Fitchburg, WI Curfew Laws: Juvenile Curfew (2026)
Key Facts
- Curfew hours, Sun-Thu
- 11:00 p.m. to 4:00 a.m.
- Curfew hours, Fri-Sat
- midnight to 5:00 a.m.
- Age covered
- 12 to 16 years old
- Forfeiture range
- $0 to $40.00
- Governing section
- Fitchburg City Code § 70-280
Summary
Fitchburg, Wisconsin bars anyone age 12 to 16 from streets, alleys or other public places after 11 p.m. on school nights and after midnight on weekends, unless an exception applies. Dane County sheriff's deputies and Fitchburg police enforce it under City Code § 70-280, with forfeitures up to $40.
It shall be unlawful for any person at least age 12 years but under the age of 17 years to be upon the streets or alleys or other public places in the city during the following times: (1)From 11:00 p.m. on any Sunday, Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday or Thursday until 4:00 a.m. of the following day;(2)From 12:00 midnight until 5:00 a.m. on Friday or Saturday, unless accompanied by his/her parent, legal guardian, or an adult with permission of a parent or legal guardian, except when:a.There is an emergency involving serious bodily injury;b.Involved in interstate travel;c.Attending or traveling to or from church, school, a civic event, or work; ord.Otherwise exercising First Amendment rights, protected by the United States Constitution, including free exercise of religion, freedom of speech, and the right of assembly;(3)It shall be unlawful for a parent or legal guardian, or an adult with the permission of a parent or legal guardian, to permit any person under his/her control to be in violation of this division
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: Code of Ordinances: Supplement 30).
Full Breakdown
m. on Friday and Saturday nights unless accompanied by a parent, legal guardian, or an adult with a parent's or guardian's permission. The ordinance carves out four exceptions even without an accompanying adult: an emergency involving serious bodily injury, interstate travel, traveling to or from church, school, a civic event or work, and exercising First Amendment rights such as free speech, religion or assembly. The code also makes it unlawful for a parent, legal guardian, or an adult given permission by one, to knowingly permit a minor under their control to violate the curfew.
Section 70-280(4) builds a due-process check into enforcement: an officer may only issue a citation or make an arrest if they first ask the minor's age, ask why the minor is in a public place during curfew hours, and reasonably believe the ordinance has been violated with no exception applying. This curfew division sits separately from the truancy provisions in Sections 70-254 through 70-258 earlier in the same chapter, which address unexcused school absences rather than nighttime presence in public. The current curfew text traces to Comp. Ords. 09(1) and Ord. No. 2004-O-49, adopted December 14, 2004.
Violations & Fines
Violating the curfew, or a parent knowingly permitting a minor to do so, is a forfeiture offense listed in the Chapter 70 forfeiture schedule at Section 70-309: 'Curfew for minors under 17 years' carries a forfeiture range of $0 to $40.00, excluding court costs and other fees. Citations are issued by Fitchburg police officers who must first question the minor about age and reason for being out before writing the ticket.
Frequently Asked Questions
What time does the Fitchburg juvenile curfew start?
Can a minor be out past curfew with a parent?
Are there exceptions to the Fitchburg curfew?
What happens if a Fitchburg minor is caught violating curfew?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Fitchburg
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Juvenile Curfew in Nearby Cities
How other cities in Dane County handle juvenile curfew.