Juvenile Curfew Ordinance Facts

The ordinance generally prohibits minors (under the age of 18 years) from being in any public area between the hours of 11:00 p.m. and 5:00 a.m. seven days a week.  The ordinance was adopted to promote the safety of the City’s youngest and most vulnerable residents from becoming participants or victims of crimes. 

The primary exceptions to the curfew are:

• The curfew does not apply if the minor is accompanied by a parent, guardian, or other adult standing in as parent with care or physical custody of the minor.
• The curfew does not apply when the minor is engaged in or returning directly home from volunteer or paid employment.  We encourage such minors to carry proof of their employment with them (e.g. employee ID card, uniform, etc.). 
• The curfew does not apply when the minor is attending or returning directly home from an adult-supervised activity that is sponsored by a school, religious, cultural or civic organization, public agency or similar agency or entity.
• The curfew does not apply when the minor is on the sidewalk directly abutting his or her home.
• The curfew does not apply if the minor is on an errand at the direction of his or her parent and has a written and dated authorization from the parent with the following information:  name, signature, address and telephone number where the parent can be reached during the errand; the name of the minor; brief description of the minor; brief description of the errand and destination; and the hours that the minor is authorized to be engaged in the errand.

In addition, the ordinance makes it unlawful for a parent to knowingly permit a curfew violation.  Further, operators of establishments (e.g. restaurants, theaters) who knowingly allow a juvenile to remain on premises after curfew hours would also be a violation of the ordinance