Suffolk County Red-Light Camera Settlement, Claim Up to $36 Per Fee by December 8, 2026
Originally published: September 10, 2026 | Updated: November 13, 2026
Suffolk County’s red-light camera settlement is officially open for claims, with up to $45 million available for refunds. People and businesses that paid the county’s disputed $30 administrative fee on red-light camera tickets may qualify for up to $36 per fee, but they must submit a claim by December 8, 2026.
The settlement resolves McGrath v. Suffolk County, a New York class action filed in 2016 after vehicle owners challenged the county’s additional red-light camera charges. The state appeals court upheld a ruling that the county could not impose penalties beyond the amounts authorized by New York law.
You do not need to still live in Suffolk County, and you do not necessarily need your original ticket receipt. The settlement administrator uses county records to identify paid administrative fees.
The final approval hearing is also scheduled for December 8, 2026. Payments have not started, and no payment date has been announced.
Official settlement website: SuffolkRedLightSettlement.com
File a claim: Official online claim form
Suffolk County Red-Light Camera Settlement: Latest Facts
| Detail | Updated information |
| Settlement case | McGrath v. Suffolk County, et al. |
| Case number | 608155/2016 |
| Court | New York Supreme Court, Suffolk County |
| Defendants | Suffolk County and Suffolk County Traffic and Parking Violations Agency |
| Class representative | Robert McGrath Jr. |
| Maximum available for class payments | $45 million |
| Additional attorneys’ fees and costs | Up to $12.5 million, paid separately |
| Potential payment | Up to $36 per qualifying administrative fee |
| Eligibility begins | April 1, 2013 |
| Claim deadline | December 8, 2026 |
| Opt-out deadline | November 9, 2026 — passed |
| Objection deadline | November 9, 2026 — passed |
| Final approval hearing | December 8, 2026, 10 a.m. Eastern |
| Settlement administrator | Kroll Settlement Administration |
| Claim status | Open |
| Final approval | Pending |
| Payment date | Not announced |
The official settlement notice does not impose the previously reported five-violation maximum. Compensation is calculated using the number of qualifying fees paid, subject to the settlement’s payment rules.
Who Qualifies for the Suffolk County Red-Light Camera Settlement?
The official settlement class includes people and entities that paid a $30 administrative fee to Suffolk County for a red-light camera violation from April 1, 2013, onward.
Eligibility depends on having paid the specific administrative fee, rather than simply receiving a ticket.
You may qualify if you paid the fee while residing in Suffolk County, commuting to Long Island, visiting from another state or operating a business vehicle.
Can former Suffolk County residents receive money?
Yes. Current residency in Suffolk County is not a requirement.
For example, someone who received a Suffolk County camera citation in 2018, paid the $30 administrative fee and later moved to Florida may still qualify.
Do businesses and commercial vehicle owners qualify?
Potentially, yes.
The class definition expressly includes persons and entities. Businesses that paid qualifying administrative fees for vehicles registered to them may be eligible.
Does a dismissed or unpaid ticket qualify?
Not merely because the ticket was issued.
The settlement concerns administrative fees actually paid. If a citation was dismissed and you never paid the disputed $30 fee, that citation would not establish a qualifying payment.
What if you never received a settlement postcard?
Contact the administrator to verify whether county records identify a qualifying payment.
Not receiving a notice does not necessarily mean you were excluded.
How Much Money Can Suffolk County Drivers Receive?
The settlement offers up to $36 for each qualifying $30 administrative fee paid.
The amount reflects the disputed administrative charge and an additional amount built into the proposed payment.
| Qualifying fees paid | Maximum potential payment |
| 1 | $36 |
| 2 | $72 |
| 3 | $108 |
| 5 | $180 |
| 7 | $252 |
| 10 | $360 |
These are examples based on the stated $36 maximum per fee, not guaranteed awards.
Is there a $180 limit or five-ticket cap?
The court-authorized FAQ and mailed claim form describe payment for each qualifying fee without stating a five-ticket cap.
Accordingly, people who paid more than five qualifying fees should not assume their recovery is capped at $180.
Their claim amount should be calculated according to the qualifying fees recognized under the settlement.
The administrator’s records and any supporting documentation will determine the accepted fee count.
Could the payment be less than $36 per fee?
Yes.
The county agreed to make up to $45 million available for valid claims.
If valid claims collectively exceed that amount, the administrator may apply a proportional reduction.
For instance, the full $36-per-fee maximum would not be payable to everyone if doing so exceeded the settlement’s maximum obligation.
The actual rate cannot be confirmed until claims are processed.
How to File a Suffolk County Red-Light Camera Settlement Claim
The settlement administrator accepts online and mailed claims.
You must file by December 8, 2026.
Option 1: File online
- Visit SuffolkRedLightSettlement.com.
- Select Submit Claim.
- Enter the Class Member ID printed on your settlement notice.
- Review your personal information and the fee-payment records associated with your claim.
- Confirm or update your mailing and contact information.
- Select one of the available payment methods.
- Complete the required declaration and submit the form.
- Save your confirmation information.
The online deadline is December 8, 2026, at 11:59 p.m. Eastern Time.
