Highland, CA Curfew Laws: Juvenile Curfew (2026)

In the City of Highland, "curfew hours" run from 10:00 p.m. on any day until 6:00 a.m. of the following day (§ 9.16.010 A). Under § 9.16.020 A a minor, meaning anyone under 18, commits an offense by remaining in any public place or on the premises of any establishment within the city during those hours. "Public place" covers public streets, highways, roads, alleys, parks, playgrounds, public buildings, places of amusement, apartment houses, office buildings, transport facilities and shops, and "remain" includes failing to leave when a police officer or the person in control of the premises asks.

The chapter also reaches adults. A parent, guardian or other adult with care and custody of a minor subject to compulsory education commits an offense by knowingly permitting, or by insufficient control allowing, the minor to remain out during curfew hours (§ 9.16.020 C). The owner, operator or any employee of an establishment commits an offense by knowingly allowing a minor to remain on the premises (§ 9.16.020 D). Section 9.16.050 gives an establishment a defense if it promptly notified the police department that the minor was present and refused to leave.

Section 9.16.030 lists nine defenses to a curfew charge: accompaniment by a parent, guardian or responsible adult; an errand for a parent or guardian without detour or stop; interstate travel in a motor vehicle; employment, or travel to or from it without detour or stop; an emergency; the sidewalk abutting the minor's residence or a next-door neighbor's residence if the neighbor did not complain to the police department; a supervised school, religious or recreational activity sponsored by the city, a civic organization or a similar entity; marriage or emancipation; and exercising First Amendment rights. Before any citation or arrest, § 9.16.060 A requires the officer to ask the apparent offender's age and reason for being in the public place, and bars enforcement unless the officer reasonably believes no defense applies.