Cherokee County, GA Curfew Laws: Juvenile Curfew (2026)
Key Facts
- Curfew hours
- 11:00 p.m. to 5:00 a.m.
- Who it covers
- Anyone under 18
- Adult supervision exception
- Yes, with parent/guardian/adult
- Errand/work/school exception
- Yes, with parental consent
- First-offense penalty
- Warning citation only
Summary
Minors under 18 cannot loiter in any public place in unincorporated Cherokee County between 11:00 p.m. and 5:00 a.m. under Sec. 38-82. Exceptions cover minors on parental errands, coming from work or school events, or accompanied by an adult guardian.
It is unlawful for a minor, as defined herein, to loiter in any public place within the county between the hours of 11:00 p.m. and 5:00 a.m. of the following day, subject to the definitions and exceptions contained in this section.
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: Code of Ordinances: Supplement 39 | Zoning: Supplement 35).
Full Breakdown
Sec. the following day. "Public place" is defined broadly in subsection (b) to include streets, sidewalks, driveways, highways, and common areas of schools, hospitals, apartments, malls, parking lots, office buildings, playgrounds, vacant lots, and transportation facilities, and "youth" or "minor" means anyone under 18. or a similar out-of-state statute; minors accompanied by a parent, guardian, or other adult with legal care or custody; minors on a specific errand directed by a parent or guardian while actually carrying it out; minors going directly to or from a place of public amusement, school function, or job with parental knowledge and consent; and minors responding to a genuine emergency, defined to include fires, natural disasters, car accidents, or any situation requiring immediate action to prevent serious injury or loss of life.
The curfew was adopted by Ord. No. 2008-O-001, § 2, in the same Article IV that houses the county's loitering, panhandling, and urban camping rules, and shares that article's enforcement scheme under Sec. 38-86.
Violations & Fines
Sec. 38-86 issues a warning citation for a first curfew violation. A second violation is cited to Cherokee County Magistrate Court, where a conviction can bring a fine up to $1,000.00, up to 60 days in the county jail, or both, with the court able to weigh the earlier warning even though it counts the Magistrate Court citation as the "first offense" for sentencing.
Frequently Asked Questions
What time does the juvenile curfew start in Cherokee County?
Can a teen be out after curfew coming home from work in Cherokee County?
Is a minor's first curfew violation punished harshly in Cherokee County?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Cherokee County
Compare Cherokee County to another location·View the Georgia curfew laws overview
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