Suffolk red-light camera drivers could get up to $36 per ticket

East End drivers who paid Suffolk County red-light camera tickets could soon get some of their money back under a proposed $57.5 million settlement.

The county has agreed to make up to $45 million available to reimburse drivers for a $30 administrative fee tacked onto tickets between 2013 and 2023, according to a settlement agreement first reported by Newsday.

Drivers could receive as much as $36 for each ticket — the original fee plus $6 in interest. The final payment could be closer to $18 per ticket if everyone eligible submits a claim, Newsday reported.

The refund applies regardless of where a driver lives. That means Riverhead and North Fork residents could qualify if they received tickets while traveling through parts of Suffolk County where the cameras operated.

There were no red-light cameras in Riverhead or Southold towns. The closest camera-equipped intersection was at Route 25A and Hallock Landing Road in Rocky Point, according to Suffolk County’s archived list.

Drivers cannot apply yet. The settlement must first receive final court approval.

Once that happens, Kroll Settlement Administration will mail notices to eligible drivers and launch a social media campaign explaining how to submit claims. The settlement administrator expects notices to reach about 90% of those eligible, according to the agreement.

Suffolk charged the $30 fee on top of the $50 fine for a red-light camera violation. The county collected roughly $91 million through those fees over a decade, according to records obtained by Newsday.

A state appeals court ruled in 2024 that the added charge violated state law, which limited red-light camera penalties to a $50 fine and a $25 late fee.

The proposed settlement would also pay $12.5 million to the attorneys who brought the class-action lawsuit after a decade of litigation. Suffolk County admitted no wrongdoing as part of the agreement.

A date for the court hearing on final approval has not yet been announced.

Suffolk pulled the plug on its red-light camera program Dec. 1, 2024, shortly after losing its appeal. Some of the cameras and warning signs remain in place, but tickets are no longer being issued.