Fairfax, VA Curfew Laws: Juvenile Curfew (2026)

Fairfax County's juvenile curfew ordinance (Chapter 5, Offenses) restricts the presence of minors under age 17 in public places and certain businesses during late-night hours. Typical curfew hours are 11:00 PM to 5:00 AM Sunday through Thursday and 12:00 AM (midnight) to 5:00 AM Friday and Saturday nights. Public places include streets, parks, parking lots, and other areas open to the public. Authority for the ordinance derives from Virginia Code 18.2-371.2, which permits localities to adopt ordinances making it unlawful for minors to be in public places during curfew hours. Recognized exceptions include: minors accompanied by a parent, legal guardian, or other responsible adult; minors engaged in lawful employment or traveling to or from work; minors responding to an emergency; minors attending a school-sponsored, religious, or civic event (or reasonably returning home from one); minors exercising First Amendment rights (which can be a defense if properly presented); and emancipated minors. First-time violations typically result in a warning or referral to a juvenile services program; repeat or aggravated violations can result in Class 4 misdemeanor charges against the minor and potentially civil penalties against parents who knowingly permit violations. Fairfax County Police enforce the curfew on a discretionary basis, typically in conjunction with other public-safety priorities. The Fairfax County Circuit Court upheld the curfew's constitutionality consistent with the Fourth Circuit's ruling in Schleifer v. City of Charlottesville (1998).