What Minnesota law says about the traffic safety camera pilot program

This page quotes the Minnesota Statutes (revisor.mn.gov, retrieved 29 Oct 2026): section 169.147, subdivisions 13 and 14 of section 169.14, subdivisions 10 and 11 of section 169.06, and subdivision 6a of section 171.12. It also quotes rows of the 2026 State Payables List for traffic and criminal offenses (Minnesota Legislative Reference Library copy, lrl.mn.gov, retrieved 29 Oct 2026). It also quotes statements on pages of the City of Minneapolis, the City of Mendota Heights, and the Minnesota Department of Transportation (MnDOT), listed under Sources below. It does not apply them to any notice. Confirm what your paper says.

US overview: What a mailed camera notice is. Contrast: What an NYC camera notice is · Three different California camera notices · Florida Notice of Violation vs Uniform Traffic Citation · Maryland school-zone speed monitoring vs SafeZones work-zone cameras · Colorado automated camera notices: CDOT Speed Enforcement vs local AVIS · Washington automated camera notices: local programs vs WSDOT work-zone cameras · Virginia automated camera notices: photo-speed, red light, and school-bus cameras · Tennessee automated camera notices: unmanned ASE, school-zone / S-curve speed, and school-bus cameras · Pennsylvania automated camera notices: red light, work-zone speed, Philadelphia speed, and school-bus cameras · Illinois automated camera notices: red light, Chicago safety-zone speed, school-bus stop-arm, and railroad-crossing cameras, plus state work-zone speed camera citations · New Mexico city camera notices: Albuquerque ASE and Santa Fe STOP speed cameras · Iowa automated speed camera citations: Iowa DOT-permitted fixed and mobile systems under Iowa Code chapter 321P · Texas red-light camera and city speed camera prohibitions: what Transportation Code chapter 707 and § 542.2035 say · Alabama camera notices: the state work-zone speed camera pilot under Act 2026-475 and city red-light camera local acts · Louisiana camera citations: what R.S. 32:43 to 32:49 say about school-zone speed cameras and red light cameras · Oregon camera citations: what ORS 810.434 to 810.444 say about city photo red light, city photo radar, and highway work-zone photo radar · Rhode Island camera citations: what chapters 31-41.2 and 31-41.3 say about red light cameras and school-zone speed cameras · North Carolina camera citations: what G.S. 160A-300.1, 160A-300.4 and 153A-246.1 say about red light cameras and school-zone speed cameras · South Carolina camera citations: what S.C. Code §§ 56-7-35, 56-5-710(B) and 56-5-70(E) say about citations based on photographic evidence.

Another page quotes other Minnesota sections on speeding, including subdivisions 1 and 2 of section 169.14 and subdivision 6 of section 171.12, and 2026 State Payables List rows for speeding: What a Minnesota speeding ticket is.

The Minnesota Statutes text below is quoted from revisor.mn.gov as shown when retrieved on 29 Oct 2026. Each section page on the statutes site is headed “2026 Minnesota Statutes”.

What Minn. Stat. § 169.147 says about the traffic safety camera system pilot program

Minn. Stat. § 169.147 is headed “TRAFFIC SAFETY CAMERA SYSTEM PILOT PROGRAM.”

§ 169.147, subd. 1 is headed “Definitions.” It includes these paragraphs:

(b) “"Camera-based traffic enforcement" means enforcement of traffic control through the use of a red light camera system, speed limits through the use of a speed safety camera system, or both.”
(e) “"Implementing authority" means either:” (1) “the commissioners with respect to trunk highways for the work zone pilot program provided under subdivision 17; or” (2) “a local authority specified in paragraph (f) that implements the traffic safety camera system pilot program.”
(f) “"Local authority" means either the city of Minneapolis or the city of Mendota Heights, which are authorized to conduct the pilot program.”
(i) “"Traffic enforcement agent" means a licensed peace officer or an employee of a local authority who is designated as provided in this section.”

Subdivision 1 has other paragraphs that this page does not cover, including paragraphs (c) and (d), on the commissioner and the commissioners.

§ 169.147, subd. 2 is headed “Pilot program establishment.”

