Speed safety cameras are back on Phoenix roadways, and they are issuing citations at a steady clip. The city ran a 30-day warning period starting February 23, 2026, then began formal enforcement on March 25.
Between March 25 and the end of May, the cameras recorded roughly 132,000 speeding events, and the city mailed more than 17,000 traffic citations along with thousands of additional legal notices.
We handle traffic and vehicular matters across the Valley, and Phoenix drivers keep asking us the same handful of questions about how the program works and what a notice in the mailbox requires.
How Phoenix Speed Cameras Work
The Photo Safety Program uses 17 speed-monitoring cameras operated by a private vendor, Verra Mobility, as part of the city's Vision Zero plan to reduce fatal and serious-injury crashes.
- Nine cameras rotate through corridors with histories of speed-related crashes and stay in place for roughly six months.
- Eight more rotate weekly through 15 mph school zones during the school year, then shift to other locations over the summer.
The corridor cameras sit mid-block rather than at intersections, so they monitor speeding rather than red-light running.
The trigger thresholds are worth knowing. On regular corridors, the system flags vehicles going 11 mph or more over the posted limit. In school zones, it triggers at 5 mph over the 15 mph limit. Every recorded event is reviewed by Phoenix Police before a citation is issued, and the city says no citation goes out for driving at or below the posted speed.
Where Are Phoenix Speed Cameras Located?
The city maintains a live map of active camera locations. Because the devices are mobile and may be relocated based on road safety needs, the city's current map is the most reliable source.
As of the city's June 5, 2026 update, active locations include:
- Thunderbird Road: 35th Avenue to Interstate 17
- 32nd Street: Greenway Parkway to Bell Road
- Thunderbird Road: Interstate 17 to 19th Avenue
- 7th Street: Thomas Road to Indian School Road
- Indian School Road: 83rd Avenue to 75th Avenue
- Camelback Road: 24th Street to 32nd Street
- 51st Avenue: Van Buren Street to Interstate 10
- Baseline Road: 16th Street to 24th Street
- Bell Road: Interstate 17 to 19th Avenue
- 7th Avenue: Indian School Road to Camelback Road
- Missouri Avenue: 99th Avenue to 101st Avenue
- Chandler Boulevard: Desert Foothills Parkway to 6th Street
- Thunderbird Road: 7th Street to Cave Creek Road
- 19th Avenue: Peoria Avenue to Cactus Road
These locations are subject to change. During the school year, additional cameras rotate weekly through 15 mph school zones.
What If a Camera Flashes When You Weren't Speeding?
A visible flash does not necessarily mean the camera recorded a violation. The city says drivers often see a break in reflected light as their vehicle passes a camera, which can look like a flash. Any recorded event is reviewed by Phoenix Police before a citation is issued, and police will not cite a driver for traveling at or below the posted limit.
How You Will Be Notified
Phoenix sends photo-safety communications by mail, through the Phoenix Municipal Court. The city has stated it will not contact drivers about these citations by email, text message, or phone call. Any message that arrives by text or email claiming to be a Phoenix speed camera ticket and asking for payment or personal information is a scam.
Is a Phoenix Speed Camera Ticket Enforceable?
This is where reading your paperwork closely matters most. Arizona treats a mailed photo notice differently from a formally served court complaint, and the distinction affects your options.
Under A.R.S. § 28-1602, a Notice of Violation generated by a photo enforcement system is not a court-issued document. The statute requires the notice to say so, and to state that the recipient is under no obligation to identify the driver or respond. Failing to respond can lead to formal service and an added service fee, but the mailed notice by itself does not obligate you to act.
A uniform traffic ticket and complaint is a different document. Under A.R.S. § 28-1593, that complaint generally has to be personally served, usually by a process server delivering it to you or to another adult at your home. Arizona also allows alternative service in defined circumstances, including certified mail paired with regular mail and a notice posted at the residence.
How you respond can matter as much as whether you respond. Depending on the document and whether service has already occurred, a reply can carry consequences you did not intend; signing for a certified letter, for instance, can be treated as accepting service. Still, none of this is a reason to ignore court mail based on advice you read online. Whether you received a preliminary Notice of Violation, a formal complaint, or properly served paperwork changes the deadlines and the right response. Before you return any forms or make a statement about who was driving, read what you received, note any deadline, and get specific guidance.
What If the Registered Owner Wasn't Driving?
The camera photographs the vehicle and its plate, and paperwork may be sent to the registered owner. That person is not always the driver, especially when families share vehicles or a company owns the car. Phoenix Police review driver images before citations are issued. If you were not behind the wheel, driver identification may be an important issue when deciding how to respond.
Your Options If You're Cited
Once you have been properly served, ignoring the matter is no longer safe. Most drivers have a few paths:
- Pay the fine. The amount depends on the citation and the alleged violation. Paying resolves the matter but generally functions as an admission, and a civil speed conviction can add points to your Arizona driving record and affect your insurance.
- Request a hearing and contest it. You can challenge the citation in court, where driver identification, posted signage, device calibration, and proper service can all come into play.
- Ask about defensive driving school. For eligible civil violations, Arizona drivers can sometimes complete a defensive driving course to keep a conviction off their record. Eligibility depends on your driving history and the violation.
Speak With a Traffic Violation Attorney
A speed camera notice can look straightforward, but the right response depends on the specific document you received and the facts of your case.
At MayesTelles PLLC, our award-winning attorneys represent drivers facing traffic violations throughout Phoenix and Arizona, including speeding allegations, reckless driving, aggressive driving, red-light violations, driving on a suspended license, DUI charges, and serious vehicular offenses.
If you have questions about a citation or another vehicular offense, call (602) 428-7104 or contact us onlinefor a FREE consultation.