In an effort to crack down on excessive speeds at some of Minnesota’s more dangerous intersections, lawmakers have installed cameras at five intersections across Minneapolis to track and monitor speeds. These radar-equipped cameras can capture vehicle speed and identify the vehicle owner based on license plate information, allowing them to automatically issue citations to individuals who drive too speedily in these areas. If you’ve been caught by one of these cameras, you’ll want to keep reading this blog to learn more about your legal options.
Speeding Camera Tickets In Minnesota
Although it may seem unfair to be ticketed by a machine, the state is pretty liberal about how it hands out tickets to offenders. For starters, you are only at risk of being cited if you are caught traveling more than 10 miles an hour over the posted speed limit by one of these cameras. If this happens, you’ll receive a notice in the mail that effectively acts as a written warning. There will be no fines for first offenses, just warnings, unless your first offense involves traveling at speeds more than 20 miles over the posted speed limit.
If you are again caught speeding more than 10 miles over the posted speed limit by one of these cameras, you’ll earn a first offense citation. The financial penalty for a first offense violation is $40, but you can get this fine dropped by completing a free traffic safety course. Any subsequent violations will also involve a $40 fine, but you will not be able to have these fines dismissed by completing a traffic safety course. If a camera catches you driving more than 20 miles per hour over the posted speed limit, you will be issued an $80 citation.
Currently, there are five cameras in operation, but the city seems intent on adding up to 11 more cameras in the near future. The cameras are currently located at “high-risk” intersections near:
- Third Street North near First Avenue
- Fremont Avenue North near West Broadway Avenue
- 18th Avenue Northeast near Central Avenue Northeast
- Chicago Avenue near Franklin Avenue East
- Nicolet Avenue near 46th Street West
The cameras seem to be working to deter speeding in these areas. Officials say speeding has declined at all five intersections, and the average number of citations issued each day dropped from 73.1 to 24 in a three-month span. The cameras generated more than $22,000 in paid fines in the final two months of 2025, which the city says will go towards traffic safety efforts.
Contesting A Traffic Camera Speeding Ticket
Given the cost of a citation and the factors that must be present for you to be cited, in most instances it’s probably not worth contesting the ticket in court. We do recommend taking the free driver’s safety course to avoid having to pay for a first-offense citation, but in most normal cases where you can’t pursue the course, it’s probably easiest to just pay the fine and watch your speed in the future. Barring a specific circumstance like the ones we’ll list below, you’d be fighting a very tough battle over a nominal fine if you decided to contest the citation. Exceptions to consider contesting a traffic camera speeding ticket in Minnesota include:
- The vehicle was stolen at the time of the violation
- You are leasing the vehicle to someone else who was driving at the time of the violation
- The car had been sold or transferred to another party at the time of the violation
- You were not driving the vehicle at the time, and you provide a sworn statement confirming this assertion
- There was a verifiable medical emergency at the time of the violation
- The vehicle is an authorized emergency vehicle and was performing official duties at the time of the violation
If any of those factors are present, reach out to Avery and the team at Appelman Law Firm, and we’ll guide you through the process of appealing the citation. We can also provide guidance for standard traffic citations and arrests that involve police in and around the greater Twin Cities area.
For more information, or for a free case review, connect with the team at Appelman Law Firm today at (952) 224-2277.
