Question: I am wondering if you can get a speeding ticket (not red light ticket) by mail in British Columbia?
Intersection Safety Camera Tickets
Today a ticket for disobeying a red light or speeding through an intersection that results from being caught by an intersection safety camera can be served by mail. If delivery by mail is not acknowledged by the vehicle owner, process servers will deliver a copy to the owner personally.
Traffic Tickets Issued by Police
The Offence Act is provincial legislation that includes the requirements for service of a traffic ticket. It allows for traffic tickets to be served by mailing them to the registered owner when the action is being taken against the vehicle owner.
If the action is being taken against the driver, the traffic ticket must be served the same way that a summons is served. This would mean serving the ticket to the accused driver personally, or leaving it at their residence with any occupant that appears to be at least 16 years old.
Police May Not Serve by Mail
Government policy is that all traffic tickets issued by the police must be served personally. The certificate of service on the back of a violation ticket does not provide for delivery by mail.
ICBC's Ticket Unit will not process a violation ticket that has not been properly completed. This includes the certificate of service on the back of the original copy. There is no provision here for service by mail.
What's the Difference?
Traffic tickets served to drivers by the police result in penalty points being assessed when there is payment or a conviction.
Penalty points are not involved when intersection safety camera tickets are mailed to the registered owner. The same applies when the registered owner is served by police.
The Bottom Line
So, long story short, speeding tickets issued by the police cannot be served by mail but intersection safety camera tickets for speeding can be.
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