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Elgin, IL Curfew Laws: Juvenile Curfew (2026)

Some Restrictions
Compiled from the official code textEditor Martyn O'NeillLast verified September 2026

Key Facts

Curfew age
Under 17 years old
Weeknight hours
11 p.m. to 6 a.m., Sun-Thu
Weekend hours
12:01 a.m. to 6 a.m., Fri/Sat nights
Max fine
$500 per offense
Governing law
Elgin Municipal Code § 10.41.020

Summary

Elgin bars anyone under 17 from public places between 11 p.m. and 6 a.m. Sunday through Thursday, and from 12:01 a.m. to 6 a.m. on Friday and Saturday nights. Nine exceptions cover parents, work, errands and First Amendment activity, with fines up to $500.

It is unlawful for any person less than seventeen (17) years of age to be present at or upon any public assembly, building, place, street or highway at the following times: A. Between one minute after twelve o'clock (12:01) a.m. and six o'clock (6:00) a.m. Saturday; B. Between one minute after twelve o'clock (12:01) a.m. and six o'clock (6:00) a.m. Sunday; C. Between eleven o'clock (11:00) p.m. on Sunday to Thursday, inclusive, and six o'clock (6:00) a.m. on the following day;

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 7).

Full Breakdown

m. the following day. ; employment the state authorizes a minor to perform; exercising First Amendment rights after written notice to the police chief's designee; reasonable necessity communicated in advance to police; being on the juvenile's own residential property; interstate travel with parental consent; marriage; and an establishment operator who has already notified police that a juvenile refused to leave. 050 imposes parallel liability on establishment operators who knowingly let a juvenile remain during curfew hours. 060 requires an officer to identify the juvenile, contact a parent or guardian, and hold the juvenile up to three hours pending pickup; a first violation draws a written warning, with repeat violations referred to the police department's youth empowerment program.

070 sets penalties at $100 for a first offense, rising by $100 increments per subsequent offense up to a $500 maximum, applied separately to the juvenile, the parent, and any operator.

Violations & Fines

A first curfew violation is handled by written warning to the parent or guardian; each violation thereafter draws a fine starting at $100 and increasing by $100 per offense, capping at $500, plus court costs. The escalating fine schedule applies separately to the juvenile, a noncompliant parent, and any establishment operator who knowingly lets a minor remain past curfew.

Frequently Asked Questions

What time does Elgin's juvenile curfew start on weekends?
On nights leading into Saturday and Sunday, the curfew runs from 12:01 a.m. to 6:00 a.m. On Sunday through Thursday nights, the curfew is stricter and starts earlier, from 11:00 p.m. to 6:00 a.m. the next morning, under Section 10.41.020.
Can a minor be out past curfew running an errand for a parent?
Yes, but only until 1:00 a.m. Section 10.41.030(C) exempts a juvenile on an errand directed by a parent, but the exception itself expires at 1:00 a.m., after which the juvenile must be off public places even while on a parent-directed errand.
Can Elgin fine a business for letting a minor stay past curfew?
Yes. Section 10.41.050 makes it unlawful for an establishment operator to knowingly permit a juvenile to remain during curfew hours, and Section 10.41.070 fines operators starting at $100 for a first offense and rising to a $500 maximum for repeat violations.

Sources & Official References

Other rules in Elgin

All Elgin rules

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