Mobile Phone and Seatbelt Cameras NSW 2026: Fines, Points and How They Work

Last updated: October 2026

NSW was the first place in the world to use cameras to catch drivers using a mobile phone. Today the same cameras also check whether drivers and passengers are wearing their seatbelts correctly, and they run day and night, in all weather, on roads across the state.

This guide explains how mobile phone detection cameras in NSW work, what the cameras look like, the mobile phone fine NSW drivers pay in 2026, the new seatbelt camera rules, what the cameras can and cannot see, and how to challenge a camera fine. All penalties are the amounts in force from 1 July 2026, checked against the Judicial Commission of NSW Lawcodes database.

How Do Mobile Phone Detection Cameras Work in NSW?

The program started with warning letters on 1 December 2019, and fines began on 1 March 2020. Seatbelt detection was added, with fines from 1 July 2024. The cameras are run by Transport for NSW, and penalty notices are issued by Revenue NSW.

The process works like this:

1. The camera photographs every passing vehicle. It uses high definition cameras and an infrared flash, so it works at night and in fog or heavy rain.
2. Artificial intelligence screens the images. Images that show no likely offence are excluded and, according to the National Road Safety Partnership Program, are typically deleted within an hour without anyone viewing them.
3. A trained person checks every flagged image. Before a fine is issued, an authorised reviewer confirms that an offence has occurred. Flagged images are cropped and pixelated to protect privacy.
4. Revenue NSW sends a penalty notice to the registered owner of the vehicle.

From 1 March 2026, Transport for NSW began upgrading its 10 transportable cameras to check vehicles travelling in both directions on single lane roads, instead of one direction only, with the rollout taking about six months. Transport for NSW said that in 2025, about 1 in every 1,200 vehicles checked was flagged for phone use, and about 1 in every 1,300 for a seatbelt offence.

What Do Mobile Phone Detection Cameras Look Like in NSW?

Many drivers search for what mobile phone detection cameras look like in NSW, because the cameras are easy to miss. There are two types, and both use the same camera technology:

• Fixed cameras, mounted on poles or structures above or beside the road.
• Transportable cameras, mounted on a trailer parked at the roadside, which can be moved to different locations.

Both types use a group of cameras pointing at approaching traffic and an infrared flash, so you may not see a visible flash. The NRMA reported that 47 cameras were operating around NSW in October 2025.

Are there warning signs?

Not at every site. Unlike fixed speed cameras, mobile phone detection cameras do not need a warning sign at each location. Transport for NSW uses general warning signs across the state instead, so that drivers expect to be checked anywhere. Locations are chosen based on crash history, evidence of illegal phone use and advice from NSW Police.

The Mobile Phone Rules in NSW

The rules depend on your licence. They come from rule 300 of the Road Rules 2014, and the NRMA summary of the mobile phone rules sets them out in plain English.

Full licence holders

You can be fined for using a mobile phone while driving in NSW unless you follow these rules:

• Calls and audio: allowed only if the phone is in a cradle fixed to the vehicle, or you can use it without touching any part of it, for example through Bluetooth or voice control.
• Navigation: allowed only if the phone is in a commercially designed cradle fixed to the vehicle, and it does not block your view of the road.
• Texting, email, social media, video and photos: never allowed while driving, even with a cradle.
• Holding the phone: not allowed in any way, including in your hand, on your lap or between your shoulder and ear. The only exception is passing it to a passenger.
• Stopped at traffic lights or in traffic: the same rules apply. You must be parked out of the line of traffic to use other functions.
• Payments: you can use a digital wallet when your vehicle is stopped off the road, such as at a drive-through or in a car park.

Learner and P plate drivers

Learner, P1 and P2 drivers cannot use any function of a phone while driving or stopped in traffic, including Bluetooth calls, music, loudspeaker and GPS. See our guide to the P plate rules in NSW for how this affects your licence.

Mobile Phone Fine NSW 2026: Fines and Demerit Points

These are the penalties from 1 July 2026, from the Lawcodes database. The same fine applies whether a camera or a police officer detects the offence.

So how much is a mobile phone fine in NSW? For most drivers, $434 and 5 points. Five points is more than a learner or P1 driver's whole limit of 4, so one phone offence suspends those licences for at least 3 months. A P2 driver has 2 points left. A full licence holder has a limit of 13 points, but 10 points during a double demerit period can quickly push someone with existing points over the limit.

Camera fines sent to a company

Camera detected fines issued to a company are 5 times the amount for an individual. Nominating the driver brings the fine back to the individual amount, and a company that does not nominate can also receive a separate fail to nominate fine.

Seatbelt Cameras NSW: What You Need to Know

Seatbelt cameras NSW drivers now face are the same mobile phone detection cameras, with extra software. Since 1 July 2024, they have been used to fine drivers for seatbelts that are missing or worn incorrectly.

The fine and the points go to the driver, even when it is the passenger who is not wearing the belt correctly. Passengers aged 16 or older can also be fined by police for their own seatbelt, but camera fines are sent to the vehicle's registered owner, who can nominate the driver.

Most seatbelt fines are for wearing it wrong

NSW seatbelt fines rose sharply once cameras were introduced. The NRMA's Buckle Up Right report, released in September 2026, found that in 2024 to 2025:

• 88% of seatbelt fines (111,521) were for wearing a seatbelt incorrectly, not for failing to wear one.
• 62% of offences involved passengers, not drivers.
• Almost 40% of motorists surveyed did not know who receives the fine when a camera catches a passenger.

The most common mistake is wearing the sash part of the belt under the arm or behind the back. The belt must sit across your shoulder and chest, with the lap part low across your hips. Pillows or cushions can also push the belt out of position.