Option 2: Submit a paper claim
If you received a mailed settlement notice, it may include a preprinted claim form.
Review the number of administrative fees shown in the county’s records, correct your address if necessary, select your payment method and sign the form.
You can also obtain a printable form through the official settlement documents page.
Mail your completed claim to:
McGrath v. Suffolk County, et al.
c/o Kroll Settlement Administration LLC
P.O. Box 5324
New York, NY 10150-5324
The envelope must be postmarked by December 8, 2026.
Filing a claim is free.
What Payment Methods Can You Choose?
The official mailed claim form offers:
- PayPal
- Venmo
- Zelle
- Mailed check
- Prepaid debit card
The form requests the appropriate email address or telephone number for electronic payment methods.
If requesting a check, verify that your current mailing address is correct.
Do not pay a third-party website to file your claim.
What if You Lost Your Class Member ID?
The official online portal requests the Class Member ID provided with your notice.
If you cannot locate that number, use the Contact Us page on the official settlement website or call:
1-833-447-6790
The administrator says Class Member ID requests generally take one to two business days to process.
Because the filing deadline is December 8, do not leave this request until the final day.
What if the Number of Red-Light Camera Fees Is Wrong?
The administrator’s records come from information provided by Suffolk County.
However, those records may not always match an individual’s recollection or documentation.
If your notice lists fewer qualifying administrative fees than you paid, you may challenge that information.
The official FAQ asks you to provide documents showing the additional fees, preferably including citation numbers or license-plate numbers where available.
Supporting evidence might include old citation records, payment confirmations, bank statements or other records identifying the relevant transactions.
The administrator allows class members to submit their online claims and mail supporting documentation separately.
Do not delay submitting the claim while searching for old records. Contact the administrator promptly about how to provide evidence of an incorrect count.
Can Someone Claim on Behalf of a Deceased Family Member?
Yes, in qualifying circumstances.
The official FAQ confirms that claims may be submitted on behalf of deceased settlement class members.
The person filing must provide appropriate documentation, such as a death certificate and evidence of legal authority to act on behalf of the deceased.
Being related to a deceased class member does not automatically establish authority to collect the payment.
Contact Kroll for the applicable instructions.
Why Did Suffolk County Face This Lawsuit?
The lawsuit challenged a $30 administrative fee added to red-light camera penalties.
Suffolk County operated a camera-enforcement program authorized under New York law.
The county generally imposed a $50 fine for a red-light camera violation, with an additional statutory late fee of up to $25 in qualifying circumstances.
Starting in 2013, the county added a separate $30 administrative charge.
Robert McGrath Jr. filed a class action in 2016 arguing the additional fee exceeded the penalty limits permitted by state law.
What did New York’s appeals court decide?
On November 27, 2024, the Appellate Division, Second Department, affirmed a lower-court order holding that the county could not impose monetary liability beyond the limits authorized by Vehicle and Traffic Law § 1111-b.
The appellate court explained that local governments cannot enforce conflicting traffic regulations without express statutory authority.
It upheld the ruling prohibiting the county from collecting additional fines or fees beyond the authorized amounts.
The published decision is McGrath v. Suffolk County, 232 A.D.3d 879 (2024).
Read the official New York appellate opinion.
Did the court rule that every red-light camera ticket was invalid?
No.
The ruling concerned the additional monetary charge, not a blanket determination that every red-light camera citation was unlawful.
This settlement does not automatically erase prior traffic violations or return every dollar someone paid on a citation.
It addresses the qualifying $30 administrative fees.
When Did Suffolk County Stop Using Red-Light Cameras?
The county stopped charging the disputed administrative fee in January 2023, according to contemporary reporting.
Its broader Red Light Safety Program subsequently expired on December 1, 2024.
Suffolk County’s official website confirms that new red-light camera violations would not be issued for incidents occurring on or after that date.
However, the county could continue processing certain citations arising before the program ended.
Source: Suffolk County Traffic and Parking Violations Agency.
Why does the settlement website say “April 1, 2013 to the present”?
The official class definition is framed around when the disputed fee was paid, rather than stating that red-light camera citations continued indefinitely.
It uses April 1, 2013, through the present as its qualifying payment period.
The fact that the county stopped imposing the administrative fee in 2023 does not justify replacing the official settlement definition with a different cutoff date.
For individual cases involving later payments on earlier citations, the administrator should verify eligibility against the actual records.
How Much Is the Entire Suffolk County Settlement Worth?
The main component is the up to $45 million available for valid class-member claims.
Separately, class counsel has requested up to $12.5 million in attorneys’ fees and costs.
The agreement also provides for separately paid settlement-administration expenses and a proposed $5,000 service award for class representative Robert McGrath Jr.
The court must approve the requested awards.
The frequently reported $57.5 million figure combines the maximum claimant payments and requested attorneys’ fees and costs. It should not be described as a $57.5 million pool distributed among drivers.
The settlement also does not guarantee that the maximum $45 million will be paid out if valid claims total less than that amount.
What if You Missed the November 9 Opt-Out or Objection Deadline?
The deadlines for exclusions and objections have passed as of November 13, 2026.
