Avondale, AZ Curfew Laws: Juvenile Curfew (2026)
Key Facts
- Under-16 curfew
- 10:00 p.m. to 5:00 a.m.
- 16-17 curfew
- 12:00 a.m. to 5:00 a.m.
- Penalty
- Class 1 misdemeanor
- Listed defenses
- 8, incl. work, school, emergency
- Parent liability
- Knowing permit or insufficient control
Summary
Avondale bars minors under 16 from being away from home between 10:00 p.m. and 5:00 a.m., and 16- and 17-year-olds between midnight and 5:00 a.m., under City Code Sec. 15-20. Parents or guardians who knowingly allow the violation face the same charge, and police must first weigh eight listed defenses before citing anyone.
(b)Offenses.(1)It is unlawful for any minor under the age of sixteen (16) years to be in, about, or upon any place in the city/town away from the property where the youth resides between the hours of 10:00 p.m. and 5:00 a.m. of the following day.(2)It is unlawful for any minor sixteen years (16) of age or older and under the age of eighteen (18) years, to be in, about, or upon any place in the city/town away from the property where the child resides between the hours of 12:00 a.m. and 5:00 a.m.(3)It is unlawful for a parent or guardian of a minor to knowingly permit, or by insufficient control, allow a minor to violate subsection (b)(1) or (2) of this section...(f)Any person convicted of a violation of any provisions of this chapter shall be guilty of a Class 1 misdemeanor. This offense is designated as an incorrigible offense for minors under the jurisdiction of the juvenile court.
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: Code of Ordinances: Supplement 38 Update 1).
Full Breakdown
Section 15-20 splits the curfew by age. the following day. m. A parent or guardian who knowingly permits, or who fails to exercise reasonable supervision over, a minor's violation is charged directly under subsection (b)(3), and a parent who refuses to take custody of a cited minor after a police demand is chargeable under (b)(4). The ordinance lists eight defenses officers must rule out before writing a citation: the minor was with a parent or guardian; traveling interstate with prior permission; commuting directly to or from a job; responding to an emergency; engaged in a permitted school, religious or supervised recreational activity; exercising First Amendment rights with prior permission; married and at least 16 or in the military; or standing on the sidewalk in front of their own or a consenting neighbor's home.
Before any enforcement action, the officer must first try to determine the minor's age and reason for being out, and may not cite or arrest unless no defense is probably present. An officer who arrests a minor for violating subsection (b)(1) or (2) may demand a parent or guardian retrieve the child, take the minor to a pickup location, or, if no one takes custody, take the minor home. Each separate curfew violation is its own offense.
Violations & Fines
A conviction under Sec. 15-20 is a Class 1 misdemeanor, and the code specifically labels it an incorrigible offense placing the minor under juvenile court jurisdiction. Each night a minor is unlawfully out counts as a distinct offense, so repeat stops can stack charges. Parents and guardians who knowingly allow the violation, or who refuse to retake custody when police demand it, are prosecuted under the same section and face the identical Class 1 misdemeanor exposure.
Frequently Asked Questions
What time does Avondale's curfew start for 16- and 17-year-olds?
Can my teen be cited for walking home from a late shift?
Are parents punished if their teen breaks curfew?
What must police confirm before citing a minor for curfew?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Avondale
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Juvenile Curfew in Nearby Cities
How other cities in Maricopa County handle juvenile curfew.