Does the form work in California?
California red-light camera tickets let the registered owner file an affidavit that someone else was driving — but you generally must name the actual driver, and liability transfers to that person. Red-light camera tickets are civil with no DMV points. (California speed cameras exist only in a six-city pilot under AB 645.)
Statute: Cal. Veh. Code § 40520. Active camera programs include Los Angeles, San Francisco, San Jose, Oakland. Last verified June 2026. Confirm with your court before filing.
How to file in California
Three steps. Then one thing you should not do.
Make sure it’s true
Someone other than you genuinely had the car. The form is sworn.
File before the deadline
Submit by sworn affidavit returned to the court, within about 30 days of the notice (check your court’s date).
Let the court decide
They cancel it or set a hearing. Civil either way — no points.
California camera tickets: FAQ
If someone else was driving, can I get out of a camera ticket in California?
Yes. California lets the registered owner file an Affidavit of Non-Liability (Cal. Veh. Code § 40520) stating you weren’t the driver, naming the person who actually had the vehicle. A valid one can cancel the ticket. It must be true — it’s sworn under penalty of perjury.
How do I fight a traffic camera ticket in California?
If someone else was driving, file an Affidavit of Non-Liability (Cal. Veh. Code § 40520) — follow the steps above. If it was you, request a hearing to contest the citation itself. Either way these are civil tickets, so no license points.
What is the Affidavit of Non-Liability in California?
It’s a sworn statement to the court that the vehicle was in someone else’s control at the time of the camera infraction. File it by sworn affidavit returned to the court, within about 30 days of the notice (check your court’s date).
Do camera tickets in California put points on my license?
No. Automated red-light and speed camera citations in California are civil — they don’t add points to your driving record. Don’t pay the fine before filing, though — paying usually withdraws your right to declare.
Do I have to name who was driving in California?
Yes — California’s process requires you to identify the actual driver for liability to transfer to them. (Some states, like Washington and Oregon, don’t require this; California does.)
One rule: it has to be true.
This is a statement under penalty of perjury. If someone else really was driving, use it without hesitation. If you were the one driving, filing anyway is a crime far more serious than the ticket — just pay it or request a hearing.
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