LA speed cameras start issuing warnings on Monday, Oct. 26, 2026. The Los Angeles Department of Transportation turns on the first of 125 cameras that day and expects all of them to run by the end of the year.
Drivers will not pay anything at first. Each camera has a 60-day warning period, so tickets come later. As of Oct. 25, 2026, that means the earliest cameras start issuing fines about 60 days after they go live.
How the LA speed cameras work
The cameras read the rear license plate of any vehicle going 11 mph or more over the posted limit. The data goes to LADOT’s parking enforcement division, and the city then mails a notice to the registered owner. Because the owner gets the notice, the person who drove may not be the person who receives it.
State law AB 645 allows the program as a five-year pilot. LADOT says it picked the 125 sites using crash and speed data. It also weighed places with many children and seniors, such as areas near schools and senior centers. According to the city, about one in five fatal crashes in Los Angeles in 2024 involved speeding.
Fines and the warning period
After a camera’s 60 days end, citations start at $50. Spectrum News reports that a first violation at 11 to 15 mph over still brings only a warning. Later violations at that speed bring a civil fine starting at $50. Going 16 mph or more over starts at $100, and the price rises as speed rises. LADOT publishes the full schedule on its program page.
The warning clock runs separately for each camera. So a camera switched on in November or December starts its own 60 days on that date. Residents who want to know when a specific camera starts issuing tickets should check LADOT’s location list by council district.
The city says the cameras collect only the plate information needed for enforcement. It does not share personal data with local, state or federal law enforcement unless California law requires it. The council has also asked LADOT to expand a community service option so low-income or unhoused drivers can work off a penalty instead of paying.
What to expect next
The first cameras are going up on streets in several parts of the city, including outside Kingsley Elementary School in Hollywood, where crews installed equipment ahead of the launch. More sites switch on through the fall. At the end of the pilot, LADOT reports back to the state legislature on safety and cost.
Separate cameras are also coming to LA DASH buses. For that program, see our report on the LA DASH bus camera warnings and fines. For more local road and transit coverage, visit our Los Angeles and California guide.
This article is general information, not legal advice. If you receive a notice, follow the instructions on it for payment or review.