Chattanooga, TN Curfew Laws: Juvenile Curfew (2026)
Key Facts
- Ages 17-18
- 11pm-6am weeknights, midnight weekends
- Ages 16 and under
- 10pm-6am weeknights, 11pm weekends
- Parent fine
- Up to $50 per offense
- Governing section
- Chattanooga City Code § 25-2
Summary
Chattanooga enforces a nightly curfew for minors: those 16 and under must be off the streets by 10 p.m. on weeknights and 11 p.m. on weekends, with 17- and 18-year-olds getting an extra hour.
(a)It is unlawful for any minor between seventeen (17) and eighteen (18) years of age to remain in or upon any public street, highway, park, vacant lot, establishment or other public place within the county during the following time frames:(1)Monday through Thursday between the hours of eleven o'clock p.m. (11:00 p.m.) to six o'clock a.m. (6:00 a.m.); and(2)Friday through Sunday between the hours of twelve o'clock (12:00) midnight to six o'clock a.m. (6:00 a.m.).
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: Code of Ordinances: Supplement 40 Update 1).
Full Breakdown
Sec. 25-2 bars minors 17 to 18 from public streets, parks, and other public places from 11 p.m. to 6 a.m. Monday through Thursday and midnight to 6 a.m. Friday through Sunday. Minors 16 and under face an earlier curfew: 10 p.m. to 6 a.m. weeknights and 11 p.m. to 6 a.m. weekends. Exceptions cover minors accompanied by a parent, coming home from work or a school event, or running an errand for a parent.
Violations & Fines
Parents who knowingly allow a violation face a City Court fine up to $50 per offense. A minor caught violating is treated as an unruly-act case in Hamilton County Juvenile Court, not City Court.
Frequently Asked Questions
What time does curfew start for a 15-year-old in Chattanooga?
Can a Chattanooga teen be out late coming home from work?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Chattanooga
Compare Chattanooga to another location·View the Tennessee curfew laws overview
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