Suffolk County red-light camera administrative fee settlement

Who may be eligible

If you paid a $30 administrative fee on a Suffolk County, New York red-light camera violation at any time from April 1, 2013 onwards, you may be eligible for a cash payment of up to $36 for each fee you paid. The county has agreed to pay up to $45,000,000 to class members who file valid claims, with attorneys' fees and the class representative's award paid separately rather than out of that figure. Claims close December 8, 2026, and the fairness hearing is the same day. Filing on the official settlement site is free, and payments shrink proportionally if claims exceed the $45,000,000.

The eligibility period on the official materials is From April 1, 2013. The notice states no state limit, so it is usually nationwide. Covered: Suffolk County red-light camera program.

Only the official administrator or agency decides who is eligible. Read the official notice before filing, and file only if you believe you meet its criteria.

Model and year are a starting point, not a decision. Coverage usually turns on the individual vehicle. Check yours on the official claim page, which is where any VIN lookup lives.

How much it may pay

Up to about $36. Every figure here is an estimate from public materials, not a guarantee: many settlements pay pro rata or only after a claims review, so final amounts commonly land well below the advertised maximum.

The notice says a class member may claim up to $36 for each red-light camera administrative fee they paid from April 1, 2013 onwards, so someone who paid several fees may claim for each one. If total valid claims exceed the $45,000,000 the county has agreed to pay, every payment is cut proportionally. The notice does not describe what the claim form asks you to supply beyond identifying the fees you paid.

The county defendants will pay up to $45,000,000 for cash payments to class members who file valid claims. Settlement administration expenses, attorneys' fees of up to $12,500,000 and a $5,000 award to the class representative are paid separately by the county, on top of that $45,000,000 rather than out of it — so fees do not shrink what claimants share.

What the deadline is

The claim deadline is December 8, 2026.

The deadline to opt out or object is November 9, 2026.

The court's fairness hearing is set for December 8, 2026; payments do not go out until the settlement is finally approved and any appeals are resolved.

The notice says benefits are distributed as soon as possible after the settlement is finally approved and any appeals are resolved. The fairness hearing is set for December 8, 2026.

What proof is needed

See the official notice for proof rules.

The official claim form states exactly what it accepts; gather it before you start.

How to file for free

Open the official claim page on this page, run by Kroll Settlement Administration LLC, read the criteria, and file there if you believe you meet them. Filing is free: official claims never carry a fee, and this site never files on anyone's behalf.

Never give a Social Security number, bank login or card number to a site that is not the official administrator or agency page.

Why this case happened

New York's Vehicle and Traffic Law section 1111-b caps what a driver can be made to pay for a red-light camera violation. The lawsuit claims Suffolk County and its Traffic and Parking Violations Agency charged an unlawful $30 administrative fee on top of the fine for each violation, starting April 1, 2013. The court declared those fees illegal and stopped the county from imposing them, and the Appellate Division addressed the fee cap in a 2024 decision in the same case. The county denies the allegations and denies any wrongdoing.