Curfew Laws in New Orleans, LA

If you live in New Orleans or are thinking about moving there, curfew laws are one of those things you probably won't think about until they affect you directly. New Orleans has 2 specific rules on the books covering different aspects of curfew laws, and some of them might surprise you.

Juvenile Curfew

New Orleans bars minors under 18 from public places and business premises during school hours (6:00 a.m.-3:15 p.m. on school days), nightly from 8:00 or 9:00 p.m. depending on season, and from 11:00 p.m. on Fridays and Saturdays, under City Code § 54-414. A stricter 8:00 p.m. curfew applies every night of the week inside the French Quarter and Marigny.

Key details: Governing section: New Orleans Code § 54-414. School-hours curfew: 6:00 a.m.-3:15 p.m., school days. Summer weeknight curfew: 9:00 p.m.-6:00 a.m.. School-year weeknight curfew: 8:00 p.m.-6:00 a.m.. Weekend curfew: 11:00 p.m.-6:00 a.m..

A custodian who permits or fails to control a minor's curfew violation is fined up to $500.00, with a third offense referred to the district attorney for possible action under the Louisiana Children's Code. An establishment operator or employee who knowingly allows a minor to stay past curfew faces a fine of up to $500.00 or imprisonment up to six months, or both, with each day of continued violation charged as a separate offense.

This is not one of those rules that cities tend to ignore. New Orleans actively enforces its juvenile curfew requirements.

Park Curfew

City Park in New Orleans opens daily one-half hour before official sunrise and closes one-half hour after official sunset, when everyone must leave. Anyone found in the park after hours without special written permission is presumed to be disturbing the peace and damaging park property under Section 106-300.

Key details: Hours: ½ hr before sunrise to ½ hr after sunset. Overnight rule: No camping/sleeping without written permission. After-hours presumption: Presumed disturbing the peace & damaging property. Drug-free zone: §106-302. Sex offenders: Barred absent CEO registration, §106-303.

Being in City Park's closed areas after the vacate time without written permission is treated as disturbing the peace, and the person is presumed to have damaged park grass, foliage or property: the ordinance does not require the city to prove actual damage. Overnight parking, sleeping or camping without City Park management's advance written permission is separately prohibited. The article does not state a specific fine, so violations fall under the Code's general penalty, Section 1-13.

The Bottom Line

New Orleans'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 New Orleans is broadly strict or permissive.

All of the above reflects New Orleans'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.