Cleveland, OH Curfew Laws: Juvenile Curfew (2026)
Key Facts
- Age 12 and under
- barred darkness to dawn
- Ages 13-14
- 9:30 p.m.-6:00 a.m.
- Ages 15-16
- 11:00 p.m.-6:00 a.m.
- Age 17
- midnight-6:00 a.m.
- Parent 1st offense
- 4th-degree misdemeanor
- Parent repeat offense
- 3rd-degree misdemeanor
- Last amended
- Ord. No. 860-2023 (10-2-23)
Summary
Cleveland's curfew, Codified Ordinances § 605.14, tiers by age: kids 12 and under are barred from public places from darkness to dawn, 13-14 by 9:30 p.m., 15-16 by 11:00 p.m., and 17-year-olds by midnight, all until 6:00 a.m., unless with a parent or approved adult.
No child twelve (12) years of age or under shall be upon the streets or sidewalks or in a park or any other public place during the period from darkness to dawn, nor shall any child between the ages of thirteen (13) and fourteen (14), inclusive, be upon the streets or sidewalks or in any park or other public place between 9:30 p.m. and 6:00 a.m. nor shall any child between the ages of fifteen (15) and sixteen (16), inclusive, be upon the streets or sidewalks or in any park or other public place between the hours of 11:00 p.m. and 6:00 a.m., nor shall any child seventeen (17) years of age be upon the streets or sidewalks between the hours of midnight and 6:00 a.m., unless the child is accompanied by a parent or legal guardian, or a responsible adult selected by the parent or legal guardian to supervise the child.
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: 2026 S-28: Current through legislation passed September 1, 2026).
Full Breakdown
14(a) sets four age tiers. m. The restriction lifts if the child is accompanied by a parent, legal guardian, or a responsible adult the parent or guardian has designated to supervise. Division (b) imposes an independent duty on every parent or guardian of a child seventeen or under to prevent the violation, and negligently failing to do so is itself an offense. Division (c) gives parents an affirmative defense if they had already initiated Juvenile Court jurisdiction over the child before the violation, or can show through employer records that the child was reasonably presumed en route to or from work.
A child who breaks curfew is deemed an "unruly child" subject to Juvenile Court jurisdiction under division (d); the ordinance was last amended by Ord. No. 860-2023, passed October 2, 2023.
Violations & Fines
Under § 605.14(e), a parent or guardian's first offense for negligently failing to supervise is a fourth-degree misdemeanor requiring a court-ordered "root cause analysis," mandatory participation in family support programs, and up to $250 in supervised community service under RC 2951.02. A second or subsequent parental offense is a third-degree misdemeanor. Enforcement may proceed by citation under Ohio Criminal Rule 4.1. The child themselves faces Juvenile Court referral as an unruly child rather than a criminal charge.
Frequently Asked Questions
What time is Cleveland's curfew for a 16-year-old?
Can a parent be charged if their child breaks curfew?
Is there an exception for a curfew-age teen coming home from work?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Cleveland
Compare Cleveland to another location·View the Ohio curfew laws overview
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Juvenile Curfew in Nearby Cities
How other cities in Cuyahoga County handle juvenile curfew.