Farmington Hills's Curfew Laws: The Rules That Matter

Every city handles curfew laws a little differently. In Farmington Hills, Michigan, there are 2 distinct rules that residents and property owners should be aware of. Some are stricter than what neighboring cities enforce, and others are more relaxed. Here is what you need to know.

Park Curfew

Farmington Hills closes every public park between sunset and the following sunrise under City Code § 19-50. Anyone who willfully enters or stays in a park after dark violates the curfew, though city-authorized activities, police officers, and on-duty city employees and agents are exempt.

Key details: Curfew hours: Sunset to sunrise, every public park. Governing section: City Code § 19-50. Exempt: City-authorized activities, police, on-duty city staff. Adopted: Ordinance No. C-4-88, 1988. Default penalty: Up to $500 fine or 90 days jail.

Being in a Farmington Hills park between sunset and sunrise without authorization is a misdemeanor under the Code's general penalty section, § 1-13, since Chapter 19 sets no separate fine for park curfew violations. The penalty is a fine of up to $500.00, up to 90 days in jail, or both, and officers may cite anyone found in a park after dark who is not performing city-authorized duties.

Juvenile Curfew

Farmington Hills bars minors under 12 from public streets and places between 10:00 p.m. and 6:00 a.m. unless accompanied by a parent or delegated adult, and bars minors under 16 from the same places between midnight and 6:00 a.m., under City Code Sec. 18-340. Parent-directed errands are exempt for the older group.

Key details: Under-12 curfew: 10:00 p.m. to 6:00 a.m.. Under-16 curfew: midnight to 6:00 a.m.. Exception: accompanied by parent or delegated adult. Under-16 errand exception: parent-directed errand or business. Governing section: City Code § 18-340.

Section 18-340 carries no penalty clause of its own, so a curfew violation is prosecuted under the Code's general misdemeanor penalty, Sec. 1-13: a fine of not more than $500, imprisonment for not more than 90 days, or both, applied at the court's discretion against the responsible minor or, depending on the circumstances, a parent or guardian.

Compared to other cities, Farmington Hills takes a harder line on juvenile curfew. The enforcement and penalty structure reflects that.

The Bottom Line

Farmington Hills'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 Farmington Hills is broadly strict or permissive.

These rules come from Farmington Hills's publicly available municipal code. For complete penalty schedules, exemption details, and answers to common questions, see the individual ordinance pages throughout this guide.