(a) “In conformance with this section, the commissioner of transportation, in coordination with the commissioner of public safety, must establish a traffic safety camera pilot program that provides for education and enforcement of speeding violations, traffic-control signal violations, or both in conjunction with use of traffic safety camera systems.”
(b) “The authority for camera-based traffic enforcement under the pilot program is limited to August 1, 2025, to July 31, 2029.”
(c) “Only the following may implement camera-based traffic enforcement under the pilot program:” (1) “the commissioners, as provided under paragraph (d);” (2) “the city of Minneapolis, as provided under paragraph (e); and” (3) “the city of Mendota Heights.”
(d) “Under the pilot program, the commissioners must, beginning August 1, 2025, commence enforcement of speeding violations in trunk highway work zones as specified under subdivision 17.”
(e) “The city of Minneapolis is prohibited from implementing the pilot program or camera-based traffic enforcement through or in substantive coordination with the city's police department.”

§ 169.147, subd. 5 is headed “Public engagement and notice.” § 169.147, subd. 5(a): “The commissioner and each implementing authority must maintain information on their respective websites that, at a minimum:”

(1) “summarizes implementation of traffic safety camera systems under the pilot program;”
(2) “provides each camera system impact study performed by the implementing authority under subdivision 6, paragraph (b);”
(3) “provides information and procedures for a person to contest a citation under the pilot program; and”
(4) “identifies the enforcement locations under the pilot program.”

§ 169.147, subd. 6 is headed “Placement requirements.” § 169.147, subd. 6(c): “An implementing authority may only place a traffic safety camera system:”

(1) “in a trunk highway work zone; or”
(2) “at a location that:” (i) “is within 2,000 feet of (A) a public or nonpublic school, (B) a school zone established under section 169.14, subdivision 5a, or (C) a public or private postsecondary institution; and” (ii) “has an identified traffic safety concern, as indicated by crash or law enforcement data, safety plans, or other documentation.”

That is the statute’s statement. This page quotes all of subdivision 2. Subdivisions 5 and 6 have other paragraphs that this page does not cover. This page does not list enforcement locations; the Sources list below links the City of Minneapolis, City of Mendota Heights, and MnDOT pages.

What Minn. Stat. § 169.147 says about citations and warnings

§ 169.147, subd. 8 is headed “Traffic enforcement agents.”

(a) “To meet the requirement established in subdivision 2, paragraph (e), the city of Minneapolis must designate one or more permanent employees of the authority, who is not a licensed peace officer, as a traffic enforcement agent. An employee of a private entity may not be designated as a traffic enforcement agent. A traffic enforcement agent who is not a licensed peace officer has the authority to issue citations under this section only while engaged in job duties and otherwise has none of the other powers and privileges reserved to peace officers.”
(b) “The city of Mendota Heights must designate a sworn peace officer as a traffic enforcement agent.”
(c) “An implementing authority must ensure that a traffic enforcement agent is properly trained in the use of equipment and the requirements governing traffic safety camera implementation.”

§ 169.147, subd. 9 is headed “Citations; warnings.”

(a) “A traffic enforcement agent under the pilot program has the exclusive authority to issue a citation to the owner or lessee of a motor vehicle for (1) a violation under section 169.06, subdivision 10, and (2) a violation under section 169.14, subdivision 13.”
(b) “A traffic enforcement agent may only issue a citation if:” (1) “the violation is committed at least 30 days after the relevant implementing authority has commenced camera-based traffic enforcement;” (2) “with respect to speed limits, the speeding violation is at least ten miles per hour in excess of the speed limit; and” (3) “a traffic enforcement agent has inspected and verified recorded images provided by the traffic safety camera system.”
(c) “An implementing authority must provide a warning for a traffic-control signal violation under section 169.06, subdivision 10, or a speeding violation under section 169.14, subdivision 13, for the period from (1) the date when camera-based traffic enforcement is first commenced, to (2) the date when citations are authorized under paragraph (b), clause (1).”
(d) “Notwithstanding section 169.022, an implementing authority may specify a speed in excess of the speed limit that is higher than the amount specified in paragraph (b), clause (2), at which to proceed with issuance of a citation.”
(e) “A citation may be issued through the United States mail if postmarked within: (1) 14 days of the violation for a vehicle registered in Minnesota; or (2) 30 days of the violation for a vehicle registered outside of Minnesota. Section 168.346, subdivision 2, applies to a private entity that provides citation mailing services under this section.”

That is the statute’s statement. This page quotes all of subdivisions 8 and 9. This page does not quote section 169.022 or section 168.346.

