Doylestown, PA Curfew Laws: Juvenile Curfew (2026)

Bucks County does not administer a countywide juvenile curfew. Municipal authority to impose juvenile curfews derives from the general police power of boroughs (8 Pa.C.S. §1202) and townships (53 P.S. §66501). Typical juvenile curfew ordinances in Bucks apply to persons under 18 (some under 17) during specified nighttime hours: school nights (Sunday through Thursday) typically 10 PM or 11 PM to 6 AM; weekend nights (Friday and Saturday) typically midnight to 6 AM. A daytime truancy curfew may also apply during public school hours to combat school skipping. Enforcing municipalities in Bucks have historically included Bristol Borough, Morrisville, Bensalem Township, Tullytown, and other lower Bucks communities with higher population density. Upper and central Bucks townships (e.g., Doylestown, Buckingham, Newtown) commonly rely on general loitering and PA criminal statutes rather than dedicated curfew ordinances. Standard exceptions include: accompanied by parent/guardian; traveling directly to/from lawful employment; attending a school-sponsored, religious, or community event; medical emergency; and in the case of emancipated minors. PA statute 18 Pa.C.S. §6301 (corruption of minors) provides the broader state framework for adult liability. Enforcement typically proceeds by police returning minors to parents on first offense, with citations issued to parents for repeat violations. Habitual violations may trigger juvenile court referral under 42 Pa.C.S. §6302 (dependent child proceedings). The Bucks County Juvenile Probation Department handles court-referred juveniles.