Arlington County, VA Mobility & Curb Rules: Red-Light Cameras (2026)
Key Facts
- Red-light camera penalty
- Up to $50, no court costs
- Camera cap
- 1 intersection per 10,000 residents
- School/work-zone speed threshold
- 10+ mph over posted limit
- School/work-zone speed penalty
- Flat $100 civil penalty
- Record impact
- Not a conviction, no insurance effect
Summary
Arlington County may run red-light cameras at no more than one intersection per 10,000 residents, with a $50 civil penalty for running the light. Photo speed cameras in school crossing and highway work zones add a flat $100 penalty for drivers going 10+ mph over the posted limit.
The County Manager or his designee may install and operate, at no more than one intersection for every ten thousand (10,000) residents within the County, a System for the purpose of imposing monetary liability on the operator of a motor vehicle for failure to comply with traffic light signals within the County. ... The operator of a vehicle shall have violated this section and shall be liable for a monetary penalty of up to fifty dollars ($50.00) if the operator is found, as evidenced by information obtained from the System, to have failed to comply with a traffic light signal. No monetary penalty imposed under this section shall include court costs. Imposition of a penalty under this section shall not be deemed a conviction as an operator, and shall not be made part of the operating record of the person upon whom such liability is imposed; nor shall it be used for insurance purposes in the provision of motor vehicle insurance coverage.
Full Breakdown
2-836). A violation carries a civil penalty of up to $50, with no court costs added, and the ticket is expressly not a conviction: it does not go on the driver's operating record and cannot be used to raise insurance rates. A police officer's sworn certificate based on the camera images is prima facie evidence, the registered owner is presumed to be the driver unless they file a rebuttal affidavit or show the vehicle was reported stolen, and any mailed summons must give the recipient at least 60 business days to inspect the recorded images before the return date.
3 authorizes the Arlington County Police Department to place photo speed monitoring devices, using radar or LIDAR, in school crossing zones and highway work zones. A vehicle photographed traveling at least 10 mph over the posted school-zone or work-zone limit triggers a flat $100 civil penalty, prosecuted the same way as a traffic infraction, with the same officer-certificate evidentiary rule and owner presumption as the red-light program. 2, lets the School Board run video cameras on school buses to catch drivers who illegally pass a stopped bus, carrying a $250 civil penalty payable to the County Treasurer within 15 business days to waive a court appearance.
Violations & Fines
Running a red light caught by camera: civil penalty up to $50, no court costs, not a moving violation and not reported to insurers. Photo speed camera in a school crossing or work zone: flat $100 civil penalty for traveling 10+ mph over the posted limit, prosecuted as a traffic infraction. Passing a stopped school bus caught on bus camera: separate $250 civil penalty under § 14.2-23.2.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does an Arlington County red-light camera ticket affect my driving record?
How much over the limit do I have to be going to get a school-zone speed camera ticket in Arlington?
How many red-light cameras can Arlington County operate?
Can I be summonsed by mail for a red-light camera violation?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Arlington County
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