Red Light Camera FAQs

• What Are My Options If I Received A Citation?
  1. Pay the fine.

   

  • Pay online using your VISA or MasterCard.  Logon to www.ViolationInfo.com by entering your Notice number and PIN shown on the front right of your Notice. Click the Pay button. There may be a convenience/service fee for this service.

  • Pay by mailing your check or money order, payable to the City of Lakeland, along with the coupon printed at the bottom of the notice. Write the Notice number and the license plate number on your check or money order. Do not mail cash. The mailing address is:

   

  City of Lakeland

  Payment Processing Center

  PO Box 742527

  Cincinnati, OH 45274-2527

   

  • Pay by phone using a Credit Card. Call toll-free 1-866-225-8875, available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. There may be a convenience/service fee for this service. 

  ****( NOTE: Effective July 1, 2010, if someone does not respond to the notice of violation with payment within 30 days a UTC would automatically be issued by the Clerk of the Court. Once the UTC has been issued, the owner/driver can request a hearing under Florida Statute § 318.14(5).****)

  Request an Extension
  You may request a one-time 60-day extension of time to pay the fine assessed for your red light camera violation.  To do so, please complete and sign the REQUEST FOR EXTENSION OF PAYMENT DEADLINE form, then follow the instructions on the form to return it to the City’s Red Light Camera Office.  
  
  Please note that the fully completed and signed form MUST be received by the due date listed on your Notice of Violation.  Upon receipt, your request for extension of the payment deadline will be scheduled for a hearing.  While you may attend the hearing, you are not required to be present for a payment extension request.  Please be advised that each request for extension of a payment deadline will be subject to a $12.50 administrative charge.  The administrative charge will be in addition to your assessed fine of $158.00.  The Hearing Officer will consider your request and, if granted, you will receive a Notice of Hearing Disposition outlining your new payment amount and deadline for payment. 
  

   

  2. Submit an Affidavit.

   

  You may submit a sworn Affidavit that a statutory exemption applies and you are not responsible for the violation. Pursuant to Florida Statute § 316.0083(d)1, these exemptions include that: (a) your motor vehicle passed through the intersection in order to yield the right-of-way to an emergency vehicle or as part of a funeral procession; (b)  your motor vehicle passed through the intersection as the direction of a law enforcement officer; (c) your vehicle was, at the time of the violation, in the care, custody and control of another person; or (d) a Uniform Traffic Citation (UTC) was issued by a law enforcement officer for violation of Florida Statute § 316.074(1) and § 316.075(1)(c)1 of which you must include the serial number contained in the UTC. The Affidavit submitted must comply with the requirements of Florida Statute § 316.0083 and if compliance is met you will receive a Notice of Dismissal of the violation.   You may obtain an Affidavit by visiting www.ViolationInfo.com or at www.lakelandgov.net.

   

  The Affidavit must be completed, signed, notarized, and mailed, with all supporting documentation, to the City of Lakeland, c/o Intersection Safety Program, PO Box 22091, Tempe, AZ 85285-2091.

   

  This Affidavit must be filled out accurately and in its entirety and presented to the court at the time of your hearing.  The submission of a false Affidavit is a misdemeanor of the second degree, punishable under Florida Statute § 775.082 or § 775.083 by a term of imprisonment not to exceed sixty (60) days and/or a fine not to exceed $500.

   

  Visit www.ViolationInfo.com to view information about your Notice of Violation. You will be asked to enter your Notice number and PIN, found on the front of your Notice of Violation in the upper right corner, inside the red box. By clicking on this link you will leave the City of Lakeland’s website.

   

  3. Request a Hearing.

   

  If you would like to have a hearing in reference to the violation you were sent, you may contact Code Enforcement at 863-834-6251 to have a hearing scheduled.

   

  *Note: Please be informed that if the violation is upheld and you are found guilty of the violation, additional fines will be assessed. 
• What Is A Red Light Violation?

  A red-light violation occurs when a motorist enters an intersection after the traffic signal has turned red. However, motorists already in the intersection when the signal changes to red, waiting to turn for example, are not considered red-light violators.

• How Much Time Do I Have to Pay My "Notice of Violation"?
  You must pay the civil penalty on or before the due date on your Notice of Violation. The due date for payment is located on the top and bottom right of your Notice of Violation.
• Can I Get An Extension To Pay My Fine?
  Yes.  You may request a one-time 60 day extension of time to pay the fine assessed for your red light camera violation.  To do so, please complete and sign the REQUEST FOR EXTENSION OF PAYMENT DEADLINE FORM, then follow the instructions on the form to return it to the City’s Red Light Camera Office.  

  
  Please note that the fully completed and signed form MUST be received by the due date listed on your Notice of Violation.  Upon receipt, your request for extension of the payment deadline will be scheduled for a hearing.  While you may attend the hearing, you are not required to be present for a payment extension request.  Please be advised that each request for extension of a payment deadline will be subject to a $12.50 administrative charge.  The administrative charge will be in addition to your assessed fine of $158.00.  The Hearing Officer will consider your request and, if granted, you will receive a Notice of Hearing Disposition outlining your new payment amount and deadline for payment. 
• How Much is the Fine?
  The fine, which is governed by Florida Statute § 316.0083, is $158.00 for each offense.
• Why Did I Receive This Notice of Violation?
  Based on images captured by the automated system and upon review by the Lakeland Police Department, your vehicle was determined to have committed a red-light violation. As the vehicle owner, the Notice of Violation is mailed to you.
• How Do Red Light Cameras Work?
  • The system activates when motion is detected just prior to the stop bar AFTER the traffic signal has turned red. The cameras capture two images of an alleged violation, taken from the rear of the vehicle.

  • The first image shows the vehicle at or before the white stop bar and the illuminated red light.
    
    
  • The second image shows the violator past the white stop bar with the red light illuminated.
    
    
  • The license plate image is a close-up from one of the images captured.
    
    
  • Data, including the time, date, and duration of the yellow and red lights, also is recorded.
• What Happens If I Ignore the Notice of Violation?
  An initial Notice of Violation (NOV) will be sent via first-class mail within 30 days after the violation.  If the violation has not been paid within 60 days following the initial mailing, then a Uniform Traffic Citation (UTC) shall be issued and sent via certified mail.  Failure to pay the UTC may result in further collection efforts.
• Will a Violation Result in Points on My License or Impact My Insurance Rates?
  No points will be assessed to the driver’s license and a violation may not be used to set motor vehicle insurance rates regardless of disposition of the violation pursuant to Florida Statute § 322.27(3)(d)6. However, if the owner/driver pays the civil penalty or is otherwise found guilty, the violation will be recorded as a conviction on the driver’s record.
• What Company Provides the Red-light Camera Program in Lakeland?
  The City of Lakeland has contracted with American Traffic Solutions Inc. (ATS) to provide the Automated Red Light Enforcement program. ATS installs and maintains all equipment related to this program and processes violations captured by the equipment. ATS is a leading provider of technology and business solutions that support electronic toll and traffic management programs worldwide. More information about ATS is available at www.atsol.com.
• What If I Was Not the Driver/Owner of the Vehicle at the Time of the Violation?
  You may submit an Affidavit consistent with the requirements listed above or as more specifically provided in  Florida Statute § 316.0083(d)1.  An Affidavit supporting this specific exemption must include the name, address, date of birth, and, if known, the driver’s license number of the person who leased, rented, or otherwise had care, custody, or control of your motor vehicle at the time of the violation.  If the vehicle was stolen at the time of the violation, the Affidavit must include a police report.

  You may obtain this Affidavit by visiting www.ViolationInfo.com. Click on the view option and enter the necessary information.