Westchester County, NY Privacy & Surveillance: License Plate Readers (2026)
Key Facts
- Retention
- 90 days if no notice issued
- Data sharing
- Only liability, court order, or law
- First-offense fine
- $250; rises to $300 by third
- Who can view
- County only; school districts barred
- Highway ALPR network
- No county law governs it
Summary
Westchester County's only codified plate-camera rule is Chapter 708. Images and license plate data from school bus stop-arm cameras must be destroyed 90 days after an alleged violation when no notice of liability issues, and dissemination outside enforcement is prohibited.
Photographs, microphotographs, videotapes, other recorded images and data produced by school bus photo violation monitoring systems shall be destroyed: (1) Ninety days after the date of the alleged imposition of liability if a notice of liability is not issued …; or (2) Upon final disposition of a notice of liability … A prohibition of the use or dissemination of vehicles' license plate information … except: (a) As required to establish liability under this section or collect payment of penalties; (b) As required by court order; or (c) As otherwise required by law
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: Code of Ordinances: Supplement 47).
Full Breakdown
Local Law 6-2023, amended by Local Law 8-2024, set up the county's school bus stop-arm camera program under NY Vehicle and Traffic Law § 1174-a. Westchester pays the full cost, and participating school districts are barred from touching any of the footage: the systems forward images and plate data straight to the county. Section 708.41 requires destruction 90 days after an alleged violation when no notice of liability issues, or on final disposition, plus oversight procedures and MUTCD signage at county roadway entrances. The Charter and Administrative Code, codified through Local Law 20-2025, contains no chapter governing the Department of Public Safety's highway plate-reader network.
Violations & Fines
$250 for a first violation, $275 for a second within 18 months, $300 for a third, plus $25 for missing the notice-of-liability response deadline. Liability falls on the registered owner and never reaches the driving record.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does Westchester County law set a retention limit for its highway license plate readers?
Can Westchester share school bus camera plate data with outside agencies?
Do participating school districts get to see the footage?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Westchester County
New York rules heatmap·Compare Westchester County to another location·View the New York privacy & surveillance overview
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