You lend your car to a roommate, a family member, or a friend. A few weeks later an envelope arrives with your name on it and a photo of your licence plate in an intersection. Camera tickets confuse many drivers — especially newcomers — because they work very differently from a ticket handed to you by a police officer. Understanding the differences is the key to responding properly.
Red light camera penalties are issued to the registered owner of the vehicle, regardless of who was driving at the time. Provincial Offences Officers review the camera images before a notice is issued. Because the penalty attaches to the vehicle owner rather than to a driver's licence, the City of Toronto states that no demerit points are issued and your driving record is not affected.
That is good news compared with a red-light ticket from a police officer, which is laid against the driver. But it also means you cannot make the penalty go away simply by saying a friend was behind the wheel — the City's dispute process does not list "someone else was driving" as a ground.
Since January 20, 2025, Toronto handles red light camera violations through an Administrative Penalty System (APS) rather than the Provincial Offences court. Violations dated on or before January 19, 2025 are still looked up through the court system; violations from January 20, 2025 onward are handled through the City's Administrative Penalty Lookup.
According to the City, the amount payable is set under Ontario Regulation 355/22 and is made up of a set fine of $260, a victim fund component of $60, and a provincial licence plate access fee of $8.25.
Until late 2025, many Ontario municipalities — including Toronto — also used automated speed enforcement (ASE) cameras in community safety zones and school zones. In November 2025 the Province passed Bill 56, which repealed municipal use of ASE cameras. As of November 14, 2025, ASE penalty orders are no longer issued.
Importantly, penalty orders for ASE violations that occurred before November 14, 2025 remain valid. If you received one, the ban does not cancel it — it still has to be paid or disputed by its deadline. Red light cameras were not affected by the repeal and continue to operate.
The process has two stages, and the deadlines are strict:
If you miss a deadline, you can request one extension (up to 60 days from the relevant date) by showing extenuating circumstances — but only once, and a refusal is final.
This is the most common mistake: paying any part of the penalty — even a partial payment — ends your right to dispute it, including a review that is already pending. Payment is not required until a decision is made. On the other hand, ignoring the notice altogether leads to overdue notices, possible late fees, and referral to the Ministry of Transportation for licence plate denial, meaning you may not be able to renew your plate sticker until it is paid.
This article is general information only and is not legal advice. Every case turns on its own facts.
At WP Legal Professional, our licensed paralegals help drivers and vehicle owners across the Greater Toronto Area respond to traffic tickets and penalties, serving clients in English, Cantonese, Mandarin, and Korean. Learn more about our traffic ticket defence services.
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