Are speed cameras legal in North Dakota?

Are speed cameras legal in North Dakota?
Photo by toine G on Unsplash

No.

North Dakota does not authorize automated traffic enforcement using speed or red-light cameras.

The North Dakota News Cooperative is partnering with Gigafact to produce timely fact briefs, which are quick, evidence-based fact checks about trending claims relevant to North Dakota.

Citations must be issued by a law enforcement officer who personally observes the violation and halts the driver. The North Dakota Century Code (§ 39-07-07) specifies that an officer “shall issue a traffic citation” to an individual the officer has stopped for a violation. Because the law ties enforcement to officer-witnessed stops, there is no legal mechanism for citations based solely on camera evidence.

The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety, the National Conference of State Legislatures, and the Governors Highway Safety Association all confirm that North Dakota has no statutes permitting automated enforcement.

While transportation agencies may use cameras for monitoring traffic flow or road conditions, mailed tickets from speed or red-light cameras are not legal. Enforcement of moving violations must come directly from an officer.

This fact brief is responsive to conversations such as this one.

Sources:
North Dakota Century Code: § 39-06.1-06
North Dakota Legislative Council: Bill Tracking History
North Dakota Department of Transportation: Traffic Safety Laws
Insurance Institute for Highway Safety: Safety camera laws

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