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Clayton County, GA Mobility & Curb Rules: Red-Light Cameras (2026)

Some Restrictions
Compiled from the official code textEditor Martyn O'NeillLast verified September 2026

Key Facts

Governing section
Clayton County Code § 94-37
Penalty type
Civil, not criminal; no license points
Max fine
$70.00 per violation (Sec. 94-37.05)
New-camera grace period
30 days warning only (Sec. 94-37.07)
Intersection selection
County DOT&D, not police (Sec. 94-37.03)

Summary

Clayton County's police department may deploy red-light traffic cameras at intersections in the unincorporated county under Sec. 94-37, issuing a civil citation, not a criminal charge or license points, capped at $70.00 for running a red light caught on camera. New camera locations get a 30-day warning-only grace period before citations start.

These county ordinances apply to unincorporated areas of Clayton County. Incorporated cities within the county may have their own rules that take precedence over county-level regulations.

Subject to the provisions of O.C.G.A. § 40-14-21, the chief of police and board of commissioners authorize the use of traffic-control signal monitoring devices for purposes of automated traffic enforcement. ... The driver of a motor vehicle cited pursuant to this section 94-37 shall be liable for a civil monetary penalty, not to exceed $70.00. Citations shall be issued by the Clayton County Police Department in accordance with O.C.G.A. § 40-6-20(f)(3)(B). ... In accordance with O.C.G.A. § 40-6-20(B), only warning notices, and not citations for violations, shall be sent during the 30-day period immediately following the initial installation of a traffic-control signal monitoring device at any specific location.

View official code

Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: Code of Ordinances: Supplement 104).

Full Breakdown

Sec. 94-37, adopted by Ord. No. 2006-36 in March 2006, authorizes the Clayton County Police Department to use 'traffic-control signal monitoring devices,' cameras that capture two or more photographs, microphotographs, electronic images or videotape showing a vehicle running a circular red or red-arrow signal along with a legible image of its license plate. Sec. §§ 40-6-20, 40-14-21 through 40-14-24, and the county's Department of Transportation and Development, not the police, selects which intersections get cameras under Sec. 03. 00 under Sec. 05, issued by the police department, not a criminal traffic citation and not points against a license.

Sec. 06 sets up a rebuttable presumption that the registered owner was driving, which the owner can overcome by testifying under oath that they were not the driver, by submitting a certified police report that the car was reported stolen before the violation, or by filing a sworn notarized statement naming who was actually driving. § 40-6-20(a); an officer who independently witnesses the violation can still write a standard citation instead. Sec. 07 requires a 30-day warning-only period, notices only, no fines, immediately after any camera is newly installed at a location.

Violations & Fines

Running a red light captured by a monitoring device brings a civil penalty up to $70.00 under Sec. 94-37.05, issued as a citation from the Clayton County Police Department rather than a criminal charge. The registered owner is presumed to have been driving under Sec. 94-37.06 unless they rebut it with sworn testimony, a stolen-vehicle police report, or a notarized statement naming the actual driver.

Frequently Asked Questions

How much is a red-light camera ticket in Clayton County?
Up to $70.00. Sec. 94-37.05 caps the civil monetary penalty for a violation captured by a traffic-control signal monitoring device at $70.00, and the citation is issued by the Clayton County Police Department, not as a criminal charge and without license points.
Can I fight a red-light camera ticket?
Yes. Sec. 94-37.06 lets the registered owner rebut the presumption that they were driving by testifying under oath they were not the driver, presenting a certified police report the vehicle was stolen before the violation, or submitting a sworn notarized statement identifying the actual driver.
Do new camera intersections start issuing fines immediately?
No. Sec. 94-37.07 requires the first 30 days after a traffic-control signal monitoring device is installed at any specific location to be a warning-only period, so drivers get warning notices, not citations or fines, during that initial 30-day window.
Who picks which Clayton County intersections get red-light cameras?
The Clayton County Department of Transportation and Development, not the police department, is responsible under Sec. 94-37.03 for identifying and selecting the intersections where traffic-control signal monitoring devices will be used, in compliance with O.C.G.A. §§ 40-14-22 and 40-14-23.

Sources & Official References

Other rules in Clayton County

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