How Long Does It Take to Receive a Red Light Violation Notice?
2 Answers
After running a red light, the violation notification SMS is usually received within 3 to 7 days, with a maximum delay of around 13 days. However, some cities now offer "instant electronic police capture alerts," where you can receive an SMS notification within 5-10 minutes of being captured. Note that this notification does not confirm the violation; it merely serves as a capture alert. The final determination of whether a violation occurred takes 3-7 days, and if confirmed, a follow-up SMS will be sent. For traffic violations captured by surveillance cameras, vehicle owners typically do not receive the violation SMS immediately. There is a delay, which can vary in length. After the electronic camera captures the violation, the relevant information must be transmitted through a dedicated channel to the traffic police management center. It is then compiled and forwarded to the relevant traffic police personnel for verification. Once confirmed as a violation, the system automatically retrieves the vehicle owner's phone number based on the license plate information and sends the violation details via SMS. After receiving the violation SMS, the vehicle owner must address the violation at the local traffic police department within one month before the vehicle's annual inspection. Generally, if a vehicle owner suspects a violation, they can use 15 days as a benchmark. If no violation SMS is received within 15 days, it is likely that no violation was recorded. Traffic Violation Query Methods: Traffic violation queries refer to checking motor vehicle violations of traffic regulations through online platforms or query terminals. There are five main methods: traffic branch terminal queries, vehicle violation website queries, phone queries, SMS queries, and mobile app queries. Website Query: Search for "vehicle violation query" and enter your vehicle details to check. Phone Query: Call the local 114 (area code + 114) or 12580 to confirm traffic violations. Violations can only be processed at the location where they occurred or where the vehicle is registered. For on-the-spot violations (e.g., those caught directly by a traffic officer), they must be handled at the violation site. SMS Query: Open your phone's SMS interface, compose a message with "WZ [license plate number] [license plate color]," and send it to 1062650001. Mobile App Query: Open the "Traffic Management 12123" app, select "Violation Query," and resolve any outstanding violations.
I've been driving for over a decade, and while I haven't been caught running red lights often, each notification usually arrives in about a week—sometimes as quickly as three to five days, but it can take up to half a month if slower. There's always some delay in the city's traffic management system processing the data. After the cameras take photos, they're sent to the backend for license plate recognition before the ticket is mailed home. It can be even slower during peak hours, so I recommend setting a phone reminder to check your mail or the official app. Last time, I missed the appeal deadline simply because I neglected to check my mailbox, and ended up paying extra late fees—a hard lesson learned. Pay more attention to traffic lights while driving; don't rush to save a few seconds. It's safer, less stressful, and avoids all the hassle afterward.
