What Texas law says about red-light cameras and city speed cameras

Two parts of the Texas Transportation Code limit automated camera enforcement by local governments: Chapter 707, about red-light cameras, and § 542.2035, about speed cameras run by a municipality. This page quotes those sections and two state agency pages. It does not apply them to any notice. It does not cover speed cameras run by any body other than a municipality, school-bus stop-arm cameras, or toll-road billing. Confirm what your paper says.

A Texas speeding citation that an officer hands to the driver is a different paper. See What a Texas speeding ticket is.

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.

Related: Texas parking tickets.

The Transportation Code text below is quoted from the Texas Legislature’s statutes site as shown when retrieved on 28 Oct 2026. The site states: “The statutes available on this website are current through the 89th 2nd Called Legislative Session, 2025.”

Red-light cameras (Transportation Code §§ 707.020 and 707.021)

§ 707.020(a): “Notwithstanding any other law, a local authority may not implement or operate a photographic traffic signal enforcement system with respect to a highway or street under the jurisdiction of the authority.” § 707.020(b): “The attorney general shall enforce this section.” § 707.021: “Notwithstanding any other law, a local authority may not issue a civil or criminal charge or citation for an offense or violation based on a recorded image produced by a photographic traffic signal enforcement system.” Each section’s history line reads: “Added by Acts 2019, 86th Leg., R.S., Ch. 372 (H.B. 1631), Sec. 2, eff. June 2, 2019.” That is the statute’s statement.

§ 707.001(3): “"Photographic traffic signal enforcement system" means a system that:” (A) “consists of a camera system and vehicle sensor installed to exclusively work in conjunction with an electrically operated traffic-control signal; and” (B) “is capable of producing at least two recorded images that depict the license plate attached to the front or the rear of a motor vehicle that is not operated in compliance with the instructions of the traffic-control signal.” § 707.001(1): “"Local authority" has the meaning assigned by Section 541.002.” § 541.002(3)(A) includes in that meaning “a county, municipality, or other local entity authorized to enact traffic laws under the laws of this state”. That is the statute’s statement.

The 2019 transition rule (H.B. 1631, SECTION 7)

House Bill 1631 (86th Legislature, Regular Session; enrolled text on capitol.texas.gov) is the act that added §§ 707.020 and 707.021. Its SECTION 7(a) states: “Notwithstanding any provision of this Act to the contrary, if before May 7, 2019, a local authority had enacted an ordinance to implement a photographic traffic signal enforcement system under Sections 542.405 and 542.406, Transportation Code, or Chapter 707, Transportation Code, and entered into a contract for the administration and enforcement of the system:” (1) “the local authority may continue to operate the system under that ordinance and under the terms of that contract until the expiration date specified in the contract as the contract existed on May 7, 2019; and” (2) “the photographic traffic signal enforcement system, and any proceeding initiated or civil or administrative penalty imposed after the effective date of this Act are governed by the applicable law in effect immediately before the effective date of this Act, and the former law is continued in effect for that purpose.” SECTION 7(b): “Subsection (a) of this section does not apply to a contract for the administration and enforcement of a photographic traffic signal enforcement system entered into before May 7, 2019, that authorizes termination of the contract on the basis of adverse state legislation.” That is the bill’s statement.

The Texas Department of Transportation’s red-light camera reports page (txdot.gov, retrieved 28 Oct 2026) states that such municipalities “should continue to submit Post-Activation Annual Reports to TxDOT through the year after the expiration of their contract.” The page also states: “Questions regarding red light camera enforcement systems in specific municipalities should be directed to the municipality where the red light camera enforcement system is installed.” Those are the department’s statements. This page does not state whether any Texas local authority operates a red-light camera system in 2026, or the terms of any contract.

Speed cameras run by a municipality (Transportation Code § 542.2035)

§ 542.2035(a): “A municipality may not implement or operate an automated traffic control system with respect to a highway or street under its jurisdiction for the purpose of enforcing compliance with posted speed limits.” It continues: “The attorney general shall enforce this subsection.” § 542.2035(b): “In this section, "automated traffic control system" means a photographic device, radar device, laser device, or other electrical or mechanical device designed to:” (1) “record the speed of a motor vehicle; and” (2) “obtain one or more photographs or other recorded images of:” the vehicle, its license plate, or its operator. The section’s history line reads: “Added by Acts 2007, 80th Leg., R.S., Ch. 646 (H.B. 922), Sec. 1, eff. June 15, 2007.” That is the statute’s statement. This section uses the word “municipality”. This page does not say whether any other body may use a speed camera.

The Attorney General’s page

The Office of the Attorney General’s red-light camera page (texasattorneygeneral.gov, retrieved 28 Oct 2026) states: “As a general proposition, a local authority may not implement or operate a photographic traffic signal enforcement system for a highway or street under the jurisdiction of the local authority.” It states that a person who believes a local authority is in violation “may file a complaint” through the page “or you may call the Texas Attorney General’s office at 1-844-584-3006.” Those are the office’s statements. The complaint line is a government contact; it is not Violation.com.

Paths the notice describes (not which to choose)

If you have a mailed camera notice that names a Texas city or county, read who issued it, the amount, the due date, and the response instructions printed on it. We do not tell you whether to pay, request a hearing, file a complaint, or take any other step.

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

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Sources retrieved 28 Oct 2026:

Not legal advice. Not a law firm. Not affiliated with a government agency. Information Only.

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