How Brentwood Handles Curfew Laws: A Practical Guide
Brentwood maintains 142 local ordinances across all categories, and 2 of those deal specifically with curfew laws. Here is a breakdown of what the city actually requires, what is prohibited, and where Brentwood falls on the strict-to-permissive spectrum compared to other cities.
Juvenile Curfew
Brentwood bars minors under 18 from public places between 10 p.m. and midnight Sunday through Thursday, and from 12:01 a.m. to 5 a.m. every night including weekends, under Brentwood Municipal Code Section 9.68.010. Violators face misdemeanor charges, and parents who knowingly let a minor break curfew are guilty of a misdemeanor themselves under Section 9.68.030.
Key details: Weeknight curfew: 10:00 p.m. to midnight, Sun-Thu. Overnight curfew: 12:01 a.m. to 5:00 a.m., every night. Enforcing agency: Brentwood Police Department. Violation classification: Misdemeanor for minor and for parent. Adopted: Ordinance 626 (1999), amended Ordinance 954 (2015).
Both the curfew violation itself (Section 9.68.010(C)) and a parent's knowing permission of it (Section 9.68.030) are charged as misdemeanors. Brentwood's general penalty section, Municipal Code Section 1.20.010, sets misdemeanor punishment at a fine up to $1,000, up to six months in jail, or both, unless the city attorney elects to charge the matter as a lesser infraction.
This is not one of those rules that cities tend to ignore. Brentwood actively enforces its juvenile curfew requirements.
Park Curfew
Brentwood parks are open only from sunrise to sunset unless otherwise posted, and Municipal Code Section 7.02.090 bars anyone from entering or staying between sunset and sunrise without a permit or the director's or police chief's permission. Entering a closed or locked park is a separate trespassing violation.
Key details: Default park hours: Sunrise to sunset. After-hours access: Permit or director/police permission only. Restroom hours: Set separately by the director. Minimum misdemeanor fine: $1,000. Enforcing officials: Parks director or chief of police.
Violating the park curfew or trespassing into a closed park is enforced as a misdemeanor under Section 7.07.020, punishable by a fine of at least $1,000, imprisonment up to six months, or both, or the city may instead issue an administrative citation under Chapter 1.24. Brentwood police officers or the parks director can also order a person to leave under Section 7.02.100 without waiting for a citation to issue.
The Bottom Line
Brentwood's curfew laws rules are a mixed bag. Some areas are strict, others are relaxed, and the details matter. The best approach is to check the specific rule that applies to your situation rather than assuming Brentwood is broadly strict or permissive.
All of the above reflects Brentwood's municipal code as of our last review. If you need specifics on fines, exemptions, or filing requirements, the detailed ordinance pages linked above have the full breakdown.