Red Light Cameras-Frequently Asked Questions

Intersections with heavy traffic flow can be prone to accidents caused by the running of red lights.  In order to increase the safety of the North Chicago Streets, the City has decided to use the Redflex Program to enforce traffic safety rules.  This will decrease personal injury and property damage due to the running of red lights.

Receiving a notice of violation by mail means that the addressee is the registered owner of a vehicle ticketed by an automated camera for a red light violation.  Red light violations occur when a driver enters an intersection when the traffic signal is red, or when an illegal right turn is made at a red light.

The registered owner has the following options upon receipt of the violation notice:

Option A - Pay the Fine

If you choose to pay the fine, you must do so within 30 calendar days of the date of issue. 

Paying in Person

To pay in person the payment can only be in cash and the payment must be paid in full.  Those wishing to pay in person should come to the Payment Center at City Hall, 1850 Lewis Avenue, North Chicago, IL  60064.

Paying by mail

You may pay by either check/money order or credit card.  Check or money orders should be made payable to “City of North Chicago PEP.”  Simply fill out the top portion of the options page (Option A), and mail it in to: Huntington National Bank (Lock Box), P.O. Box 76943, Cleveland, OH 44101-6500.  Check or money orders will be payable to “City of North Chicago PEP.”

Paying Online

Go to www.photonotice.com to pay the fine by credit card.  A $2.95 service fee will be added to all online payments.

Option B - Affidavit

If addressee was not the driver

This option is only available if the registered owner of the vehicle is a rental/leasing agency, or if the vehicle was stolen and therefore not driven by the registered owner.

Rental/Leasing Agencies

The registered owner will be able to nominate another driver by completing and notarizing the Affidavit on Option B of the Options page (note: the nomination will not be processed if the affidavit is not notarized).  The registered owner must then mail the nomination form to Customer Service Center, P.O. Box 15485, Scottsdale, AZ  85267-5485.  A notice violation will then be sent to the driver nominated by the registered owner.

Stolen Vehicle

The registered owner will have the option to indicate whether the vehicle was stolen at the time of the violation by filling out the Affidavit on Option B of the Options Page and mailing it to Customer Service Center, P.O. Box 15485, Scottsdale, AZ  85267-5485.  The registered owner will be required to provide a copy of the police report if stolen.

Option C - Request a Hearing to Contest the Violation

The registered owner may request a hearing in order to contest the violation.  To do so, the registered owner must mail the Hearing Request form (Option C on the Options Page) to the North Chicago Police Department, 1850 Lewis Avenue, North Chicago, IL  60064.  The request must be received by the respond by date or it will be considered late and a late fee of $100 will be assessed to the previous penalty.  The North Chicago Police Department will then notify the registered owner in writing of the date, time, and place to appear. If the registered owner is found liable of the violation, fine will be due 30 days from the hearing.  No fee will be assessed if the registered owner is not found liable.

The recipient of the violation will have 30 calendar days from the date of issue to respond to the notice. The Respond-by date will be written on the notice.

At the discretion of the North Chicago Police Department, a person may be granted only one additional hearing date upon presenting a valid request for rescheduling.  If the registered owner fails to show up for the hearing date, a late penalty of $100 will be assessed.  It is important to note that a “Failure To Appear” notice will not be sent by the hearing officer.

If the registered owner of the vehicle fails to respond to the Notice of Violation within 30 days, Redflex will mail a Final Determination Notice to the violator, which will be generated 5 days after the respond by date of the original notice.  This will result in an additional $100 late payment penalty.  The total penalties of $200 will be due and payable no later than 10 days after the mailing of the Final Determination Notice.  If payment is still not received, Redflex will forward the unpaid debt to a collection agency determined by the City of North Chicago.

No.  In IL, the registered owner is liable for the violation. The images taken are: 1) Image of the car at the stop bar when the light is red, 2) Image of the vehicle’s rear license plate, and 3) Image of the vehicle proceeding through the intersection while the light is red.

Yes.  Redflex hosts a website whereby the notice recipient can view the violation video online.  The Web site address is www.photonotice.com.  The city code for North Chicago is NCHGIL.

The violation notice is written in the name of the registered owner of the vehicle.  The only circumstances where the registered owner will not be liable are the following: registered owner is a leasing/rental agency, the vehicle has been stolen, or the vehicle has recently been sold.

No.  A partial payment may be made, but the balance must be received within 5 days after the “respond by” date expires.  It is best to pay all at once.

Yes.  Redflex provides a toll free Call Center for citizen inquiries from 8:00am to 5:00pm (CST).  The number is 1-877-847-2338.