Ontario · Highway Traffic Act, s.144(18) and s.136 (Ontario)
Red Light & Stop Sign in Ontario
Failing to stop for a red light under s.144(18) of the Highway Traffic Act, or for a stop sign under s.136. Three demerit points and an insurance conviction — and, unlike a camera ticket, this one goes on your record.
Tell us what you're facing.
What is red light & stop sign?
Two related charges sit under this heading.
Red light — s.144(18). A driver approaching a red indication must stop at the stop line, or, if none, before entering the crosswalk or the intersection, and must not proceed until the light turns green. The set fine is $260, which comes to $325 with costs, and the range on conviction runs from $200 to $1,000.
Stop sign — s.136. The requirement is a complete stop — the wheels must cease rotating — at the stop line, crosswalk, or the near edge of the intersecting roadway. A "rolling stop" is the single most commonly charged version of this offence.
The distinction that matters most for a driver's record:
- An officer-issued red light ticket carries 3 demerit points, goes on your driving abstract, and is reported to your insurer.
- A red-light camera ticket carries no demerit points and does not go on your driving record at all. It is issued to the registered plate holder as an owner-liability matter, and insurers do not see it.
These are entirely different processes with entirely different consequences. We defend the officer-issued charge; camera tickets are an administrative matter and not something we handle.
Penalties
| Tier | Fine | Demerit points | Licence suspension | Jail | Procedure |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Fail to stop at red light (s.144(18)) | $260 set fine ($325 with costs); $200 – $1,000 on conviction | 3 | None directly | None | Part I ticket |
| Fail to stop at stop sign (s.136) | $110 set fine ($150 with costs) | 3 | None directly | None | Part I ticket |
| Red-light camera (owner liability) | $325 | None | None | None | Administrative — not defended by us |
Insurance impact
Insurers treat it as a minor conviction, which sounds harmless and often is not. One minor on an otherwise clean record may cost little; a second inside three years typically removes conviction-free and multi-line discounts, and the compounding effect across a three-year window is where the real money goes.
Licence & record impact
Three demerit points attach on conviction. The points expire two years after the offence date, while the conviction remains on your driving abstract for three years — so the insurance consequence outlasts the points. For novice and commercial drivers the threshold for intervention is lower, so a single conviction carries more weight than it does for a fully licensed private driver.
How this charge is defended
These charges look minor and are treated casually, which is precisely why so many avoidable convictions land on otherwise clean records. The defence work is unglamorous but effective.
On a red light charge, disclosure focuses on the officer's position and sightline: where the cruiser was relative to the intersection, whether the officer could see both the signal head and the stop line simultaneously, and the amber phase timing at that intersection. Amber-phase duration is a municipal engineering figure, and an intersection with a short amber generates a predictable stream of charges against drivers who were already committed to the intersection when the light changed. The amber light defence — that you could not stop safely without an abrupt stop — is a real defence, not a technicality.
On a stop sign charge, the question is almost always the officer's vantage point. Judging whether a vehicle's wheels came fully to rest, from an oblique angle at distance, is genuinely difficult, and the officer's notes on where they were positioned frequently do more work than anything else in the file.
Because the set fine is modest, drivers often pay it. That is usually the wrong calculation: the fine is the small part, and the three-year insurance consequence is the large part. Where the evidence is strong, an Early Resolution reduction to a zero-point offence removes the insurance consequence entirely even though the fine may be similar — which is the outcome worth pursuing.
Where we appear
We defend this charge at Provincial Offences courts across Ontario. Your matter is heard where the ticket was issued, not where you live.
Red Light & Stop Sign — common questions
How many demerit points is a red light ticket in Ontario?
An officer-issued red light charge under s.144(18) carries 3 demerit points and goes on your driving abstract. A red-light camera ticket carries no demerit points and does not appear on your record — it is issued to the registered plate holder as an owner-liability matter and insurers do not see it.
Is there a defence if the light turned red as I entered the intersection?
Yes — commonly called the amber light defence. If you were so close on the amber that stopping could not be done safely, entering the intersection may not be an offence. Amber-phase timing at the specific intersection is a municipal engineering figure and is obtainable, and a short amber phase produces a predictable pattern of charges.
Should I just pay a red light ticket?
Paying is a guilty plea. The $325 is the smaller cost; the 3 demerit points and the insurance conviction sitting on your record for three years is the larger one. If you already have a conviction in that window, a second one is where premiums move sharply.
What counts as a complete stop at a stop sign?
The vehicle's wheels must actually stop rotating, at the stop line, the crosswalk, or the near edge of the intersecting roadway. Slowing to a walking pace and rolling through — the most commonly charged version — is not a stop, though whether an officer could reliably observe it from their position is often the live question.
Do you handle red-light camera tickets?
No. Camera-issued tickets are a separate administrative process directed at the registered plate holder, carry no demerit points, and never reach your driving record or your insurer. We defend officer-issued charges, where a police officer stopped you and the conviction has real consequences.