Georgia Camera Ticket Laws: School Zone Speed Cameras (HB 651)

Georgia's school-zone speed camera program is governed by a 2026 law, HB 651, not by an earlier bill that would have eliminated it. That earlier bill, HB 225, passed the Georgia House in 2025 but died when the session ended without Senate action, so it never became law. What is actually in force is a civil penalty system for school-zone speeding, plus a red light camera program that runs separately under local option.

HB 225 Died. HB 651 Is the Law.

A lot of Georgia camera-ticket content online is built around HB 225, a bill sponsored by Rep. Dale Washburn of Macon that would have eliminated school-zone speed cameras statewide. HB 225 passed the Georgia House 129-37 in 2025, and some trackers describe it as taking effect on a specific date. It did not, but the reason is more specific than simple Senate inaction: the Senate did act, passing its own amended committee substitute 46-9 on April 4, 2025, the same day the General Assembly adjourned sine die. That substitute materially rewrote the bill, replacing the House's immediate-repeal approach with a phase-out of cameras by July 1, 2028 and a July 1, 2027 cutoff on new contracts. The House never took up and agreed to the Senate's rewritten version before the session ended that night, so the two chambers never reconciled their different bills, and under Georgia's legislative process a bill that does not clear both chambers in the same form and get signed simply dies. HB 225, in either version, never became law and was never in effect.

What Georgia actually enacted in 2026 is HB 651, a reform bill rather than a ban. It tightens oversight, standardizes notice requirements, eliminates late fees, and adds a new voter-referendum requirement for future camera contracts. Section 14 of the signed act splits its effective dates: the operational overhaul took effect July 1, 2026, and the flashing-warning-sign requirement plus the new referendum rule take effect July 1, 2027.

How the School-Zone Speed Camera Penalty Works

Georgia's school-zone speed camera law, OCGA 40-14-18, applies only to vehicles traveling more than 10 mph over the posted school-zone limit, only during school-day instructional hours plus one hour on either side, and only where the Department of Public Safety has issued a permit for the location. As amended by HB 651, the civil monetary penalty is $75 for a first violation and $125 for a second or later violation, plus an electronic-processing fee capped at $10 (HB 651 cut this cap from $25).

The statute is explicit that this is not a criminal matter: «A violation for which a civil warning or a civil monetary penalty is imposed pursuant to this Code section shall not be considered a moving traffic violation for the purpose of points assessment... Such violation shall be deemed noncriminal, and imposition of a civil warning or civil monetary penalty... shall not be deemed a conviction and shall not be made a part of the operating record of the person upon whom such liability is imposed, nor shall it be used for any insurance purposes.»

Red Light Cameras in Georgia

Separately from the school-zone speed program, Georgia allows local governments to operate red light cameras under a permit from the Georgia Department of Transportation, pursuant to OCGA 40-6-20(f) and 40-14-20 through 40-14-26. The penalty comes straight from the state code, not from local policy: OCGA 40-6-20(f)(3)(A) makes the driver «liable for a civil monetary penalty of not more than $70.00» for running a circular red or red arrow signal as recorded by a camera. That $70 is a statutory ceiling rather than a fixed statewide fine, so a Georgia city may lawfully charge less, and the citation you receive must state the amount actually imposed.

The permitting mechanics are in OCGA 40-14-21. A city or county must obtain an operating permit from the Department of Transportation before using any traffic-control signal monitoring device, and it may not use the devices unless its chief law enforcement officer wants them and the governing authority approves them by a properly adopted resolution. A public hearing has to come before the local government signs any contract to use or buy the devices. The Department of Transportation writes the application rules, requires demonstrable evidence of a genuine safety need at each named intersection, and may deny an application or suspend or revoke a permit. Local ordinances still control which intersections a given city enforces, so check your own city's program page for those specifics.

