photo radar enforcement; civil penalty

Plain English Breakdown

Checked against official source text during the last sync.

Limits Penalties for Photo Radar Violations

This bill sets a maximum penalty of $75 for traffic violations detected by photo radar systems and restricts how these violations can be used.

What This Bill Does

• Sets the highest fine for traffic violations caught by photo radar at $75.
• Prohibits courts from sending information about photo radar violations to the Department of Transportation.
• Prevents state agencies from using photo radar violations when deciding if a driver's license should be suspended or revoked.
• Forbids insurance companies from considering photo radar violations when setting rates or determining insurability.
• Prohibits insurers from canceling or refusing to renew policies based on photo radar violations.

Who It Names or Affects

• Drivers who receive traffic violation notices from photo radar systems.
• Insurance companies that set rates and determine insurability for drivers.
• State agencies responsible for driver licensing and enforcement.

Terms To Know

Photo Enforcement System

A device using cameras or sensors linked to a radar unit to capture images of vehicles violating speed limits or traffic signs, signals, and markings.

Civil Traffic Violation

An offense against traffic laws that is not considered criminal but can result in fines or other penalties.

Limits and Unknowns

• The bill does not specify how the $75 penalty will be enforced.
• It remains unclear if there are fiscal impacts beyond what was stated by the sponsor.

Official Summary Text

SB1624 - 572R - Senate Fact Sheet

Assigned to
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COMMITTEE

ARIZONA STATE SENATE

Fifty-Seventh
Legislature, Second Regular Session

FACT SHEET FOR
S.B. 1624

photo radar enforcement;
civil penalty

Purpose

����������� Caps the penalty for
a civil traffic violation that results from a photo enforcement system at $75
and prohibits the disclosure and consideration of such a violation to determine
a person's insurability or driving privileges.

Background

����������� The
state, or a local authority, may not use a photo enforcement system on a state
highway to identify violators of speed restrictions or traffic signs, signals
and markings. A local authority or state agency using a photo enforcement
system must adopt standards and specifications that indicate to a motor vehicle
operator that a photo enforcement system is present and operational (A.R.S. ��
28-1204

and
28-1206
).

����������� If a person receives
notice in the mail for a violation of state or local speed restrictions or
traffic control devices that is obtained using a photo enforcement system, the
person does not have to: 1) identify who is in the photo; or 2) respond to the notice
of violation. The notice must state that it is not a court-issued document, but
failing to respond to the notice may result in official service that may lead
to an additional fee being levied. An alternative service of process may be
used to serve a citation. A person's driving privilege may not be suspended or
revoked as a result of a citation served by the alternative service of process
(
A.R.S.
� 28-1602
).

����������� A
photo
enforcement system
is a device substantially consisting of a radar unit or
sensor linked to a camera or other recording device that produces one or more
photographs, microphotographs, videotapes or digital or other recorded images
of a vehicle's license plate for the purpose of identifying violators of speed
restrictions or traffic signs, signals and markings (
A.R.S.
� 28-601
).

����������� There is no
anticipated fiscal impact to the state General Fund associated with this
legislation.

Provisions

1.

Caps, at $75, the civil penalty for a person who is found responsible
for a civil traffic violation that results from a photo enforcement system.

2.

Prohibits a court from transmitting abstracts of records of a violation
that results from a photo enforcement system to the Arizona Department of
Transportation.

3.

Prohibits a state department or agency from considering a violation that
results from a photo enforcement system for the purpose of determining whether
a person's driver license would be suspended or revoked.

4.

Prohibits an insurer from considering a violation that results from a photo
enforcement system as a traffic violation against a person for the purpose of
establishing rates for motor vehicle liability insurance or determining the
insurability of a person.

5.

Stipulates that an insurer may not cancel or refuse to renew any policy
of insurance because of a violation that results from a photo enforcement
system.

6.

Makes technical and conforming changes.

7.

Becomes effective on the general effective date.

Prepared by Senate Research

February 9, 2026

KJA/hk

Current Bill Text

SB1624 - 572R - S Ver

Senate Engrossed

photo radar
enforcement; civil penalty

State of Arizona

Senate

Fifty-seventh Legislature

Second Regular Session

2026

SENATE BILL 1624

AN
ACT

amending section 28-1602, Arizona Revised
Statutes; relating to civil traffic violations.

(TEXT OF BILL BEGINS ON NEXT PAGE)

Be it
enacted by the Legislature of the State of Arizona:

Section 1. Section 28-1602, Arizona Revised
Statutes, is amended to read:

START_STATUTE
28-1602.

Photo enforcement violations; law enforcement review; violation;
classification; service of process; no duty to identify photo or respond; civil
penalty; definitions

A. Notwithstanding any other law, if a person
receives a notice of violation in the mail for a violation of chapter 3,
article 3 or 6 of this title or of a city or town ordinance for excessive speed
or failure to obey a traffic control device that is obtained using a photo
enforcement system, the person does not have to do either of the following:

1. Identify who is in the photo.

2. Respond to the notice of violation.

B. The notice of violation must state the following:

1. The notice
of violation
is
not a court issued document and the recipient is under no obligation to
identify the person or respond to the notice
of violation
.�

2. Failure to respond to the notice
of
violation
may result in official service that may result in an
additional fee being levied.

C. Before a citation is issued, a law enforcement
agency must review evidence that is recorded by a photo enforcement system to
determine whether a violation of chapter 3, article 3 or 6 of this title or of
a city or town ordinance for excessive speed or failure to obey a traffic
control device occurred.

D. A photo enforcement company may not determine
whether a violation of chapter 3, article 3 or 6 of this title occurred for the
purpose of
the issuance of
issuing
a
citation.� A violation of this subsection is a class 1 misdemeanor.

E. In addition to any other means authorized by the
Arizona rules of civil procedure, alternative service of process must be sent
by certified mail with an additional copy by regular mail and a notice must be
posted on the front door of the business or residence and, if present and
accessible, a residence's garage door.� Service of the complaint is complete on
filing the mailing receipt and proof of posting in the court having
jurisdiction of the violation.� Notwithstanding any other law, a person's
driving privileges may not be suspended or revoked as a result of a citation
that is served by alternative service of process under this subsection.

F. If a law enforcement agency issues a citation as
a result of a photo enforcement system and serves the citation in a manner
other than what is prescribed by section 28-1593, subsection A, the
agency shall inform the person that there is no obligation to identify the
driver or respond to the citation.� Failure to respond to the citation will
result in the probability that the person will be formally served pursuant to state
law and the Arizona rules of civil procedure which will likely result in the
person being required to pay the cost of the service.

G. If a person is found responsible
for a civil traffic violation that results from a photo enforcement system:

1. The person is subject to a civil
penalty of not more than $75.

2. A department or agency of this
state may not consider the violation for the purpose of determining whether the
person's driver license should be suspended or revoked.

3. A court may not transmit abstracts
of records of the violation to the department.

4. An insurer may not consider the
violation as a traffic violation against the person for the purposes of
establishing rates for motor vehicle liability insurance or determining the
insurability of the person.� An insurer may not cancel or refuse to renew any
policy of insurance because of the violation.

G.

H.
For
the purposes of this section:

1. "Notice of violation" means a notice
issued by a photo enforcement company or municipality that is not a uniform
traffic ticket and complaint.

2. "Photo enforcement system" has the same
meaning prescribed in section 28-601.
END_STATUTE