Dakota County, MN Curfew Laws: Juvenile Curfew (2026)
Key Facts
- Under 12 curfew
- 9 p.m. Sun-Thu, 10 p.m. Fri-Sat, until 5 a.m.
- Ages 12-14 curfew
- 10 p.m. Sun-Thu, 11 p.m. Fri-Sat, until 5 a.m.
- Ages 15-17 curfew
- 11 p.m. Sun-Thu; 12:01-5 a.m. Sat/Sun
- Parent/operator violation
- Misdemeanor under Subd. 4(d)-(e)
- Juvenile violation prosecuted under
- Minn. Stat. Sec. 260B.235
- Enacted under authority of
- Minn. Stat. Sec. 145A.05, subd. 7a
Summary
Dakota County Ordinance No. 122 bars juveniles under 18 from public places during set nighttime hours, with the cutoff time varying by age band and by weeknight versus weekend. Parents and business operators who knowingly let a juvenile violate curfew face separate liability under the same ordinance.
It is unlawful for any juvenile age fifteen (15) to seventeen (17) years to be present in any public place within Dakota County: (1) any time between 11:00 p.m. on any Sunday, Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, or Thursday, and 5:00 a.m. of the following day. (2) any time between 12:01 a.m. and 5:00 a.m. on any Saturday or Sunday.
Full Breakdown
In the unincorporated area of Dakota County, Ordinance No. 122 sets three age-based curfew windows. m. on Friday and Saturday nights. curfew Friday and Saturday. m. on Saturday or Sunday. "Public place" is defined broadly to include streets, parks, schools, and the common areas of apartment buildings, offices, and shops. The ordinance also makes it unlawful for a parent or authorized adult to knowingly or negligently let a juvenile violate these hours, and for anyone operating a place of amusement or refreshment open to the public to knowingly and habitually allow a juvenile to remain there during curfew hours.
Nine exceptions apply, including when the juvenile is accompanied by a parent or authorized adult, responding to an emergency, coming from lawful employment, engaged in an adult-supervised school, religious, civic, or recreational activity, running a parent-directed errand, traveling interstate, standing on the sidewalk abutting home or a neighboring residence, exercising First Amendment rights, or homeless. Before citing or arresting a juvenile under Subdivision 4(a)-(c), a peace officer must first ask the person's age and reason for being out and may act only if no exception applies. Ordinance 122 was enacted under Minn. Stat. 05, subd. 7a, replacing the county's original 1995 curfew ordinance.
Violations & Fines
A juvenile's own curfew violation is prosecuted under Minn. Stat. Section 260B.235 in juvenile court rather than as a straight misdemeanor. A parent or authorized adult who knowingly or through negligent supervision habitually lets a juvenile break curfew, and a business operator who knowingly and habitually lets a juvenile remain past curfew, are each guilty of a misdemeanor under Subdivision 4(d) and (e). A business has an affirmative defense if it promptly notified police that a juvenile was present and refused to leave, or if it reasonably relied in good faith on the juvenile's proof of age.
Frequently Asked Questions
What time is curfew for a 16-year-old in unincorporated Dakota County?
Can my teen be out past curfew coming home from work?
Is a parent liable if their child breaks curfew?
Can police stop my child immediately for being out late?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Dakota County
Compare Dakota County to another location·View the Minnesota curfew laws overview
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