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Gretna, LA Mobility & Curb Rules: Red-Light Cameras (2026)

Some Restrictions

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

Key Facts

Red-light first offense: $120.00 civil penalty
Red-light repeat (12 mo): $180.00
Red-light late fee: additional $50.00
Speed camera first-offense range: $120.00–$200.00 by mph
Speed camera repeat range: $180.00–$300.00
School-zone camera hours: 1 hr before/after start & end
Appeal window: 30 days (red light) / 15 days (speed)

Summary

The City of Gretna enforces red-light violations with automated cameras under Gretna Code of Ordinances § 52-333: a civil penalty of $120.00 for a first violation, $180.00 for a repeat violation within 12 months, plus a $50.00 late fee. A 2025 overhaul, Ordinance No. 5022, added a tiered mobile and fixed speed-camera program, including school-zone cameras that run only within an hour of the school day's start and end.

(b)Except as provided in subsections (c) and (d) of this section, the owner of a motor vehicle is liable for a civil penalty of $120.00 if the motor vehicle proceeds into an intersection at a system location when the traffic control signal for that motor vehicle's direction of travel is emitting a steady red signal.(c)For a second or subsequent violation of the same motor vehicle during any 12-month period, the amount of the civil penalty assessed to the owner of that vehicle shall be $180.00.(d)An owner who fails to timely pay a civil penalty shall be subject to an additional late payment penalty of $50.00 in addition to the original violation penalty. ... (a)The department may operate electronic enforcement devices in school zones, within its boundaries, on school days during the specified periods when children are in school. Electronic enforcement devices shall only be operated one hour before and one hour after the beginning of the school day and one hour before and one hour after the end of the school day.

View official code

Full Breakdown

Gretna runs two photo-enforcement programs under Chapter 52 of the Code of Ordinances: red-light cameras under Division 2 (§§ 52-332—52-338) and speed cameras under Division 3 (§§ 52-365—52-373), the second entirely rewritten by Ordinance No. 5022, adopted July 9, 2025. 00 late-payment penalty on top of the original fine. The police department administers the program directly or through a contractor meeting five-year operating and bonding criteria (§ 52-334), and must mail a notice of violation within 14 days of the alleged violation; a recipient has 30 days to request an administrative adjudication hearing before the case defaults (§ 52-335).

00 late fee (§ 52-366). School-zone cameras may run only one hour before and after the start of the school day and one hour before and after its end, and a cooperative endeavor agreement with the school's governing authority must be in place before enforcement begins and governs how citation revenue is split (§ 52-367, § 52-373). Speed citations carry a shorter 15-day window to request the administrative hearing (§ 52-370), decided by a hearing officer who must be a Louisiana-licensed attorney of five years' standing, with judicial review available to Gretna's Mayor's Court within 30 days (§ 52-371). Both programs impose civil, not criminal, liability (§§ 52-337, 52-372).

Violations & Fines

Unpaid civil penalties escalate quickly under both divisions. The Gretna Police Department, or its enforcement contractor, can immobilize (boot) a vehicle, report the debt to a collection or credit agency, or sue in small claims court to collect (§ 52-334(b), § 52-369(a)). Failing to pay or to request a hearing within the deadline waives the right to appeal and is treated as an admission of liability (§ 52-335(b), § 52-370(l)). Revenue funds the vendor contract and, for school-zone citations, is split with the school under a cooperative agreement (§ 52-373).

Frequently Asked Questions

Is a Gretna red-light or speed camera ticket a criminal charge?

No. Both programs impose only a civil penalty, not a criminal conviction, under §§ 52-337(a) and 52-372(a) of the Gretna Code of Ordinances, so a ticket does not go on a driver's criminal record or driving history the way a moving violation would.

How much is a Gretna red-light camera fine?

The owner's civil penalty is $120.00 for a first violation and $180.00 for a second violation of the same vehicle within 12 months, plus a $50.00 late-payment penalty if the fine isn't paid on time, under § 52-333.

When do Gretna's school-zone speed cameras operate?

Only on school days, and only for one hour before and after the school day begins and one hour before and after it ends, per § 52-367(a); a cooperative agreement between the city and the school must be in place first.

Can I contest a Gretna photo-enforcement ticket?

Yes. Red-light recipients have 30 days to request an administrative adjudication hearing under § 52-335; speed-camera recipients get 15 days under § 52-370, and either can seek judicial review in Gretna's Mayor's Court within 30 days of an adverse ruling.

Sources & Official References

[1]Code of Ordinances, City of Gretna, Louisiana (Municode)

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