Opting out would have allowed a qualifying class member to preserve the ability to pursue separate claims covered by the settlement, rather than accept settlement benefits.
Objecting would have allowed someone to challenge the proposed settlement while remaining in the class.
The expiration of those deadlines does not close the claims process.
Eligible class members can still file claims through December 8.
If you remain in the class but do not file a valid claim, you generally will not receive compensation and may still be bound by the release of claims if the settlement receives final approval.
When Will Suffolk County Red-Light Camera Settlement Checks Arrive?
No confirmed payment-distribution date has been announced.
The court has scheduled the final fairness hearing for:
December 8, 2026, at 10 a.m. Eastern Time
Supreme Court of New York, Suffolk County
1 Court Street
Riverhead, NY 11901
At the hearing, the court will decide whether the settlement should receive final approval and consider the requested legal fees and class representative award.
If final approval is granted, payments will follow after the agreement becomes effective and any appeals are resolved.
The administrator cannot guarantee a mailing date before those steps are complete.
Is This Settlement Connected to Other New York Refund Cases?
The Suffolk County settlement is a county-specific dispute about red-light camera administrative fees.
It is not connected to other New York City government settlements, which have separate classes and filing rules.
For example, New York City Central Booking Settlement, Check If You Qualify — Capobianco, et al. v. The City of New York, et al., No. 1:21-cv-06125 involves conditions of detention, not camera citations.
The City of New York Strip Search Settlement, Check If You Qualify Lewis, et al. v. City of New York, et al., No. 23 Civ 2600 (CM) concerns alleged repeated searches.
Another separate government compensation case is the NYC $60 Million Third Party Transfer Settlement, Who Qualifies and How to Claim Compensation, involving former property owners.
The eligibility requirements and deadlines of those cases must not be confused with the Suffolk County settlement.
Frequently Asked Questions About the Suffolk County Settlement
Is the Suffolk County red-light camera settlement accepting claims?
Yes. The official administrator is accepting claims through December 8, 2026.
How much money can drivers receive?
Up to $36 per qualifying $30 administrative fee paid, subject to any proportional reduction required by the settlement.
Is there a $180 maximum payment?
The official FAQ and mailed notice do not identify a five-fee or $180 maximum. They describe payments based on every qualifying administrative fee.
Do I need my original red-light camera ticket?
Not necessarily. The administrator uses county records and can assist with identifying eligible class members. Documentation is useful if you dispute the number of qualifying fees.
Can I file if I no longer live in New York?
Yes, potentially. Eligibility depends on payment of the qualifying Suffolk County administrative fee, not current residence.
Can I claim money for Nassau County red-light camera tickets?
No. This settlement concerns Suffolk County’s program, not Nassau County’s separate enforcement system.
What if I was not driving the vehicle?
The relevant question is whether you or your entity paid the qualifying fee. Suffolk County’s camera program generally imposed liability on the registered vehicle owner.
Can businesses qualify?
Yes. The class definition includes qualifying entities as well as individuals.
Where do I get my Class Member ID?
Request it through the official settlement website’s Contact Us function or call 833-447-6790.
What is the last day to file a claim?
December 8, 2026. Online claims are due by 11:59 p.m. Eastern, while mailed claims must be postmarked by that date.
When is the final approval hearing?
December 8, 2026, at 10 a.m. Eastern, subject to any later court change.
When will settlement payments be mailed?
No date has been announced. Payment depends on final approval, any appeals and claims processing.
Bottom Line
Suffolk County’s red-light camera settlement now has an active claims process.
Anyone who paid the county’s disputed $30 red-light camera administrative fee from April 1, 2013, onward should check eligibility and submit a claim by December 8, 2026.
The potential payment is up to $36 per qualifying fee, subject to adjustment if valid claims exceed the $45 million maximum.
The county denies wrongdoing under the negotiated agreement, although the New York appeals court previously upheld a ruling that the additional fees exceeded the state-authorized penalty limits.
The most important action is to file through the court-authorized administrator before the deadline.
Official Sources and Legal Documents
- Suffolk County Red-Light Camera Settlement — Official Website
- Official Online Claim Form
- Settlement FAQs and Class Member ID Instructions
- Settlement Agreement, Claim Form, Court Orders and Notices
- New York Appellate Division — McGrath v. Suffolk County, November 27, 2024
- Suffolk County Government — Red-Light Camera Program
Verification note: Settlement deadlines, claim procedures, eligible fee payments and available benefits were checked against the court-authorized administrator’s current website and mailed notice. The complete underlying settlement agreement was listed on the official documents page but its PDF could not be independently retrieved during this review. The official FAQ and claim notice do not substantiate the previously published five-ticket cap. The settlement remains subject to final approval.
Disclaimer: This article provides general legal information, not legal or tax advice. Settlement eligibility and payment calculations are governed by the official agreement and court orders.
Researched by All About Lawyer, legal content researchers. Last updated November 13, 2026.
About the Author
Israr Ahmad is a legal content researcher with 4+ years of experience covering class action settlements and consumer rights cases. He has researched and published coverage of 2,500+ settlements using verified court records, settlement administrator filings, and government sources. Learn more about Israr.