Saint Paul's Curfew Laws: The Rules That Matter

Every city handles curfew laws a little differently. In Saint Paul, Minnesota, 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

Saint Paul closes its parks overnight. Section 170.02 bars anyone but on-duty city employees from entering a park or park property between 11:00 p.m. and daylight, except for direct pass-through travel on a public street through the park or with a permit from the parks and recreation director, who can also adjust posted hours for individual parks.

Key details: Park curfew: 11:00 p.m. to daylight, citywide default. Enforced by: Director, parks staff, peace officers. Exception: Direct pass-through on a public street. Exception: Written permit from the parks director. Refusal to leave: Misdemeanor.

Being in a park after curfew without a permit or without passing directly through on a public way can result in an order to leave under Section 170.10(d); refusing to leave, or returning to the park later the same calendar day after being ordered out, is a misdemeanor. Violations of the parking or boating curfews in Sections 170.05(b) and 170.07(g) are enforced under the same chapter.

Juvenile Curfew

Saint Paul bars minors from public streets, parks, and other unsupervised public places during set curfew hours: 10:00 p.m. to 4:00 a.m. for minors 15 and under, and 12:01 a.m. to 4:00 a.m. for those 16 and 17. Parents who knowingly allow violations, and businesses that let curfew-breaking minors linger, face separate liability under the same chapter.

Key details: Ages 15 and under: 10:00 p.m.–4:00 a.m. curfew. Ages 16–17: 12:01 a.m.–4:00 a.m. curfew. Parent liability: Unlawful to permit a violation. Business duty: Must notify police if minor stays. Penalty: Misdemeanor, up to $1,000 fine or 90 days.

Violating the curfew, permitting a minor to violate it as a parent or guardian, or letting a minor stay past curfew as a business proprietor are each misdemeanors under Legislative Code § 1.05, punishable by a fine up to $1,000, up to 90 days in jail, or both. Saint Paul police may stop and question a minor found in a public place during restricted hours to confirm whether an exception under Section 229.04 applies.

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

The Bottom Line

Saint Paul'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 Saint Paul is broadly strict or permissive.

Keep in mind that Saint Paul can amend these rules at any council meeting. For the most current version of any rule mentioned here, check the specific ordinance page, where we track updates as they happen.