San Jose speed cameras: dates, fines and where they are
San José is the last of the Bay Area's three pilot cities to turn on automated speed enforcement. Mayor Matt Mahan announced the launch on Oct. 23, 2026, and crews are installing cameras now. Here is what changes for drivers and when.
Short version: warning notices start Dec. 14, 2026. Real citations start Feb. 12, 2027. Cameras only flag vehicles going 11 mph or more over the limit.
Key dates
- Program launched. Cameras were up at 4 sites, with the rest due over the following weeks.
- Cameras start mailing warnings for speeds 11+ mph over the limit.
- Citations begin, 60 days after warnings start.
- Latest end date for the state pilot.
How much are the fines?
Fines are set by state law (AB 645) and are the same in every pilot city. Each vehicle gets one courtesy warning for its first violation.
| Speed over the limit | Fine |
|---|---|
| 11 to 15 mph | $50 |
| 16 to 25 mph | $100 |
| 26 mph or more | $200 |
| 100 mph or faster | $500 |
Lower-income drivers can get the fine cut in half (household income under 250% of the federal poverty level). Drivers who qualify as indigent can get an 80% reduction or do community service instead.
Do speed camera tickets add points?
No. These are civil penalties, like a parking ticket. They do not put a point on your DMV driving record. Because there is no point, traffic school does not apply to these tickets. More on that here.
Where are the cameras?
There are 33 locations, two cameras at each. Every one of the city's 10 Council districts gets at least one site. The city chose streets with a history of speeding crashes, red-light running, and failures to yield to pedestrians and bicyclists, with extra weight near schools, parks, hospitals and senior centers.
The exact sites are on the city's official map. Check it, since the list can change as installation finishes: City of San José Speed Safety Cameras Pilot Program.
How the cameras work
- They photograph the rear license plate only. The mayor's office says there is no facial recognition and no image of the people inside.
- The ticket goes to the registered owner by mail.
- Footage is deleted within 5 days if no violation is issued, and within 60 days if one is.
- The city contracts with Verra Mobility to run the equipment and process citations, the same company used by San Francisco and Oakland.
- Ticket revenue first pays for the program. Any surplus can only go to traffic safety improvements.
Do they actually slow people down?
Early numbers from the other Bay Area cities say yes. San Francisco reported that the share of drivers going more than 10 mph over the limit fell by nearly 84% at camera sites after 18 months, and most cited vehicles never got a second ticket. Oakland reported a 70% drop at its sites in the first six months.
Red-light cameras are different
San José also runs four red-light cameras under a separate program. Those tickets work like a regular moving violation: they carry a point on your record and much higher fines. See how the two compare.
Brushing up on the rules of the road?
Economic Driving School has taught San Jose drivers since 1978.