Fitchburg's Curfew Laws: The Rules That Matter

Every city handles curfew laws a little differently. In Fitchburg, Wisconsin, 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.

Juvenile Curfew

Fitchburg, Wisconsin bars anyone age 12 to 16 from streets, alleys or other public places after 11 p.m. on school nights and after midnight on weekends, unless an exception applies. Dane County sheriff's deputies and Fitchburg police enforce it under City Code § 70-280, with forfeitures up to $40.

Key details: Curfew hours, Sun-Thu: 11:00 p.m. to 4:00 a.m.. Curfew hours, Fri-Sat: midnight to 5:00 a.m.. Age covered: 12 to 16 years old. Forfeiture range: $0 to $40.00. Governing section: Fitchburg City Code § 70-280.

Violating the curfew, or a parent knowingly permitting a minor to do so, is a forfeiture offense listed in the Chapter 70 forfeiture schedule at Section 70-309: 'Curfew for minors under 17 years' carries a forfeiture range of $0 to $40.00, excluding court costs and other fees. Citations are issued by Fitchburg police officers who must first question the minor about age and reason for being out before writing the ticket.

Park Curfew

Fitchburg, Wisconsin closes its public parks between 10:00 p.m. and 6:00 a.m. daily. No one may be or remain in a city park during those hours without written common council permission, though the closure does not stop anyone from passing through on a public roadway without stopping.

Key details: Park closing hours: 10:00 p.m. to 6:00 a.m. daily. Exception: Council written permission for after-hours use. Pass-through allowance: Roadway travel without stopping is not barred. Same hours apply to: Public swimming pools (Sec. 54-22). First offense forfeiture: $25.00 to $500.00.

Section 54-1 sets penalties for any violation of Chapter 54, including the park closing-hours rule, as provided in section 1-21: a forfeiture of $25.00 to $500.00 plus costs for a first offense and $50.00 to $1,000.00 for a repeat offense within a year, with jail time available in default of payment.

The Bottom Line

Fitchburg'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 Fitchburg is broadly strict or permissive.

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