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Coweta County, GA Curfew Laws: Juvenile Curfew (2026)

Significant Restrictions
Compiled from the official code textEditor Martyn O'NeillLast verified August 2026

Key Facts

Curfew hours
12:00 midnight to 6:00 a.m.
Covered age
Under 16 years old
First offense
Warning citation only
Repeat offense
Up to $1,000 fine or 60 days jail
Exceptions
5 listed, incl. work, school, First Amendment activity
Source
1985 Code § 11.5-3; Ord. of 5-15-92

Summary

Coweta County bars minors under 16 from unsupervised presence on streets, parks and other public places between midnight and 6:00 a.m., and separately punishes any parent or guardian who lets that happen. First offenses draw a warning; repeat violations carry up to a $1,000.00 fine or 60 days in jail under Code of Ordinances § 42-31.

These county ordinances apply to unincorporated areas of Coweta County. Incorporated cities within the county may have their own rules that take precedence over county-level regulations.

(a)Curfew: It is unlawful for any minor under 16 years of age to loiter, wander, stroll or play in or upon the public streets, highways, roads, alleys, parks, playgrounds or other public grounds, public places, public buildings, places of amusement, eating places, vacant lots or any place unsupervised by an adult having the lawful authority to be at such places, between the hours of 12:00 midnight on any day and 6:00 a.m. of the following day. ... (b)Penalty: It shall be unlawful for the parent, guardian, or other person having custody or control of any child under 16 years of age to permit, or by insufficient control, to allow, such child to be in or upon the public streets or any other places between the hours of 12:00 midnight on any day and 6:00 a.m. the following day, except in circumstances set out in subsections (1) through (5) of subsection (a). Upon conviction of violation of this section for the first time, a person shall be given a warning citation. Upon further convictions, a person shall be subject to a fine not to exceed $1,000.00 and costs, or imprisonment in the county jail for not more than 60 days...

View official code

Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: Code of Ordinances: Supplement 40).

Full Breakdown

m. Five exceptions apply: a minor accompanied by a parent, guardian, or other adult with lawful custody; a minor on an emergency errand directed by a parent or guardian; a minor returning directly home from a school activity, entertainment, recreational activity, or dance; a minor returning directly home from lawful employment; and a minor traveling to or from an activity involving First Amendment speech, assembly, or religious exercise. Subsection (b) creates a parallel offense for the adult side: it is unlawful for a parent, guardian, or other person having custody or control of any child under 16 years of age to permit, or by insufficient control, to allow, the child to be out during curfew hours outside those same five exceptions.

00, up to 60 days in the county jail, up to 60 days of court-ordered work on county or public roads, or any combination the court chooses. The section expressly makes each violation a separate offense, so repeated curfew breaches by the same minor or household can stack additional counts.

Violations & Fines

A minor's own curfew violation is punished the same way as the parental offense in subsection (b): a warning citation for a first offense, then up to a $1,000.00 fine, up to 60 days in jail, or up to 60 days of county road or public works labor for later convictions, with every separate night of violation counted individually.

Frequently Asked Questions

What time does the Coweta County juvenile curfew start?
Midnight. Section 42-31(a) makes it unlawful for anyone under 16 to be in public places, unsupervised, between 12:00 midnight and 6:00 a.m., covering streets, parks, playgrounds, eating places and vacant lots.
Can parents be cited if their teen breaks curfew?
Yes. Section 42-31(b) separately punishes a parent or guardian who permits or, through insufficient control, allows a child under 16 to be out during curfew hours. A first offense is a warning; later offenses can bring a $1,000 fine or 60 days in jail.
Is a teenager coming home from work exempt from curfew?
Yes, if returning directly home from lawful employment that requires being out during curfew hours. The ordinance also exempts minors on emergency errands, accompanied by an adult, coming from school or recreational activities, or exercising First Amendment rights.
Does the curfew apply to 17-year-olds?
No. Section 42-31 only covers minors under 16 years of age; 16- and 17-year-olds are not subject to this curfew ordinance.

Sources & Official References

Other rules in Coweta County

All Coweta County rules

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