What Happens If You Don't Pay

HB 651 made two changes to Georgia's nonpayment process that cut in opposite directions. On one hand, it bans late fees outright: «No late fee shall be imposed for any unpaid civil monetary penalty imposed under this Code section.» On the other hand, it keeps a real escalation path. After the initial notice, an unpaid penalty triggers a second notice with a new 30-day return date; missing that deadline forfeits your right to contest. A final notice follows, and no sooner than 30 days after that, the matter can be referred to the Georgia Department of Revenue. DOR is then authorized to refuse to renew your vehicle's registration until the penalty is paid. This is a registration hold, not a license suspension or a criminal matter. HB 651 also newly empowers district attorneys and solicitors-general to enforce these civil penalties.

The 2027 Referendum Requirement

The most significant long-term change in HB 651 is a new voter-approval requirement, codified at OCGA 40-14-19, that takes effect July 1, 2027. After that date, no city or county may enter into or renew a school-zone camera enforcement contract without first putting the question to voters: «Shall (name of county or municipality) be authorized to use automated cameras to enforce speeding in school zones for the next six years?» Existing contracts are not automatically canceled, but as they come up for renewal after mid-2027, jurisdictions that skip a referendum will lose their authority to keep running cameras. This means the number of active school-zone camera programs in Georgia could shrink over the next several years, even though the underlying law is not a ban.

Owner Liability and Defenses

Georgia's school-zone camera law holds the vehicle owner responsible for the penalty, with statutory defenses that include a certified police report or notarized statement showing the vehicle was stolen before the violation occurred.

Out of Scope: School Bus Stop-Arm Cameras

Georgia's school-zone speed program is a different legal track from cameras mounted on school buses that cite drivers for illegally passing a stopped bus. If your ticket came from a bus-mounted camera rather than a fixed school-zone speed camera, different rules and a different statute apply.

Information last verified on 2026-08-12. This article has not yet been reviewed by a licensed lawyer.

Related Resources

• Traffic Camera Ticket Laws by State
• Do You Have to Pay a Camera Ticket?
• How to Fight a Camera Ticket
• Georgia School-Zone Speed Cameras: What HB 651 Changed
• Automated License Plate Reader Laws

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Last updated: 2026-08-12.

More Georgia Laws

• Georgia Car Accident Laws
• Georgia Dashcam Laws
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Frequently Asked Questions

Did Georgia ban school-zone speed cameras with HB 225?

No. HB 225 passed the Georgia House 129-37 in 2025, and the Senate passed its own rewritten substitute 46-9 on the last night of the session, but the House never took up the Senate's changes before adjournment, so it died without becoming law. The law actually governing Georgia's school-zone cameras is HB 651, signed in 2026, which reforms the program rather than eliminating it.

Do Georgia school-zone camera tickets carry points or affect my insurance?

No. OCGA 40-14-18, as amended by HB 651, states the violation is noncriminal, is not a conviction, does not go on your driving record, and cannot be used for insurance purposes.

How much is a Georgia school-zone speed camera ticket?

$75 for a first violation and $125 for a second or later violation, plus a processing fee capped at $10 under HB 651. The camera only triggers for speeds more than 10 mph over the posted school-zone limit.

What happens if I don't pay a Georgia camera ticket?

HB 651 bans late fees, but nonpayment still escalates: a second notice, then a final notice, then referral to the Georgia Department of Revenue, which can refuse to renew your vehicle registration until the penalty is paid.

Will Georgia cities need voter approval to keep using speed cameras?

Starting July 1, 2027, yes. OCGA 40-14-19 bars any new or renewed school-zone camera contract without a voter referendum authorizing it for a six-year term. Some programs may lapse as existing contracts expire without a referendum.

Are red light cameras legal in Georgia?

Yes, under local option. OCGA 40-14-21 requires the city or county to obtain an operating permit from the Georgia Department of Transportation, approve the devices by resolution, and hold a public hearing before contracting for them. OCGA 40-6-20(f)(3)(A) sets the civil penalty at not more than $70.00 per violation, which is a maximum rather than a set statewide fine, so your city may charge less than $70.