How Inglewood Handles Curfew Laws: A Practical Guide

Inglewood maintains 151 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 Inglewood falls on the strict-to-permissive spectrum compared to other cities.

Juvenile Curfew

Inglewood bars anyone under 18 from public streets, parks and businesses between 10 p.m. and sunrise on school nights, and between 11 p.m. and sunrise on Friday and Saturday, under City Code Section 5-9. Exceptions cover minors with a parent, on a directed errand, or heading straight home from a supervised activity.

Key details: Sun-Thu curfew: 10:00 p.m. to sunrise. Fri-Sat curfew: 11:00 p.m. to sunrise. Applies to: minors under 18. Max penalty: $500 fine or 6 months jail. Daytime rule: 8:30 a.m.-1:30 p.m. school days.

Each curfew violation under Section 5-9 is treated as a separate offense. Section 5-9.8 sets the penalty for violations of this Chapter at a fine not to exceed $500, imprisonment not to exceed six months, or both, at the court's discretion. A parent or guardian who knowingly aids a minor's curfew violation under Section 5-10, or who fails to exercise reasonable control under Section 5-9.7, is guilty of a separate misdemeanor. Officers may detain a minor and contact a parent or guardian rather than cite the case directly to court.

Park Curfew

Inglewood parks close overnight: Section 5-67(k) bars entering, remaining or loitering in any public park between 11:00 p.m. and one hour before sunrise. Siminski Park has its own earlier curfew starting at sunset under subsection (l). Violators without written Director permission are subject to the City's general park-offense enforcement.

Key details: Citywide park curfew: 11:00 p.m. to one hour before sunrise. Siminski Park curfew: sunset to one hour before sunrise. Exception: written permission from the Director. Governing section: Municipal Code § 5-67(k), (l). Skate parks: separate dawn-to-dusk hours (§ 5-70.3).

Being in a public park after 11:00 p.m. (or after sunset at Siminski Park) without the Director's written permission violates Section 5-67(k) or (l). Appeals from a Director's determination under this Article go first to the Administrative Officer and, if still contested, to the Parks and Recreation Commission and ultimately the City Council under Sections 5-68 and 5-69, but enforcement in the field is handled by police as a park-code violation.

The Bottom Line

Inglewood'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 Inglewood is broadly strict or permissive.

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