I got a red-light camera ticket in Suffolk County, New York, and paid an extra fee on top of the $50 fine — can I get that money back?
A New York appeals court ruled Suffolk County's extra $30 red-light camera fee illegal and void. What that means if you paid one, and how the resulting refund claims process works.
Regulator
the New York Appellate Division, Second Department
Key legislation
New York's Vehicle and Traffic Law
Dispute path
Letter first, deadline tracked. If they go quiet, escalation to the New York Appellate Division, Second Department is prepped and ready.
In November 2024, New York's Appellate Division, Second Department, ruled that Suffolk County had been charging an extra $30 "administrative fee" on top of the $50 fine state law sets for a red-light-camera violation, and that the added charge was void as a matter of law — total liability for a single violation is capped at $50, or $75 once a statutorily authorised late fee applies. The same ruling addressed a parallel practice next door: Nassau County had been adding its own $45 "driver responsibility fee" and $55 "public safety fee" on top of the $50 base fine, a combined $100 surcharge the court found equally unlawful. Both counties stopped charging the extra fees once the ruling came down, and Suffolk shut its entire red-light camera program down on December 1, 2024.
Suffolk's case, McGrath v. Suffolk County (filed 2016), produced a $57.5 million class-action settlement: roughly $45 million set aside to refund drivers who paid the $30 fee on a ticket issued between 2013 and 2023, worth up to $36 per ticket depending on how many people file a claim, plus $12.5 million in attorney fees — the county admitted no wrongdoing as part of the settlement. Nassau's case was sent back to the state Supreme Court to work out how much the county owes; Nassau had collected roughly $64 million in 2022 alone from its version of the surcharge, so the eventual refund pool is likely to be large, but no finalised claims process existed as of this writing.
If you paid one of these fees, the claims process is the direct route for Suffolk: check the official settlement claims site for the filing deadline before it closes. For Nassau, or for any other county charging a fee beyond the $50/$75 state cap on a red-light or speed-camera ticket, the move is the same one STM writes letters for every day: a dated, written request to the county citing this ruling and the statutory cap directly, asking for confirmation of refund eligibility — in writing, with a copy kept, not a phone call.
Frequently asked questions
Was the extra fee actually illegal?
Yes. In November 2024, New York's Appellate Division, Second Department, ruled that the Vehicle and Traffic Law caps total liability for a red-light-camera ticket at $50 (or $75 with a late fee), and that Suffolk County's extra $30 fee and Nassau County's combined $100 surcharge were both void as a matter of law.
What exactly did the ruling find, and in which case?
The ruling came in McGrath v. Suffolk County (Index No. 608155/2016), filed in 2016 and decided November 27, 2024. It found Suffolk's $30 "administrative fee" — and, in a parallel Nassau County case, that county's $45 "driver responsibility fee" plus $55 "public safety fee" — exceeded what state law allows a county to add on top of the $50 base fine.
How do I actually get my money back?
Suffolk County drivers ticketed between 2013 and 2023 can file through the official McGrath v. Suffolk County class-action settlement claims process before its deadline. Nassau's refund mechanism had not been finalised as of this ruling — the case was remanded to determine the amount owed — so the right move there is a written refund request to the county citing the ruling directly.
Does this apply outside Nassau and Suffolk?
The ruling itself is specific to these two counties' fee practices, but the underlying principle — a county cannot charge more than the state's own statutory cap on a red-light or speed-camera ticket — is general. Any other New York county doing the same thing is exposed to the identical legal argument that already won in court.
What if the county ignores my written refund request?
Keep your dated request and proof of delivery, then escalate in writing to the county comptroller or legislator, or file in small claims court — the same documented, deadline-driven approach that works for any fee dispute where the law is already on your side.
What if Suffolk County just ignores my letter?
Silence is not a dead end — it starts a clock. Suffolk County is expected to respond to a formal complaint within 30 days. Build your letter with us and we track that deadline for you: a countdown check-in two weeks in, and if they miss the deadline, your escalation to the agency’s own appeal process, then a fair hearing or court review arrives pre-filled and ready to lodge. Escalating is free.
Free tool
Refund Rights Checker →Related fights
screwtheman.com is not a law firm and does not provide legal advice. The content on this page is for general information on consumer rights, legislation, and dispute pathways. For complex legal matters, consult a qualified lawyer or the relevant regulator.