El Monte, CA Curfew Laws: Juvenile Curfew (2026)
Key Facts
- Weeknight curfew
- 10 p.m. to 6 a.m., Sun-Thu
- Weekend curfew
- 12:01 a.m. to 6 a.m., Fri/Sat nights
- Daytime school curfew
- 8:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m., Mon-Fri
- Second offense
- Misdemeanor within 90 days
- Civil penalty
- Up to $1,000 per occurrence
Summary
El Monte bars anyone under 18 from being in public places from 10 p.m. to 6 a.m. on Sunday through Thursday nights, midnight to 6 a.m. on Friday and Saturday nights, and from 8:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. on school days. Parents who knowingly allow violations face misdemeanor charges.
"Curfew hours" means: 1.The periods of time commencing at ten p.m. on each Sunday, Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday, terminating at six a.m. of the next following day; and 2.The periods of time commencing at 12:01 a.m. on each Saturday and Sunday, terminating at six a.m. the next following day. "Daytime curfew" means the periods of time commencing at eight-thirty a.m. terminating at one-thirty p.m. on each Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday and Friday, while schools are in regular session.
Full Breakdown
010. on Monday through Friday while school is in regular session. 020 makes it unlawful for a minor, defined as anyone under 18, to remain in any public place during either curfew period, and separately bars a parent or guardian from knowingly permitting or, through insufficient control, allowing a minor to do so. 030 lists complete defenses, including being accompanied by a parent, running an errand at a parent's direction, traveling in a vehicle, going to or from work, responding to an emergency, attending a school, religious or sponsored recreational activity, exercising constitutional rights such as free speech or assembly, or being a judicially declared emancipated minor.
040, obtained by a parent's written application describing the minor and the reason curfew presence is necessary. The chapter's definitions section clarifies that 'public place' includes streets and the common areas of schools, hospitals, apartment buildings, office buildings, transit facilities and shops, so the curfew reaches more than just outdoor public streets.
Violations & Fines
A minor's first curfew violation is an infraction under Section 9.32.050(A); a second or subsequent violation by the same minor within 90 consecutive days becomes a misdemeanor. A parent or guardian who violates the chapter is guilty of a misdemeanor outright under subsection (B). Any violator, minor or adult, faces a civil penalty of up to $1,000 per occurrence recoverable by the District Attorney or City Attorney, split evenly between the county and city treasuries under subsection (C), and violations are also declared a public nuisance abatable through injunctive relief.
Frequently Asked Questions
What time does El Monte's juvenile curfew start on weeknights?
Can a minor be out working during curfew hours in El Monte?
What happens to a parent if their teen breaks curfew in El Monte?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in El Monte
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