§ 169.147, subd. 10 is headed “Uniform citation.”

(a) “There must be a uniform traffic safety camera citation issued throughout the state by a traffic enforcement agent for a violation as provided under this section. The uniform traffic safety camera citation is in the form and has the effect of a summons and complaint.”
(b) “The commissioner of public safety must prescribe the detailed form of the uniform traffic safety camera citation. As appropriate, the citation design must conform with the requirements for a uniform traffic ticket under section 169.99, subdivisions 1 and 1d. The citation design must include:”
- (1) “a brief overview of the pilot program and implementation of traffic safety camera systems;”
- (2) “a summary of the circumstances of the citation that includes identification of the motor vehicle involved, the date and time of the violation, and the location where the violation occurred;”
- (3) “copy of the recorded image or primary images used to identify a violation;”
- (4) “a notification that the recorded images under clause (3) are evidence of a violation under section 169.06, subdivision 10, or 169.14, subdivision 13;”
- (5) “a statement signed by the traffic enforcement agent who issued the citation stating that the agent has inspected the recorded images and determined that the violation occurred in the specified motor vehicle;”
- (6) “a summary of the limitations under sections 169.06, subdivision 11, and 169.14, subdivision 14;”
- (7) “notification that an owner is ineligible for diversion if the violation was committed by a holder of a class A, B, or C commercial driver's license or commercial driver learner's permit, without regard to whether the violation was committed in a commercial motor vehicle or another vehicle;”
- (8) “information on the diversion and traffic safety course eligibility and requirements under sections 169.06, subdivision 10, paragraph (b), and 169.14, subdivision 13, paragraph (b);”
- (9) “the total amount of the fine imposed;”
- (10) “a notification that the person has the right to contest the citation;”
- (11) “information on the process and procedures for a person to contest the citation; and”
- (12) “a statement that payment of the fine constitutes a plea of guilty and failure to appear in court is considered a plea of guilty, as provided under section 169.91.”
(c) “The commissioner of public safety must make the information required under paragraph (b) available in languages that are commonly spoken in the state and in each area in which a local authority has implemented camera-based traffic enforcement.”

§ 169.147, subd. 11 is headed “Traffic safety course.”

(a) “The commissioners must establish a traffic safety course that provides at least 30 minutes of instruction on speeding, traffic-control signals, and other traffic safety topics. The curriculum must include safety risks associated with speed and speeding in school zones and work zones.”
(b) “The commissioners must not impose a fee for an individual who is authorized to attend the course under sections 169.06, subdivision 10, and 169.14, subdivision 13.”

That is the statute’s statement. This page quotes all of subdivisions 10 and 11. This page does not quote section 169.91 or section 169.99, and it does not describe what a particular citation prints.

What Minn. Stat. § 169.147 says about the work zone pilot project and expiration

§ 169.147, subd. 17 is headed “Work zone pilot project.”

(b) “The commissioners must issue a warning for a violation of section 169.14, subdivision 13, captured by a speed safety camera system and must not impose any fine for a second or subsequent violation.”
(c) “The warning issued by the commissioners must include easily understandable information on speeding, traffic-control signals, and other safety risks associated with speed and speeding in work zones.”
(f) “The authority for the work zone pilot project is limited to August 1, 2025, to July 31, 2029.”

§ 169.147, subd. 19 is headed “Expiration.” It reads: “This section expires July 31, 2029.”

That is the statute’s statement. Subdivision 17 has other paragraphs, (a), (d), and (e), on implementation, schedules, and standards, that this page does not cover. Section 169.147 has other subdivisions that this page does not cover, including subdivisions 3, 4, 7, 12 to 16, and 18.

What Minn. Stat. § 169.14, subds. 13 and 14 say about the speed safety camera penalty and limitations

§ 169.14, subd. 13 is headed “Speed safety camera; penalty.”

