Can I still view photos of processed traffic violations?

[CamilaFitz]

Photos of processed traffic violations cannot be viewed. Traffic violations have the following four characteristics: 1. Harmful nature: Traffic violations are harmful to the interests of society, the state, and citizens; 2. Illegal nature: Violating the "Road Traffic Safety Law" constitutes an illegal act. The "Road Traffic Safety Law" is an administrative regulation formulated by state authorities or administrative agencies for managing road traffic. Violating it constitutes an illegal act; 3. Minor nature of the act: Minor violations do not constitute a crime. According to Chinese law, traffic violations are minor violations that do not constitute a crime and do not require criminal penalties; 4. Punishable nature: Traffic violations are acts that should be punished. The punishment must be imposed by a state authority authorized by law, and the type of punishment can only be administrative penalties.

[DiStephanie]

Last time I dealt with a traffic violation, I was also puzzled by this issue. After checking, I found it depends on the situation: If you handle it through the Traffic Management 12123 APP, you can open the record in the 'Violation Processing' section and see the three snapshots taken at the time, which are retained long-term. If you handle it on-site, the window staff usually shows you paper photos for confirmation, but these records become unavailable in the system after processing. I recommend taking photos with your phone as evidence before handling it. Some road sections are prone to misjudgment—my friend once encountered a case where they were wrongly fined for driving in a bus lane during restricted hours. Keeping evidence makes it easier to appeal later.

[DeIan]

The solution depends on your approach: The most convenient way to preserve photos is through the APP, where you can always review them in the 12123 violation records. When handling it offline at the DMV, the officer will show you the surveillance screenshots, but they become hard to find once archived. Important reminder for everyone! Don’t rush to click the ‘Process’ button—first, open the violation record screenshot and save it to your phone’s album. Last time I was caught speeding on the highway, I realized the system misjudged the license plate of the car ahead. Without the original photo, filing an appeal was a hassle. After system updates in various regions, some cities now also support checking photos via SMS links.

[McSteven]

You can check right after processing, but it's uncertain after a long time. The 'Electronic Eye Violation' function in the 12123 APP usually stores data for about 6 months. Last week, I could still access photos of an illegal parking incident from three months ago. But be careful! After paying the fine, the 'View Evidence' button will turn gray. If you were mistakenly photographed for lane-changing or crossing the line, it's recommended to take two steps: first, record the operation screen and save screenshots, then immediately call 12345 and transfer to the Traffic Police Complaint Department. Many cities like Shenzhen now also support checking photos through official public accounts, but in some small cities in the southwest region, you can only check at the service window.

[DanielDella]

Personal experience tells you the secret: Take screenshots before handling! Take screenshots before handling! Take screenshots before handling! Important things must be said three times. When handling violations through 12123, be sure to open the violation details page, zoom in on the captured photos with your fingers, and then take screenshots to save. When I was handling a violation in Hangzhou, the staff said that retrieving photos after system archiving requires application and approval, which takes two weeks. Nowadays, many cities are implementing 'cloud evidence databases,' but the golden period for individuals to verify is only 7-30 days. By the way, here’s a little-known fact: Truck drivers checking violations need to pay special attention, as some overload photos require third-party weighing data as evidence.

[EvaAnn]

There are three scenarios to consider: Firstly, the APP processes photos that remain visible permanently; Secondly, during on-site processing, officers will show you the photos on the terminal device, but the data will be archived into the internal network after processing; Thirdly, for violations not processed within 6 months, the system may automatically compress storage space, potentially losing the original images. Our car enthusiast group tested this—within 15 days after processing, you can still apply for file retrieval at the enforcement station. A special reminder for new energy vehicle owners: For violations involving illegal parking in charging spots, it's advisable to keep screenshots of charging records as supplementary evidence. In Shenzhen, there was a successful case where a car owner had their ticket revoked based on charging pile records.