Running a red light in France: €135 and 4 points
Red light, stop sign, give way: the same class 4 offence and the same points. Only failing to give way to a pedestrian costs more points.
Running a red light, steady or flashing, is a class 4 offence under article R412-30 of the French Highway Code: a €135 standard fine, €90 if paid within fifteen days, €375 after forty-five days. Four points are taken off a French licence and a court may suspend the licence for up to three years. A steady amber light also requires the driver to stop, unless they can no longer do so safely. Ignoring a stop sign, a give-way sign or a priority rule costs the same fine and the same four points; failing to give way to a pedestrian crossing costs six. The Interior Ministry lists 496 fixed red-light cameras in its file of 30 December 2025, mostly in urban départements: Nord (28), Val-d'Oise (28), Charente (19), Gard (18). They photograph the vehicle crossing the stop line after the light has turned red.
Standard fine · class 4
€135
Running a red light
| Reduced (15 days, 30 online) | €90 |
| Increased (after 45 days) | €375 |
| Points deducted | 4 |
| Points left | 8 |
| Suspension risked | up to 3 years |
| On a probationary licence | course compulsory |
Checked by Radif Partners · Editorial policy · Method and sources
The scale for junction offences
| Offence | Class | Standard fine | Points |
|---|---|---|---|
| Running a red light | 4 | €135 | 4 |
| Failing to stop at a stop sign | 4 | €135 | 4 |
| Ignoring a give-way sign | 4 | €135 | 4 |
| Failing to give way (priority) | 4 | €135 | 4 |
| Failing to give way to a pedestrian | 4 | €135 | 6 |
Article R412-30 also provides for a licence suspension of up to three years. As for any four-point deduction, the points come back after three years with no new offence, since it is a class 4 offence.
Fine and points for an offence
Standard fine
€135
| Reduced / increased | €90 / €375 |
| Points | 4 |
| Class | 4 |
Where the red-light cameras are
The 496 red-light cameras in the public file are mostly in towns, at junctions with traffic lights. The map by département shows them with the “Red-light camera” filter. They do not measure speed, so the limit column stays empty.
Red lights and the probationary licence
Four points from a six-point probationary licence leave two, and make a course compulsory. The balance and the recovery date are worked out on the probationary licence page.