(a) “Subject to subdivision 14, if a motor vehicle is operated in violation of a speed limit and the violation is identified through the use of a speed safety camera system implemented under section 169.147, the owner of the vehicle or the lessee of the vehicle is guilty of a petty misdemeanor and must pay a fine of:” (1) “$40; or” (2) “$80, if the violation is for a speed at least 20 miles per hour in excess of the speed limit.”
(b) “A person who commits a first offense under paragraph (a) must be given a warning and is not subject to a fine or conviction under paragraph (a). A person who commits a second offense under paragraph (a) is eligible for diversion, which must include a traffic safety course established under section 169.147, subdivision 11. A person who enters diversion and completes the traffic safety course is not subject to a fine or conviction under paragraph (a).”
(c) “Paragraph (b) does not apply to:” (1) “a violation that occurs in a commercial motor vehicle; or” (2) “a violation committed by a holder of a class A, B, or C commercial driver's license or commercial driver learner's permit, without regard to whether the violation was committed in a commercial motor vehicle or another vehicle.”
(d) “This subdivision applies to violations committed on or after August 1, 2025, and before August 1, 2029.”

§ 169.14, subd. 14 is headed “Speed safety camera; limitations.”

(a) “An owner or lessee of a motor vehicle is not subject to a fine or conviction under subdivision 13 if:”
- (1) “the vehicle was stolen at the time of the violation;”
- (2) “a transfer of interest in the vehicle in compliance with section 168A.10 was made before the time of the violation;”
- (3) “the vehicle owner is a lessor of the motor vehicle, and the lessor identifies the name and address of the lessee;”
- (4) “the vehicle is an authorized emergency vehicle operated in the performance of official duties at the time of the violation;”
- (5) “another person is convicted, within the meaning under section 171.01, subdivision 29, for the same violation;”
- (6) “the vehicle owner provides a sworn statement to the court or prosecuting authority that the owner was not operating the vehicle at the time of the violation; or”
- (7) “the vehicle owner provides a sworn statement to the court or prosecuting authority that the owner was operating the vehicle at the time of the violation under the circumstances of a medical emergency for either the driver or a passenger in the vehicle.”
(b) “The owner or lessee of a motor vehicle may not be issued a citation under subdivision 13 and under another subdivision in this section for the same conduct.”
(c) “Except as provided in subdivision 13, paragraph (c), a fine or conviction under subdivision 13 does not constitute grounds for revocation or suspension of a person's driver's license.”
(d) “A vehicle owner asserting a defense under paragraph (a), clause (7), must provide an accompanying sworn statement from the physician responsible for treatment of the underlying condition or emergency that necessitated medical attention.”
(e) “This subdivision applies to violations committed on or after August 1, 2025, and before August 1, 2029.”

That is the statute’s statement. This page does not say how that statement applies to a particular citation, license, or insurance policy. This page quotes all of subdivisions 13 and 14. This page does not quote section 168A.10 or section 171.01.

What Minn. Stat. § 169.06, subds. 10 and 11 say about the red light camera penalty and limitations

§ 169.06, subd. 10 is headed “Red light camera; penalty.”

(a) “Subject to subdivision 11, if a motor vehicle is operated in violation of a traffic-control signal and the violation is identified through the use of a red light camera system implemented under section 169.147, the owner of the vehicle or the lessee of the vehicle is guilty of a petty misdemeanor and must pay a fine of $40.”
(b) “A person who commits a first offense under paragraph (a) must be given a warning and is not subject to a fine or conviction under paragraph (a). A person who commits a second offense under paragraph (a) is eligible for diversion, which must include a traffic safety course established under section 169.147, subdivision 11. A person who enters diversion and completes the traffic safety course is not subject to a fine or conviction under paragraph (a).”
(c) “Paragraph (b) does not apply to:” (1) “a violation that occurs in a commercial motor vehicle; or” (2) “a violation committed by a holder of a class A, B, or C commercial driver's license or commercial driver learner's permit, without regard to whether the violation was committed in a commercial motor vehicle or another vehicle.”
(d) “This subdivision applies to violations committed on or after August 1, 2025, and before August 1, 2029.”

§ 169.06, subd. 11 is headed “Red light camera; limitations.”

(a) “An owner or lessee of a motor vehicle is not subject to a fine or conviction under subdivision 10 if any of the conditions under section 169.14, subdivision 14, paragraph (a), clauses (1) to (7), are met.”
(b) “The owner or lessee of a motor vehicle may not be issued a citation under subdivision 10 and under another subdivision in this section for the same conduct.”
(c) “A fine or conviction under subdivision 10 does not constitute grounds for revocation or suspension of a person's driver's license.”
(d) “Except as provided in subdivision 10, paragraph (c), this subdivision applies to violations committed on or after August 1, 2025, and before August 1, 2029.”

