How long does it take to receive a traffic violation SMS notification for running a red light?
4 Answers
After running a red light, the illegal photo notification SMS is usually received within 3 to 7 days, with the latest being 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. However, this notification does not equate to a violation; it serves only as a capture alert. The final determination of whether it is a violation takes 3-7 days. If it is confirmed as a violation, you will receive another SMS notification. For violations captured by surveillance cameras, vehicle owners generally do not receive an SMS notification immediately. There is a time delay, and the duration may vary. This is because after an electronic camera captures a violation, the relevant violation information needs to be transmitted through a dedicated channel to the traffic police management center. It is then compiled and forwarded to the relevant traffic police staff for verification. Once the violation is confirmed, the system automatically retrieves the vehicle owner's phone number based on the license plate information and sends the violation details via SMS. Only then does the owner receive the corresponding violation notification. After receiving the violation SMS, the vehicle owner must go to the traffic police department where the violation occurred for processing within one month before the annual vehicle 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. Methods for querying traffic violations: Traffic violation queries refer to checking motor vehicle violations of traffic regulations through online platforms or query terminals. There are five methods for vehicle violation queries: terminal queries at traffic police branches, website queries, phone queries, SMS queries, and mobile app queries. Traffic police branch query: Visit the traffic police branch office and use a self-service terminal to enter your ID number for a query. Website query: Search for "vehicle violation query" and enter your vehicle information to check. Phone query: Dial 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's license plate was issued. For on-the-spot violations, such as those directly caught by traffic police, they must be handled at the violation location. SMS query: Open your phone's SMS interface, enter "WZ [license plate number] [license plate color]" in the message body, and send it to 1062650001. Mobile app query: Open the "Traffic Management 12123" app, click "More," select "Violation Query," and clear any unresolved violations.
I've been driving for over a decade and encountered this situation several times. Usually, you'll receive a text message about running a red light within 3-7 days. The longest I've waited was half a month. It depends on how quickly the electronic surveillance data is transmitted to the traffic police department. Urban areas are generally faster, while out-of-town highway sections are slower. Processing speeds slow down during holidays, especially during peak periods like Spring Festival and National Day. By the way, the traffic management system was recently upgraded. A friend of mine said he received a violation notification within just five minutes the other day. Not receiving a text message might be due to an outdated phone number. Make sure to verify the contact information in the 12123 APP. If you don't receive the notice, it could cause trouble during your annual vehicle inspection. The late payment fines will keep accumulating, and failing to handle it within 15 days could even affect your credit score.
Last time I was in a hurry and ran a red light, so I started checking for traffic violations the same day. The notification SMS didn't ding until the morning of the fifth day. Nowadays, electronic police systems use cloud processing - after capturing the violation, manual review is required to ensure it's not a false capture, which takes at least two days. Efficiency varies significantly between cities: first-tier cities usually send notifications within three days, while smaller cities may take up to ten days. If your phone has weak signal or has spam filtering enabled, the SMS might get blocked - it's best to install the Traffic Management 12123 app for real-time push notifications. If there's still no update after two weeks, it's more reliable to directly check at the traffic police station counter, where you can get the ticket printed and handled on the spot.
Based on my experience, it typically takes three to seven days to receive the text message for running a red light. After the automatic capture system uploads the data, the backend first verifies whether the license plate belongs to a cloned vehicle and confirms that the driver's face matches the driver's license. Violations that occur on non-working days will be delayed, for example, running a red light on Friday night might not be processed until the following Wednesday. It's recommended to link your vehicle to the traffic management app, as it provides faster and more reliable notifications than text messages. If you haven't received any notification after ten days, it's likely that the violation wasn't captured, but it's best not to take chances and proactively check. The fine is usually 200 yuan with a 6-point deduction, and late payment won't increase the fine but may affect the driver's license point reset cycle.
