Chicago camera ticket, but you weren’t driving.
Chicago runs one of the largest automated-enforcement programs in the country — red-light cameras citywide plus automated speed cameras near parks and schools. If someone else had your car, you can rebut the ticket with a sworn affidavit.
Does the form work in Chicago?
Chicago’s cameras are administered by the city’s Department of Finance, and violations are contested through the city’s ticket-challenge process, not a courthouse. You can rebut liability with a sworn affidavit that another person was in control of the vehicle (or that it was stolen, or leased to a named lessee). These are civil violations — no license points — but unpaid ones can lead to vehicle-boot and registration holds, so don’t ignore the deadline on the notice.
Illinois lets the registered owner rebut liability with a sworn affidavit that another person was in control of the vehicle (or that it was stolen, or leased to an identified lessee). Chicago runs one of the largest automated programs in the country. Camera tickets are civil — no points.
Statute: 625 ILCS 5/11-208.6 · last verified June 2026. Confirm with your court before filing.
How to file in Chicago
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Make sure it’s true.Someone other than you, or a co-owner, genuinely had the car. The form is sworn, so this part isn’t flexible.
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File before the deadline.Submit by sworn affidavit submitted to the city, by the deadline on the violation notice.
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Let the court decide.They cancel the ticket or set a hearing. Either way it stays civil: no points, no hit to your record.
The court reviews your declaration — usually within a couple of weeks. You’ll get a decision by mail or email: the ticket is canceled, or a hearing is set. Don’t pay the fine while you wait — paying can withdraw the declaration. Heard nothing by the follow-up date? Call the court and confirm they received it.
Chicago camera tickets: FAQ
If someone else was driving, can I get out of a Chicago camera ticket?
Yes. Illinois lets the registered owner file a sworn affidavit of non-liability (625 ILCS 5/11-208.6) stating you weren’t the driver, naming the person who actually had the vehicle. A valid one can cancel the ticket. It must be true — it’s sworn under penalty of perjury.
How do I fight a traffic camera ticket in Chicago?
If someone else was driving, file a sworn affidavit of non-liability (625 ILCS 5/11-208.6) — follow the steps above. If it was you, request a hearing to contest the citation itself. Either way these are civil tickets, so no license points.
What is the sworn affidavit of non-liability in Illinois?
It’s a sworn statement to the court that the vehicle was in someone else’s control at the time of the camera infraction. File it by sworn affidavit submitted to the city, by the deadline on the violation notice.
Do camera tickets in Chicago put points on my license?
No. Automated red-light and speed camera citations in Illinois are civil — they don’t add points to your driving record. Don’t pay the fine before filing, though — paying usually withdraws your right to declare.
Do I have to name who was driving in Illinois?
Yes — Illinois’s process requires you to identify the actual driver for liability to transfer to them. (Some states, like Washington and Oregon, don’t require this; Illinois does.)
This is a statement under penalty of perjury. If it was genuinely someone else, use the remedy without hesitation. If it was you, just pay it or ask for a hearing — a false oath is never worth it.
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