That is the statute’s statement. This page does not say how that statement applies to a particular citation, license, or insurance policy. This page quotes all of subdivisions 10 and 11. This page does not say whether any red light camera system is in use in Minnesota.

What Minn. Stat. § 171.12, subd. 6a says about the driving record and traffic safety camera systems

§ 171.12, subd. 6a is headed “Driving record; traffic safety camera system.”

(a) “Except as provided in paragraph (b), the commissioner must not record on an individual's driving record any violation of:” (1) “a traffic-control signal under section 169.06, subdivision 10; or” (2) “a speed limit under section 169.14, subdivision 13.”
(b) “This subdivision does not apply to:” (1) “a violation that occurs in a commercial motor vehicle; or” (2) “a violation committed by a holder of a class A, B, or C commercial driver's license or commercial driver learner's permit, without regard to whether the violation was committed in a commercial motor vehicle or another vehicle.”
(c) “This subdivision applies to violations committed on or after August 1, 2025, and before August 1, 2029.”

That is the statute’s statement. This page does not say how that statement applies to a particular citation, license, or insurance policy. This page quotes all of subdivision 6a.

What the 2026 State Payables List lists for camera violations

The 2026 State Payables List file is headed “2026 STATE PAYABLES LIST” and “TRAFFIC/CRIMINAL”, and its pages state: “Effective 1/1/2026.” This page does not say whether a newer list exists.

For section 169.06, subdivision 10(a), and section 169.14, subdivision 13(a), the list lists these rows. This page shows each row’s statute cell, its words, and its cells in the columns for fine, general surcharge, law library fee, and total, as printed; the list’s offense level and DPS certification columns are columns that this page does not cover.

Statute	Row	Fine	General surcharge	Law library fee	Total column
“169.06, subd. 10(a)”	“Traffic Regulation - Red Light Camera Violation”	“40.00”	“0.00”	“0.00”	“40.00”
“169.14, subd. 13(a)(1)”	“Traffic Regulation - Speed Safety Camera; 1-19 mph over speed limit”	“40.00”	“0.00”	“0.00”	“40.00”
“169.14, subd. 13(a)(2)”	“Traffic Regulation - Speed Safety Camera; exceed 20 mph over speed limit”	“80.00”	“0.00”	“0.00”	“80.00”

That is the list’s statement. Each row shown above prints “0.00” in its law library fee column. This page does not cover law library fees, including any county law library fee, and it does not say whether one is assessed on a particular notice. This page does not quote the list’s policies, notes, or other rows, it does not say what amount a particular court sets, and it does not calculate an amount for any notice.

What the City of Minneapolis, City of Mendota Heights, and MnDOT pages say

The City of Minneapolis pilot page, headed “Traffic safety camera pilot” and marked “Last updated on September 3, 2026”, states, under “Introducing traffic safety cameras”: “The City of Minneapolis began using traffic safety cameras on October 1, 2025.” It also states: “The City plans to add enforcement of red lights at some locations in 2026.” Those are the city page’s statements. This page does not say whether that plan has been carried out.

The City of Minneapolis warnings page, headed “Traffic safety camera warnings and citations” and marked “Last updated on November 25, 2025”, states, under “Enforcement”: “A warning is issued for a first offense. After the warning, subsequent violations will result in citations.” That is the city page’s statement.

The City of Mendota Heights page, under “Police Department: Speed Safety Cameras”, asks “Are speed camera citations issued for each violation?” and answers: “No, after the first violation, the owner of the vehicle receives a written warning. Upon the second violation, the Department issues a citation.” That is the city page’s statement.

The MnDOT page, headed “Work zone speed safety cameras in Minnesota”, states, under “How they work”: “No fines or citations will be issued as part of the work zone speed safety camera pilot project.” Under “I received a violation letter. Now what?”, it states: “There is no fine.” Those are the agency page’s statements.

These pages have other statements, including statements on locations and dates, that this page does not cover. This page does not say how any of these statements applies to a particular notice.

Paths the notice describes (not which to choose)

Read which implementing authority or traffic enforcement agent issued your paper, whether it is a warning or a citation, which section it names, any amount, the date, and the response instructions printed on it. We do not tell you which path to choose or what step to take.

Violation.com does not collect Minnesota fines. If you upload a camera notice, we summarize what the notice shows. It is not legal advice.

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Sources retrieved 29 Oct 2026:

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Information on this page was last checked against official sources on November 8, 2026.