Blue Earth County, MN Curfew Laws: Juvenile Curfew (2026)

Adopted in 2016 under Sec. 11-31 to curb juvenile victimization and crime, the curfew in Sec. 11-33 bars a juvenile age 12 or under from any public place or establishment in Blue Earth County between 9:00 p.m. and 5:00 a.m., and bars a juvenile aged 13 through 17 from the same places between 11:00 p.m. and 5:00 a.m. Before a law enforcement officer can cite, detain, or take a juvenile into custody, the officer must speak with the child, reasonably believe the curfew was violated, and reasonably believe none of the Sec.

11-34 exceptions apply. Those exceptions cover juveniles accompanied by a parent, guardian, or other responsible adult; heading to or from work, school, religious or civic activities; running an errand for a parent; exercising First Amendment rights; traveling interstate; responding to an emergency; or standing on the sidewalk or boulevard next to their own or a neighboring residence. Sec. 11-33(c) also makes it unlawful for a parent or guardian to knowingly or negligently let a juvenile violate the curfew, and Sec. 11-33(d) makes it unlawful for a business proprietor to knowingly let a juvenile remain on the premises during curfew hours; if the proprietor isn't present, the responding officer leaves written notice with an employee and serves the proprietor personally or by certified mail.

The county board reviews the ordinance's effectiveness every year under Sec. 11-36, based on a report the county attorney prepares evaluating violations and juvenile crime.