Columbus, OH Curfew Laws: Juvenile Curfew (2026)
Key Facts
- Under 13 curfew
- sunset+1hr to 4:30 a.m.
- 13-and-older curfew
- midnight to 4:30 a.m.
- Exemptions
- parent escort, work, school, military
- 13+ violation penalty
- 3rd-degree misdemeanor
Summary
Minors under 13 may not be out in public from one hour after sunset until 4:30 a.m.; minors 13 and older face a midnight-to-4:30-a.m. curfew unless working, in the military, or a full-time student, under Columbus City Codes § 2319.30.
(A)No minor under the age of thirteen years shall loiter, idle, wander, stroll, or play in or upon the public streets, other public places, places of amusement and entertainment, vacant lots or other unsupervised places during the period from one hour after sunset to 4:30 a.m. of the following day, official city time.(B)No minor thirteen years of age or older shall loiter, idle, wander, stroll or play upon the public streets, other public places, places of amusement and entertainment, vacant lots or other unsupervised places, between the hours of midnight and 4:30 a.m. of the following day, official city time, if the minor is not a member of the United States Military or a registered full-time student at a business school or institution of higher learning.(C)The provisions of divisions (A) and (B) of this section do not apply to a minor accompanied by the minor's parents, guardian or other adult person having the care and custody of the minor, or where the minor is upon an emergency errand or legitimate business directed by the minor's parents, guardian, or other adult person having the care and custody of the minor.(D)Whoever violates division (B) of this section is guilty of curfew violation, a misdemeanor of the third degree. (Ord. 2535-94; Ord. No. 2019-2021, § 1, 7-26-2021)
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: Code of Ordinances: Supplement 85 | Form Based Code: ?).
Full Breakdown
Columbus bars minors under 13 from loitering, wandering, or playing on public streets, in public places, or at places of amusement between one hour after sunset and 4:30 a.m. Minors 13 or older face the same restriction between midnight and 4:30 a.m., unless they are in the U.S. military or a registered full-time student at a business school or institution of higher learning. Both groups are exempt if accompanied by a parent, guardian, or other adult with custody, or if out on an emergency errand or legitimate business directed by that adult.
Violations & Fines
Violating the 13-and-older curfew (division B) is a third-degree misdemeanor. A parent who negligently allows a minor to violate § 2319.30 is separately guilty of parental neglect, also a third-degree misdemeanor, under § 2319.31.
Frequently Asked Questions
What time does Columbus's curfew apply to teenagers?
Can parents be cited if their child breaks curfew?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Columbus
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