Chesterfield County, VA Curfew Laws: Juvenile Curfew (2026)
Key Facts
- Curfew hours
- 11:00 p.m. to daylight, all under 18
- Exemptions
- Work, school, religious or civic activities
- Disposition
- Va. Code §§ 16.1-278.4, 16.1-278.5
- Enabling statute
- Va. Code § 15.2-926
- Governing section
- County Code § 14-19
Summary
Chesterfield County Code § 14-19 makes it unlawful for anyone under 18 to be on the streets or in public places between 11:00 p.m. and daylight without a parent, guardian or another adult lawfully in charge of them. Work, school and religious or civic activities are exempted, and a minor who violates it is handled under Virginia's juvenile court procedures, not fined directly.
(a)It shall be unlawful for any child under the age of 18 years to be upon the streets or in other public places in the county between 11:00 p.m. and daylight of the following day unless accompanied by a parent, guardian or some adult person lawfully in charge of such child.(b)This section shall not be construed to prohibit children under 18 years of age from discharging their employment duties or attending religious, school or civic organizational functions unaccompanied by a parent, guardian or other adult person.(c)Pursuant to § 15.2-926 of the Code of Virginia, a violation of this ordinance by a minor shall be disposed of as provided in §§ 16.1-278.4 and 16.1-278.5 of the Code of Virginia.
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: Code of Ordinances: Supplement 80).
Full Breakdown
The curfew sits in Chapter 14, Offenses-Miscellaneous, among the county's public-conduct rules, and it applies countywide since Chesterfield has no incorporated towns of its own to carve out an exception. and daylight the next day unless accompanied by a parent, guardian, or another adult lawfully in charge of the child; there is no separate later curfew for weekends or summer. Subsection (b) exempts minors who are out for work, or attending a religious, school or civic organizational function, even without an adult present. 5 of the Code of Virginia," the state's juvenile delinquency disposition statutes, which authorize a juvenile and domestic relations court to impose measures such as counseling, community service, fines payable by a parent, or probation rather than the criminal fines used elsewhere in the county code.
2-926, which lets a locality by ordinance restrict minors from loitering in public places during specified hours, reflecting Virginia's Dillon Rule limits on county lawmaking.
Violations & Fines
A curfew violation is not a standalone misdemeanor with a set fine; instead it goes to the juvenile and domestic relations district court for disposition under Code of Virginia §§ 16.1-278.4 and 16.1-278.5, which let the court order things such as community service, counseling, a curfew-compliance program, or a fine assessed against a parent or guardian who knowingly allowed the violation, rather than jailing or directly fining the minor.
Frequently Asked Questions
What time does Chesterfield County's juvenile curfew start?
Can a teenager be out after 11 p.m. in Chesterfield County for work?
What happens to a minor caught violating the Chesterfield County curfew?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Chesterfield County
Compare Chesterfield County to another location·View the Virginia curfew laws overview
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