Transport for NSW reported in July 2025 that seatbelt offences detected by the cameras had fallen by 60% in the first year, with more than 99% of drivers and passengers complying.

Can seatbelt cameras detect back seats in NSW?

This is one of the most searched questions: can seatbelt cameras detect back seats in NSW? Published descriptions of the camera system say it photographs the front row of the vehicle, and Transport for NSW has not said that the cameras check rear seat passengers. However, police can still fine the driver for any passenger in the car, front or back, who is not properly restrained. The driver is responsible for passengers under 16 at all times.

Seatbelt cameras NSW locations

Seatbelt cameras NSW locations are the same as the mobile phone detection camera locations, because they are the same cameras. Transport for NSW publishes information about camera enforcement on its website, but transportable cameras move regularly, and there is no sign at each site.

How to Check and Challenge a Camera Fine

1. Look at the photo

You can view the camera image of your offence through Revenue NSW before you decide what to do. Check that it is your vehicle, that the image shows what the fine describes, and who was driving.

2. Nominate the driver if it was not you

If someone else was driving, you can nominate them through Revenue NSW. Never nominate someone who was not driving. Falsely nominating another driver is a serious offence that can lead to a charge of perverting the course of justice.

3. Request a review

You can ask Revenue NSW to review the fine before the due date if you believe a mistake was made, if special circumstances led to the offence, or if you have a clear driving record for 10 years. The fine is put on hold while the review is done, which usually takes about 21 days. Revenue NSW says leniency is unlikely where the offence created a risk to others, so reviews of phone offences rarely succeed unless the image does not show an offence.

4. Elect to go to court

You can choose to have the fine heard in the Local Court instead. The court can find you not guilty if the evidence does not prove the offence, for example if the object in your hand was not a phone, or the belt was worn correctly. If you plead guilty, the court can sometimes deal with the matter under section 10 without a conviction, and then no demerit points are recorded. However, the maximum court fine is 20 penalty units ($2,200), and court costs are added if you are convicted, so get advice first.

Common Defences and Mistakes in Camera Fines

Every case depends on the image, but these are the issues we see most often:

• The object was not a phone. A wallet, a sunglasses case or a food item can look similar in a photo.
• The phone was in a fixed cradle. If you hold a full licence and the phone was secured in a fixed cradle for navigation or a call, the use may be legal.
• The vehicle was parked. The rules are different when you are parked out of the line of traffic.
• The seatbelt was worn correctly but the angle of the photo made it look otherwise.
• You were not driving. The fine can be transferred by nominating the actual driver.

A defence only works if the evidence supports it. If the image clearly shows a phone in your hand, the better course is often to focus on protecting your licence. See our mobile phone driving lawyers page.

What If a Camera Fine Takes You Over Your Points?

If a phone or seatbelt offence takes you to your limit, Transport for NSW will send a suspension notice.

• Full licence holders (13 points) cannot appeal a demerit point suspension, but can choose a 12 month good behaviour period instead of the suspension.
• Learner and P plate drivers can appeal the suspension to the Local Court, usually within 28 days. See our licence appeal lawyers.
• Do not drive while suspended. It is a criminal offence. See our page on driving while suspended.

For more on how points add up, see our guide to demerit points in NSW.

How to Avoid a Phone or Seatbelt Camera Fine

• Put your phone out of reach, or in a fixed cradle if you hold a full licence.
• Set up navigation and music before you start driving.
• Do not touch your phone at traffic lights. Pull over and park if you need to use it.
• Check that every passenger's belt is across the shoulder, not under the arm, before you move off.
• Remove pillows or bulky clothing that push the seatbelt out of place.
• Remember that the cameras work at night and check traffic in both directions on many roads.

Frequently Asked Questions

How much is a mobile phone fine in NSW in 2026?

$434 and 5 demerit points, or $577 and 5 points in a school zone. The points double to 10 during double demerit periods.

What do mobile phone detection cameras look like in NSW?

They are either fixed to poles or structures above or beside the road, or mounted on trailers at the roadside. Both use several cameras and an infrared flash, so you may not notice them.

Do mobile phone cameras in NSW check seatbelts?

Yes. Since 1 July 2024, the same cameras have been used to fine drivers for seatbelts that are missing or not worn correctly.

Who gets the fine if a passenger is not wearing a seatbelt?

The driver. Camera fines are sent to the registered owner, who can nominate the driver, and the driver receives the demerit points.

Can seatbelt cameras detect back seats in NSW?

Published descriptions of the camera system say it photographs the front row of the vehicle. Police can still fine you for unrestrained passengers in the back seat.

Can I hold my phone at traffic lights in NSW?

No. You must be parked out of the line of traffic to hold or use your phone, other than for calls or navigation used legally in a fixed cradle.

Can I challenge a mobile phone camera fine?

Yes. You can view the image, request a review from Revenue NSW, nominate the real driver, or elect to have the matter heard in court. Get advice before electing court, as the fine can be higher.

Are mobile phone camera locations published in NSW?

Not every site is signposted, and transportable cameras move regularly. Transport for NSW uses general warning signs across the state instead.

Talk to a Traffic Lawyer About a Camera Fine

A single camera fine can cost you your licence, especially on your Ps or during double demerits. A lawyer can look at the image, tell you whether you have a defence and help you decide whether to pay, seek a review or go to court.

Matters are led by Muhammad Siddique, Senior Associate Criminal Lawyer (LLM), who is admitted to the Supreme Court of NSW and the High Court of Australia. We offer fixed fees for traffic matters where possible.