North Carolina and Connecticut both take part in the Drivers License Compact (DLC) which requires member states to report back to the state in which a person is licensed moving violations which the person was convicted. So the Connecticut court should inform the NC Department of Transportation (DOT) of the running a red light ticket if you pay the fine and thus are convicted of the offense.

Once the NC DOT turns this information over to their Division of Motor Vehicles, which keeps drivers' records, it should be placed on your driving record according to the Driver Handbook which talks about out of state convictions and how they are listed on your driving record. Points are not typically put on your NC driving record for out of state tickets.

Even though points will not be assigned, if the CT citation makes it onto your North Carolina driving record, than your insurance company may see it the next time they pull your MVR. At that point, depending upon your insurance provider's rating system; it could affect your insurance premiums.

If you do go to court and fight the ticket and win, thus found not guilty, then there would be no conviction to be reported to North Carolina. Or if you get the ticket reduced to a non-moving violation then that would not be reported to the NC DOT either. You may try contacting the CT court listed on your red light ticket to find out if there is traffic school or another option to keep this ticket from being reported to North Carolina if you cannot make it back to appear in court and fight it.