How many days does it take to receive a text message after running a red light?
4 Answers
After running a red light, the text message for the violation captured by cameras usually arrives within 3 to 7 days, and at the latest, around 13 days. However, some cities now offer "instant electronic police capture notifications," where you can receive a text message notification within 5-10 minutes of being captured. But this notification does not equate to a violation; it merely serves as a capture alert. The final determination of whether it is a violation takes 3-7 days. If it is indeed a violation, you will receive another text message notification. For violations captured by surveillance cameras, vehicle owners generally do not receive the violation text message immediately. There is a delay, and the duration of this delay can vary. After the electronic camera captures the 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 personnel for verification. Once confirmed as a violation, the system automatically retrieves the corresponding vehicle owner's mobile phone number based on the license plate information and sends the violation details via text message to the owner. After receiving the violation text message, the vehicle owner must go to the traffic police department at the location of the violation to handle the matter 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 text message is received after 15 days, it is likely that no violation was recorded. Traffic Violation Query Methods: Traffic violation query refers to checking a motor vehicle's violations of traffic management regulations through online platforms or query terminals. Methods for querying vehicle violations include website queries, phone queries, text message queries, and mobile app queries. Website Query: You can search for "vehicle violation query" and enter the vehicle information to check. Phone Query: To inquire about violations, you can call the local 114 (area code + 114) or 12580 for confirmation. Violations can only be processed at the traffic police department where the violation occurred or where the vehicle's license plate was issued. For on-the-spot violations, such as those caught directly by a traffic officer, they must be handled at the location of the violation. Text Message Query: Open the text message interface on your phone; enter "WZ license plate number plate color" in the message content; input 1062650001 as the recipient and click send. Mobile App Query: Open the "Traffic Management 12123" app, select "Violation Query," and clear any unresolved violations.
Last time my cousin ran a red light and was in a panic, but he didn't receive the notification text until the 5th day. It varies by location—in cities like Shenzhen with extensive electronic surveillance, you'll usually get it within 3 days, but smaller cities with slower processing systems can take 7 to 10 days. The key factor is the system review process: photos of the license plate need manual verification by backend staff, and holidays can cause longer delays. If you haven’t heard anything after two weeks, I’d recommend checking the 'Traffic Management 12123' app yourself. Once, the system missed sending me a notification, but the violation was already logged in the app. Also, don’t rely too much on the SMS notification timeline—regulations require violations to be entered into the system within 13 days, but the actual notification time is unpredictable.
The longest I've experienced was 12 days before receiving the notification. This time span mainly depends on three factors: whether the electronic monitoring devices are connected in real-time to transmit data, the speed of backend review by traffic authorities, and whether the SMS push channel is unobstructed. In large cities during peak hours, the high volume of captures means servers can take two to three days just to process the queue. Experienced drivers know: if there's no news within 10 days, it's generally safe, but don't be surprised if a notice suddenly arrives on the 15th day—the legal limit for information entry into the system is actually 13 working days. It's advisable to develop a habit of checking the traffic management app once a week, which is much more reliable than waiting for an SMS.
I discussed this with a traffic police friend, and their handling process is actually quite rigorous. After the camera captures the violation, license plate recognition is completed within 72 hours, and then the data is sent to the manual review team to determine whether it constitutes a violation. Reviewers examine thousands of images daily, and delays can occur if there's a backlog. Subsequently, the information is matched with the vehicle management office to obtain the owner's contact details before finally triggering the SMS notification platform. The entire process can take as little as 3 days, but during system maintenance, it might extend up to 10 days. Last week, my neighbor thought they had gotten away with it when they received the SMS on the 8th day, but points were still deducted. If you can't wait, you can check at the service window—just bring your vehicle registration certificate to access the records on the spot.
