COLUMBUS, Ohio — Ohio townships and counties will soon be prohibited from issuing traffic violation tickets via mail based on camera evidence, following Gov. Mike DeWine’s signing of an $11 billion transportation budget bill on Monday. The provision banning these entities from operating traffic cameras takes effect July 1.
The law targets the approximately 24 local governments in Ohio using automated systems to detect violations like speeding or running red lights, according to the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety. While counties and townships face the ban, cities and villages can continue their programs due to their home rule authority, upheld by a 2017 Ohio Supreme Court ruling. A prior 2015 law already required a law enforcement officer to be present at township and county traffic cameras, a rule not applied to cities.
Central Ohio will see minimal impact, as most traffic camera programs operate in the northeast, with the Village of Brice being the only local user, unaffected by the change due to its municipal status.
The budget allocates $11.48 billion for Ohio’s transportation system over fiscal years 2026 and 2027, with over 90% of the Ohio Department of Transportation’s funds directed toward maintaining and improving existing roads. Nine states currently ban traffic cameras entirely.