Tampa Red-Light Cameras Generate $12M in Revenue
Police report to City Council shows the program's fiscal-year income and how the money was divided among the city, state and vendor.
Updated on Nov. 2, 2026 in Law Enforcement
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Tampa's red-light camera program generated more than $12 million last fiscal year, according to a police report headed to City Council on Thursday. The city's $4.8 million share was split between its general fund and intersection safety improvements.
Why it matters
The figures show how automated enforcement revenue flows to local government, the state and a private camera vendor, raising questions about how such programs are funded and evaluated. Tampa has not conducted an independent analysis of the program, leaving its safety effects unmeasured in the report.
The city's program continues through June 30, the end of the current fiscal year, and the police report states that 483 violation notices were formally contested, with about 23% of contested notices with a final decision dismissed. Footage from the cameras has also been used to investigate crashes and crimes unrelated to traffic violations.
The players
Verra Mobility
Verra Mobility is a company that supplies automated traffic enforcement camera systems to municipalities and received $2.1 million in revenue from Tampa's red-light camera program.
The details
Of the roughly 92,000 red-light violation notices Tampa issued, nearly 56,000 were paid and about 27,000 resulted in uniform traffic citations. The state received nearly $5.2 million in camera revenue, and camera vendor Verra Mobility received $2.1 million.
Timeline
Last fiscal year: red-light cameras generated more than $12 million in revenue.
Thursday: the police report is headed to City Council.
June 30: the current fiscal year ends, and the program is scheduled to continue until then.
Legal Context
Florida requires local governments operating red-light cameras to report revenue annually, and Tampa's disclosure of more than $12 million falls under that state reporting framework. The report describes how the revenue was divided between the city, the state and Verra Mobility.
Drivers who run red lights in Tampa face automated violation notices, and about 56,000 of the roughly 92,000 issued were paid. Only 483 notices were formally contested, so most motorists did not challenge the citations.
The takeaway
Revenue figures alone do not show whether red-light cameras make intersections safer, and the report notes Tampa has not independently evaluated the program. Residents interested in the outcome can watch the City Council discussion of the report.
What happens next
Tampa's red-light camera program is scheduled to continue through June 30, when the current fiscal year ends.
Further reading
Explore more Tampa law enforcement coverage for related reporting on the city's policing programs.
Source note: This article includes information reported by Florida Politics - Campaigns & Elections. Lobbying & Government..
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