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Fighting a red light camera ticket in Texas and successfully winning in court is the only surefire way to get out of the fines, fees, and other penalties that come with it. Fortunately, when armed with the right tools and access to affordable legal assistance through the WinIt app, it’s much easier than it seems.
How Much Is a Red Light Camera Ticket in Texas?
Red light camera tickets bring in hundreds of millions of dollars in fines for the state and local governments each year. In 2007, for example, the state of Texas logged over $706 million in total, counting all jurisdictions where they have been installed.
That kind of money comes from the fact that hundreds of thousands of these tickets are issued each year. And, at a price of $75 a pop, that money keeps pouring in.
You may have heard that you don’t have to pay a red light camera ticket—or even respond to it—if you get one in Texas. People say that because, back in 2019, the state government outlawed the use of red light cameras. But here’s the thing: municipalities and local governments under contract with third-party ticket issuing companies are still allowed to issue those tickets until those contracts expire.
So, with a good lawyer to represent you, any tickets issued by red light cameras in Texas might just be wasted ink.
How Many Points Are Added to My License for a Red Light Camera Ticket?
Red light cameras are treated similarly to parking tickets wherever they’ve been implemented—which includes many other states. That means no points will be added to your license for a conviction for a red light camera ticket.
However, if a law enforcement officer personally catches you driving through a red light, that’s different. Rather than the aforementioned camera violation, that’s a moving violation. Moving violations like this one can add quite a few points to your license.
Running a red light in Texas can add up to two points to your license.
Will a Red Light Camera Ticket Be Added to My Driving Record?
Since red light camera tickets are not only banned but also treated similarly to parking tickets, they will never appear on your Texas driving record.
What If I Don’t Pay My Red Light Camera Ticket?
Failure to pay an official court fine—and tickets are official court fines—can result in further disciplinary action and increased penalties. Those penalties may include late fees, reduced credit scores, inability to register your vehicles, etc. One of the worst penalties associated with an unpaid traffic ticket, however, is collections.
After an amount of time that varies from county to county, the court may send your outstanding balance to collections. That means labeling it a delinquent account (which may significantly damage your credit) and selling it off to a collection agency that will then hassle you over it for years to come before eventually suing you.
What Is a Scofflaw Block?
Scofflaw blocks are another potential penalty associated with unpaid fines in the state of Texas. Failure to pay a traffic or parking ticket issued by a Texas government agency can result in the government hitting you with a scofflaw block: a block on your ability to renew your vehicles’ registrations.
Counties That Don’t Block Registration
Unfortunately, no matter where you live, if the government hits you with a scofflaw block, you will not be able to register your vehicles through the Department of Motor Vehicles’ (DMV’s) online portal.
Fortunately, you may still be able to register your vehicles at the local county tax collector’s office if you live in one of the following counties:
| County |
| Calhoun |
| Chambers |
| Galveston |
| Harris |
| Potter |
| Tarrant |
Will an Unpaid Red Light Camera Ticket Affect My Credit?
Generally speaking, an unpaid red light camera ticket, if upheld by law, will affect your credit. However, that’s only the case if you live one of the following cities and were convicted of the camera violation before they were banned:
| City |
| Arlington |
| Cedar Hill |
| Coppell |
| Dallas |
| Denton |
| DeSoto |
| Duncanville |
| Farmers Branch |
| Frisco |
| Garland |
| Houston |
| Irving |
| Plano |
| Richardson |
| Rowlett |
| University Park |
How Can I Fight My Red Light Camera Ticket in Texas?
Fighting a red light camera ticket in Texas can be either a monumental undertaking or take just a couple minutes. The choice is yours. Either you can manually go through each of the following sections one by one until the day comes to argue your case in court or you can download the WinIt app, upload some information about your ticket, and let a lawyer do the rest.
Follow the Instructions in the Ticket for Requesting a Hearing
Every red light camera ticket issued in Texas includes a list of instructions for how to respond. Review the instructions and enter a plea of not guilty. Even if you believe that you are guilty of the violation but have a good enough reason for the judge to let you off scot free, you must plead not guilty. Otherwise, you will not have a chance to speak with a judge about your ticket.
Hire an Experienced Attorney to Fight Your Case
Hiring an experienced traffic ticket lawyer to handle your case has been shown to significantly increase your chances of receiving a favorable verdict. The lawyers available for you to choose from on the WinIt app are all qualified traffic ticket experts licensed to practice in the area where you received the ticket.
Gather Your Evidence
Collect the ticket, the photo it came with, and any evidence of your own, then go over it with your lawyer to ensure that they have a clear grasp of what went down that day. Additional evidence could include dashboard camera footage, security camera footage from a nearby store, or even smartphone video evidence taken by somebody not driving the vehicle.
Be Prepared to Watch a Playback of What Happened
Many jurisdictions that still use red light cameras in Texas will allow the state to play back footage from the red light cameras during court. For this reason, you should always be prepared to watch the footage again and ensure the accuracy of your argument in relation to it.
If It Was Because of an Emergency, Bring Proof
If emergency circumstances forced you to run through the red light, the judge will quite likely dismiss your case. And, if not, you could potentially win by appeal. An example of this would be if you were transporting somebody to the emergency room during a life-or-death emergency. You will need proof, such as a receipt from the emergency room for that day.
If You Were Incapable of Stopping, Bring Proof
If circumstances outside of your control resulted in you running a red light, providing proof to the judge can get your ticket dismissed in much the same way as the previously mentioned emergency situation.
An example of this is if your brakes become unresponsive when approaching the intersection, giving you no ability to safely stop the vehicle.
Hire an Attorney Through Appwinit.Com to Fight Your Case
Hiring an expert traffic ticket attorney is now more affordable than ever. In our mission to provide affordable, quality legal assistance to those who need it, we’ve created a way to hire lawyers with the press of a button.
Simply download the WinIt app from the App Store or Google Play and get started fighting your tickets today.
