Gardena, CA Curfew Laws: Juvenile Curfew (2026)
Key Facts
- Curfew hours
- 11:00 p.m. to 6:00 a.m.
- Minor defined
- Under 18 years old
- Charge
- Misdemeanor for minor and parent/guardian
- Daytime school curfew
- 8:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. on school days
- Home exception
- Sidewalk by own or adjacent residence, no complaint
Summary
In the City of Gardena, anyone under eighteen may not be in a public place or on the premises of a business between 11:00 p.m. and 6:00 a.m., and a parent or guardian who knowingly lets a minor stay out during those hours is also guilty of a misdemeanor.
It is unlawful for a minor to remain in any public place or on the premises of any establishment within the city during curfew hours. It is also unlawful for a parent or guardian of a minor to knowingly permit, or by insufficient control, allow a minor for whom they are responsible, to remain in any public place or on the premises of any establishment within the city during curfew hours. Any person in violation of these curfew restrictions shall be guilty of a misdemeanor.
Full Breakdown
Gardena Municipal Code § 9.32.020 sets the nighttime curfew: it is unlawful for a minor, defined in § 9.32.010 as anyone under eighteen, to remain in any public place or on the premises of any establishment during curfew hours, which the same section defines as 11:00 p.m. to 6:00 a.m. the following day. The ordinance reaches parents and guardians too, making it unlawful for a responsible party to knowingly permit, or through insufficient control allow, a minor in their care to remain out during those hours, and any violation of the curfew restrictions is a misdemeanor.
Section 9.32.030 lists defenses available to a cited minor, including being accompanied by a parent, guardian, or responsible adult; running an errand at a parent's direction without detour; coming directly from work or an emergency; standing on the sidewalk next to the minor's own home or an immediately adjacent residence absent a complaint to police; returning directly from a school, religious, or civic activity; exercising First Amendment rights; or being an emancipated or married minor. Gardena separately enforces a daytime school curfew under § 9.32.050, barring minors subject to compulsory education from public streets and places between 8:30 a.m. and 1:30 p.m. on school days, subject to its own list of exceptions such as a written excuse or medical appointment.
Violations & Fines
A curfew violation under § 9.32.020 is a misdemeanor for both the minor and any responsible parent or guardian who knowingly permitted it. Enforcing officers may also recover police service costs, defined in § 9.32.010 as the administrative and transportation costs of returning the minor home, from the responsible party. The Gardena Police Department enforces curfew stops, and a valid defense under § 9.32.030 must be raised at prosecution.
Frequently Asked Questions
What time is the youth curfew in Gardena?
Can a parent be cited for a Gardena curfew violation?
Are there exceptions to Gardena's curfew?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Gardena
California rules heatmap·Compare Gardena to another location·View the California curfew laws overview
See something wrong?
Help us keep this page accurate. If you notice an error or outdated information, let us know.
Juvenile Curfew in Nearby Cities
How other cities in Los Angeles County handle juvenile curfew.