Jonesboro, AR Curfew Laws: Juvenile Curfew (2026)
Key Facts
- Weeknight curfew
- Midnight to 5 a.m., Sun-Thu
- Weekend curfew
- 1 a.m. to 5 a.m., Fri-Sat
- Covered persons
- Anyone under age 18
- First violation
- Written warning only
- Parent fine range
- $100.00 to $500.00
- Repeat juvenile
- Referred after 3+ violations
Summary
Jonesboro bans anyone under 18 from city streets from midnight to 5 a.m. Sunday through Thursday, and from 1 a.m. to 5 a.m. Friday and Saturday. Police issue a written warning on a first violation before parents face fines.
Sec. 46-104. - Times of curfew. (a)It shall be unlawful for any person under the age of 18, as defined in section 46-99, to be or remain in or upon the streets within the city at night during the time of 12:00 midnight to 5:00 a.m. on Sunday through Thursday nights and from 1:00 a.m. to 5:00 a.m. on Friday and Saturday nights.
Sec. 46-101. - Penalty. For parental offenses, a parent may be fined not less than $100.00, nor more than $500.00. Any juvenile who shall violate any of the provisions of this division more than three times shall be reported by the chief of police to the juvenile authorities and/or other appropriate authorities as a juvenile in need of supervision.
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: Code of Ordinances: Supplement 16).
Full Breakdown
start on weekends recognizing later weekend activity. "Street" is defined broadly in § 46-99 to include shopping centers, parking lots, playgrounds and public housing common areas, not just roadways. Six exceptions in § 46-104(b) let a minor stay out during curfew: accompanied by a parent or an authorized adult 21 or older, exercising First Amendment rights after filing written notice with the police department, returning home within one hour of a school or civic activity that was pre-filed with police, engaged in bona fide employment travel, or passing through the city in a vehicle.
Under § 46-102, an officer who reasonably suspects a curfew violation must notify the juvenile, take identifying information, and use best judgment on age if it is unclear. Section 46-103 makes it unlawful for a parent to knowingly allow a juvenile to violate the curfew, and indifference to the child's whereabouts is not a defense. The city council's findings in § 46-100 cite rising juvenile crime, noisy and rowdy behavior, breaking and entering, and violent offenses as the basis for the ordinance.
Violations & Fines
A juvenile's first violation draws only a written warning delivered to the parent by certified mail or direct service under § 46-103(3). If the parent then permits a second violation, § 46-101 treats it as the parent's first offense, carrying a fine of not less than $100.00 nor more than $500.00. A juvenile who violates the curfew more than three times is reported by the chief of police to juvenile authorities as a juvenile in need of supervision.
Frequently Asked Questions
What time does Jonesboro's juvenile curfew start?
Can my teen be out past curfew for work or school events?
What happens the first time a minor is caught out past curfew?
How much can a parent be fined for a curfew violation?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Jonesboro
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