No state or territory we checked publishes a speed camera tolerance on its official camera pages. What they do publish is that cameras are tested and certified and that a person reviews detections, so don’t assume a few km/h of buffer. If you were only slightly over, check your notice before you pay.
Check your fine for free →Free case-strength check first, and if your grounds are weak we’ll tell you · one flat price, $10 parking & toll, $15 everything elseSearch for “speed camera tolerance” and you’ll find plenty of confident numbers: 2 km/h here, 3 km/h there. We went looking for those numbers on the government pages that explain how each state’s cameras work, and we couldn’t find one. The NSW, Victorian, Queensland, ACT and Tasmanian camera pages don’t mention a margin at all. Western Australia’s Road Safety Commission page doesn’t address testing or margins either. We couldn’t find a testing or margin page for the Northern Territory.
The closest thing to an official statement is from South Australia Police, which says it applies leniency “consistent with the manufacturer’s equipment specifications” to allow for differences between instruments, without giving a figure. That is a statement about how the equipment is used, not a promise about what speed will or won’t be fined. The practical upshot: a published buffer is not something you can rely on, so treat the limit as the limit.
Instead of a margin, the official pages talk about testing, certification and human checks. Here is what each says, as at the dates shown in our sources:
| State | What the official pages say | Margin published? |
|---|---|---|
| NSW | The speed-measuring device is calibrated and certified at least every 12 months, and the camera-recording device is certified every 90 days. Operators also check accuracy before a camera starts and after any maintenance or repair. | No |
| Victoria | Cameras are “tested regularly”. Victoria Police must be satisfied an offence occurred before a notice is issued. A separate page covers testing, certification and maintenance. | No |
| Queensland | Calibrated regularly by approved testing entities, with several checks at each deployment. A trained adjudicator reviews every detection before a notice is issued. You can request a calibration certificate from the Department of Transport and Main Roads. | No |
| South Australia | SA Police say equipment is routinely assessed, tested and recalibrated, and that leniency is applied consistent with the manufacturer’s specifications. | No figure given |
| Western Australia | The Road Safety Commission says AI software screens images and a potential offence is reviewed by at least two independent human adjudicators before a notice issues. The page doesn’t cover testing or margins. | Not addressed |
| Tasmania | Every speed camera is tested once a year and after any repair, with a certificate from an independent testing organisation. Mobile cameras are also tested before each enforcement session. Test certificates are published on the Transport Tasmania website. | No |
| ACT | Fixed and mobile systems are calibrated and certified every 12 months by independent officers accredited by NATA, and a camera returns to service only once it has its certificate. Certificates for many camera sites are published. Access Canberra reviews the photos and video before any infringement is issued. | No |
| Northern Territory | We couldn’t find an official page on camera testing or margins. Ask NT Police or the issuing authority. | Couldn’t find one |
This table reflects what we could find on official pages, not a complete picture of how each state operates. Pages change, so check your own state’s page and your notice.
Our speeding fine guide and fine amounts by state cover the rest, and paying before you dispute explains why timing matters.
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No state or territory we checked publishes a tolerance figure on its official camera pages. South Australia Police say leniency is applied consistent with the equipment manufacturer's specifications but give no number. Figures you may see online are not from those official pages, so don't assume you have a buffer.
Official pages don't promise you won't be. They don't publish a margin either way. Your notice states the speed recorded and the limit that applied, so check both. A low-level fine is not automatically wrong, and being only slightly over is not by itself a ground for review.
It varies by state. NSW says the speed-measuring device is calibrated and certified at least every 12 months. The ACT says fixed and mobile systems are calibrated and certified every 12 months, and Tasmania says every camera is tested once a year and after any repair. Queensland says cameras are calibrated regularly, and Victoria says tested regularly.
Sometimes. The ACT and Tasmania publish test certificates on their government websites. Queensland says you can request a calibration certificate by enquiry to the Department of Transport and Main Roads. For other states, ask the issuing authority. A current certificate doesn't mean a notice is correct, and a missing one doesn't mean it's wrong.
Fight My Fine is a self-help tool, not a law firm, and this article is general information, not legal advice. Camera testing practices and published information change and differ by state, so check your own notice and your state’s official pages. Outcomes depend on your circumstances and the issuing authority’s decision, and nothing here is a prediction or guarantee. For serious matters or anything heading to court, speak with a qualified lawyer or a free legal service.