) — active since December 2007
- Highway 153 at Hamill Road (northbound) — active since December 2007
- TN-153 is a high-volume divided highway in the Hixson / Middle Valley corridor north of downtown Chattanooga
Chattanooga Red-Light Camera — By the Numbers
Chattanooga's red-light camera program launched in December 2007 (City of Chattanooga, Tickets, Citations & Fines page).
As of 2026, Chattanooga runs red-light cameras at two named intersections on Highway 153: at Gadd Road (northbound) and at Hamill Road (northbound).
The maximum civil fine for a Chattanooga camera citation is $50, set by TCA §55-8-198(b)(3); camera citations are nonmoving violations carrying zero points.
Chattanooga's automated enforcement vendor is NovoaGlobal, Inc., operating the ZeroFatality.com payment portal — a less common vendor than the ATS/Verra or Redflex systems used in most U.S. cities.
Chattanooga camera citations are contested in Chattanooga City Court (600 Market St., Room 104), not Hamilton County General Sessions Court.
Which Tennessee defenses apply to your ticket?
Chattanooga red-light cameras run under TCA §55-8-198, so all Tennessee state-level defenses apply in full — including the right-turn-on-red invalidity (no 'No Turn on Red' sign), the two-element front/rear-tire evidentiary requirement, the POST-certified officer review requirement, the 20-business-day mailing deadline, and the plate-mismatch invalidity. The Tennessee state page covers those defenses; this page adds Chattanooga's City Court forum, the NovoaGlobal/ZeroFatality vendor portal, and the two Highway 153 camera intersections.
See all Tennessee red-light camera defenses →Chattanooga Red-Light Camera Ticket FAQ
I got a camera ticket in Chattanooga. Is it different from a regular traffic ticket?
Yes. Camera tickets mailed by the City of Chattanooga are civil, nonmoving violations under TCA §55-8-198. They carry zero points, cannot affect your driver's license or insurance rates, and cannot be reported to any credit bureau. The fine is capped at $50 by state law. An officer-issued red-light ticket handed to you at the scene is a different matter — it is a moving violation with points and a higher fine ($119 under the City Court's schedule).
The Chattanooga camera ticket shows a much higher fine than $50. Is that right?
No. Under TCA §55-8-198(b)(3), the maximum civil fine for a Tennessee camera citation is $50. If your notice is a camera citation — mailed to you, referencing an automated enforcement camera, and carrying the bold-face disclaimer that it cannot affect your credit, license, or insurance — the amount owed cannot exceed $50. A $119 figure is the officer-issued red-light moving-violation schedule, not the camera schedule. Call the City Court Clerk at (423) 643-7541 if the amount on your notice looks wrong.
How do I contest a Chattanooga red-light camera ticket?
Do not pay the citation if you intend to contest. The notice prints a court date — appear at Chattanooga City Court, 600 Market Street, Room 104, on that date and present your defense, or call the City Court Clerk at (423) 643-7541 for procedural guidance. The Tennessee statutory defenses (owner-not-operating affidavit, stolen-vehicle affidavit, POST-officer review challenge, late-mailing deadline, right-turn-on-red, the front/rear-tire evidentiary test, plate mismatch, and signage defects) are all available in City Court proceedings.
Does my Chattanooga camera ticket require me to appear in Hamilton County General Sessions Court?
No. Chattanooga camera tickets are city ordinance violations adjudicated by Chattanooga City Court, not Hamilton County General Sessions Court. City Court has jurisdiction over violations of city ordinances, including traffic violations arising under city ordinance. The court is at 600 Market Street, Room 104 (Cherry Street entrance), Chattanooga, TN 37402, and the City Court Clerk's number is (423) 643-7541.
Where do I pay a Chattanooga camera ticket if I'm not contesting it?
Camera tickets from the automated enforcement program are paid online at www.zerofatality.com — the portal run by Chattanooga's vendor, NovoaGlobal — using your vehicle's tag number and the password printed on your violation notice. You can also pay by phone at (423) 643-7541, by mail (check or money order to the City Court Clerk, 600 Market St., Room 104), or in person at the City Court Clerk office Monday–Friday 8 a.m.–4 p.m.
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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 Tennessee statutes, Chattanooga program documents, and primary-source research as of 2026-06-08. Verify current rules with your court or a licensed attorney.