What happens if you don’t pay a red light camera ticket in Ottawa?

Getting a surprise piece of mail from the City of Ottawa showing your vehicle running a red light is frustrating 📬. With automated cameras installed at numerous busy intersections across Ottawa, thousands of vehicle owners receive these tickets every year. Because life gets busy, it is common for people to toss the ticket in a drawer and forget about it. However, the municipal and provincial governments have automated systems in place to ensure these fines are eventually collected.

It is important to understand how automated enforcement works in Ontario. Unlike a traffic ticket handed to you by an Ottawa Police officer, a red light camera ticket is issued to the registered owner of the vehicle, not necessarily the person who was driving. Because the camera cannot prove who was behind the wheel, the penalty is strictly financial. There are no demerit points, and it generally does not affect your auto insurance rates. We always suggest connecting with a local traffic ticket paralegal from our directory if you want to dispute the ticket, but simply ignoring it is the worst option.

Step-by-Step Process in Ottawa, Ontario

If you fail to pay the ticket within the initial deadline, the system automatically triggers a series of escalating administrative actions 📋. Here is exactly what happens when a ticket goes unpaid in Ottawa.

Step 1: The 15-Day Decision Window

When the ticket arrives, you have 15 days to act. Unlike municipal parking tickets, which transitioned to Ottawa’s Administrative Penalty System (APS) in June 2025, red light camera tickets in Ottawa are still resolved through the traditional provincial court system. To dispute the ticket, you must choose to go to court by requesting a trial (Option 3 – Trial Option) or request a fine reduction or extension of time to pay (Option 2 – Plea of Guilty with Submissions). If you take no action, you will be deemed not to dispute the charge, and a Justice of the Peace will convict you in your absence.

Step 2: Trial Option or Plead Guilty with Submissions

If you choose to fight the ticket, you must submit a trial request within the 15-day limit to have your case heard under the Provincial Offences Act (POA) at the local court office (located at 100 Constellation Drive in Nepean). At trial, a Justice of the Peace will hear evidence from the prosecution, which relies on the certified camera photographs to prove the infraction. Alternatively, if you do not wish to request a trial but want to plead guilty with submissions as to the penalty, you can apply for a fine reduction or an extension of time to pay. Although Ottawa has planned a future Cameras APS program, the classic POA court process remains the active system for red light camera tickets.

Step 3: Plate Renewal Interruption

Once your penalty is in default, the City of Ottawa notifies the Ministry of Transportation (MTO), which places a “plate denial” on your file. Under the province’s Automatic Licence Plate Renewal system introduced on July 1, 2024, passenger vehicle plates are normally renewed automatically 90 days before expiration. However, any outstanding fine or default penalty on your record will immediately block this automatic renewal. The system will trigger an error, forcing you to manually pay off the debt before your plate registration can be updated, effectively grounding your vehicle if left unpaid.

Step 4: Paying the Defaulted Fine

To resolve the plate denial, you must pay the outstanding balance, including all accrued municipal late fees, in full. While you can sometimes clear this during a manual registration at ServiceOntario, the fastest method is paying online directly through the City of Ottawa’s payment portal. Once paid, the plate denial restriction is cleared, allowing your vehicle registration to be successfully completed.

How Much Does it Cost in Ottawa?

Ignoring the ticket makes an already expensive fine even worse. Here is a breakdown of the costs you can expect as of March 2026:

• Original Fine: The standard fine for a red light camera ticket in Ontario is $325 CAD. This includes a set fine of $260, a $60 victim surcharge, and $5 in court costs.
• Late Fees: Once the ticket goes into default, the court typically adds a $20 to $40 CAD administrative late fee.
• Collection Agency Fees: If the ticket remains unpaid for a very long time, the City of Ottawa may send it to a private collection agency, which can result in further collection fees and potentially impact your credit score.

How Long Does the Process Take?

You have 15 days to respond to the initial ticket by paying or requesting a trial. If ignored, the default penalty is usually entered within 45 to 60 days. The plate denial will remain on your Ministry of Transportation file indefinitely until the outstanding amount is paid. Once you clear the debt online or at a ServiceOntario location, the plate denial is usually lifted immediately, allowing you to complete your registration ⌛.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

Author: lawyerinfo.ca