Suffolk County Red-Light Camera Settlement: $36 Per Fee, Claim by December 8, 2026
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The Suffolk County settlement in the news is not about a data breach. It refunds the $30 “administrative fee” the county added to red-light camera tickets from April 1, 2013 on. Up to $45 million is set aside, each fee is worth up to $36, and the claim deadline is December 8, 2026. You need the Class Member ID from your postcard, not receipts. The 2022 Suffolk County data breach is a separate event, and as of October 2026 we found no settlement or claim form for it.
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Reviewed by Leonard Goldberg, Editor · Last updated
What the Suffolk County Lawsuit Was About
New York’s red-light camera statute, Vehicle and Traffic Law § 1111-b, caps what a driver owes at $50 per violation, plus an optional $25 late fee. Suffolk County’s Local Law No. 20-2009 added a $30 administrative fee on top of the fine for each camera ticket.
The Suffolk County lawsuit, filed in 2016, alleged that the extra fee was illegal under state law. The courts agreed: a 2020 court decision found the fees unlawful, and in McGrath v. Suffolk County, 2024 NY Slip Op 05973, decided November 27, 2024, the Appellate Division held the fee preempted by the state cap. Suffolk stopped charging the fee in January 2023 and shut its camera program in December 2024, according to News 12. The county denies wrongdoing in the settlement; settling is not an admission.
Case Details
McGrath v. Suffolk County and Suffolk County Traffic and Parking Violation Agency, Index No. 608155/2016, Supreme Court of the State of New York, County of Suffolk, before Justice David T. Reilly. This is a state-court case, not a federal one. The settlement papers were filed on July 29, 2026, and Justice Reilly granted preliminary approval on August 10, 2026 (entered August 11), conditionally certifying the class under CPLR 901 and appointing Kroll Settlement Administration as administrator. A companion appellate ruling against Nassau County, Guthart v. Nassau County, 2024 NY Slip Op 05960, came the same day; as of the latest reports, Nassau has not settled and is not part of this deal.
Status: Settlement Open for Claims Until December 8, 2026
The official site is SuffolkRedLightSettlement.com. Our earlier news report has the payout math in detail: $36 per $30 fee, $45 million cap, claims close December 8.
Don't miss the claim deadline
Claims are due by December 8, 2026. We'll email you 7 days and 1 day before the deadline.
Who Is in the Suffolk County Class Action
The court-certified settlement class is: all persons or entities who, between April 1, 2013 and the present, paid a $30.00 administrative fee to Suffolk County or its Traffic and Parking Violation Agency for a red-light camera violation. Businesses that paid fees on company vehicles count too.
The practical test is the postcard. The county gave Kroll a file listing each payer’s name, last known address and total fees paid, and Kroll mailed notices to that list. The postcard carries your Class Member ID. If you paid a fee but never got a postcard (you moved, or the car was in someone else’s name), request an ID through the contact form on the official site or by calling the administrator at 833-447-6790.
You are not in the class if you only paid the $50 fine with no administrative fee, or if your ticket came from Nassau County or a New York City camera.
How Much the Suffolk County Settlement Pays
The county set aside up to $45 million for claims and agreed to pay attorneys’ fees of up to $12.5 million on top (about $57.5 million in total). If valid claims add up to more than $45 million, every payment is cut pro rata, so $36 is a ceiling, not a promise.
No money moves until the court grants final approval and any appeals end. The settlement listing puts payment roughly 75 days after final approval. You choose Zelle, PayPal, Venmo, a prepaid card or a paper check on the claim form.
Suffolk County Red-Light Fee Timeline
- 1
April 1, 2013 — The Class Period Starts
Anyone who paid the $30 administrative fee on a Suffolk red-light camera ticket from this date on is in the settlement class.
- 2
2016 — McGrath Files Suit
A driver sues Suffolk County and its Traffic and Parking Violation Agency in state Supreme Court, Index No. 608155/2016, as a proposed class action.
- 3
2020–2024 — Courts Rule the Fee Illegal
A 2020 decision finds the fee unlawful. Suffolk stops charging it in January 2023. On November 27, 2024 the Appellate Division holds it preempted by the $50 state cap.
- 4
July 29, 2026 — Settlement Filed
The parties file a deal: a $45 million claims pool plus up to $12.5 million in attorneys’ fees.
- 5
August 10, 2026 — Preliminary Approval
Justice David T. Reilly approves notice, certifies the class for settlement and appoints Kroll. Postcards follow, opening a 90-day claim window.
- 6
December 8, 2026 — Claim Deadline and Fairness Hearing
Claims must be filed or postmarked by this date; the opt-out and objection deadline is November 9, 2026. The court decides on final approval at the hearing the same day.
Three Things to Watch For
A refund that every Suffolk driver has heard about, paid by app, is easy bait:
“Red-light refund” texts with a link
The real notice came as a postcard with a Class Member ID, and claims go through SuffolkRedLightSettlement.com. Kroll does not text you a link asking for a bank login or a processing fee to release $36.
“Unpaid red-light camera ticket” messages
Suffolk ended its camera program in December 2024, per News 12. A text demanding payment on a new Suffolk camera ticket today is a smishing attempt, not a county bill.
“Suffolk County data breach settlement” pages
We found no settlement for the 2022 county cyberattack. A page asking for your Social Security number to claim a breach payout from Suffolk County is collecting data, not filing a claim.
Suffolk County Settlement — Questions People Actually Ask
Is there a Suffolk County data breach settlement?
Not that we could find as of October 2026. In September 2022 a ransomware attack hit Suffolk County’s systems; the county said personal information of as many as 470,000 residents and 26,000 current and former employees was stolen. We found no class action settlement, fund or claim form for that breach. The settlement now open is the red-light camera fee case described on this page.
Is the Suffolk red-light settlement postcard real?
Yes, a court-approved notice went out by mail. The legitimate administrator is Kroll Settlement Administration (McGrath v. Suffolk County, et al., c/o Kroll Settlement Administration LLC, P.O. Box 5324, New York, NY 10150-5324; 833-447-6790), and the only official website is SuffolkRedLightSettlement.com. Type the address yourself rather than following a link from a text.
Who qualifies for the Suffolk County red light camera settlement?
Any person or business that paid Suffolk County’s $30 administrative fee on a red-light camera ticket between April 1, 2013 and the present. In practice the fee was charged until January 2023.
How much will I get?
Up to $36 per fee paid ($30 plus $6 interest), capped at five tickets or $180, per reporting on the settlement papers. If total valid claims exceed the $45 million pool, every payment shrinks proportionally.
How do I file, and what if I lost my postcard?
File online at SuffolkRedLightSettlement.com with your Class Member ID, or mail the PDF claim form postmarked by December 8, 2026. No receipts are required to start the claim — the county already gave the administrator its record of what you paid. Without an ID, use the site’s contact form or call 833-447-6790.
When will I be paid?
Only after the court grants final approval and any appeals are resolved. The fairness hearing is set for December 8, 2026; the settlement listing estimates payment about 75 days after final approval.
Do I get my $50 fine back too?
No. The courts held only the extra $30 administrative fee unlawful. The $50 fine (and the $25 late fee where it applied) was within the state cap and is not refunded.
What happens if I do nothing?
You stay in the class and give up your right to sue the county over the fee, but you get no money unless you file a claim by December 8, 2026. The opt-out deadline is November 9, 2026: to keep your own claim, a signed written request must reach the administrator and both sides’ counsel by then.
Separate from this case: were you injured in the last 2 years?
Class-action payouts are fixed amounts through an administrator. A personal injury claim is a different case — and often worth far more. Free estimate, no obligation.
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