Knoxville, TN Curfew Laws: Juvenile Curfew (2026)
Key Facts
- Curfew hours
- 12:00 a.m. to 5:00 a.m.
- Covered ages
- anyone under 18
- Statutory defenses
- 6 listed, incl. parent, work, school event
- Constitutional carve-out
- First Amendment activity exempt
- Home exception
- own or next-door sidewalk, absent a complaint
- Penalty
- general penalty, up to $50 fine, 30 days (§1-9)
Summary
Knoxville bars anyone under 18 from loitering, wandering or playing in public streets, parks, vacant lots and other unsupervised places between midnight and 5:00 a.m. Six specific defenses excuse a minor found out during those hours, including being with a parent, coming from work, or exercising First Amendment rights.
Sec. 19-213. - Curfew. (a)Except as provided in subsection (b) of this section, a child who has not reached his eighteenth birthday shall not loiter, idle, wander or play in or upon the public streets, highways, alleys, parks, playgrounds, schools or public grounds, public places, public buildings, places of amusement and entertainment, vacant lots or other unsupervised places between the hours of 12:00 a.m. and 5:00 a.m. This prohibition shall not apply to a child exercising rights protected by the First Amendment of the United States Constitution, such as the free exercise of religion, freedom of speech and the right of assembly.
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: Code of Ordinances: Supplement 80).
Full Breakdown
Sec. m. The section carves out an explicit exception for a child exercising First Amendment rights, such as free exercise of religion, free speech or the right of assembly. Subsection (b) then lists six defenses to prosecution: a child accompanied by a parent, guardian or delegated adult; a child on an emergency errand or legitimate business directed by a parent or guardian; a child going to or from lawful employment; a child traveling through the city on an interstate trip; a child returning from a school or social function with specific written parental permission naming the date, time and place; and a child on the sidewalk in front of his own residence or a next-door neighbor's, unless a disturbance has been reported connected to that minor's presence.
window. It applies city-wide to every public street, park and public building, not just commercial or downtown areas, and it is enforced independently of any parental consent, meaning a parent cannot authorize a minor to be out past midnight in a place the ordinance covers unless one of the six defenses actually applies.
Violations & Fines
A curfew violation is a Chapter 19 offense with no penalty specific to Sec. 19-213, so it is punished under the city's general penalty, Sec. 1-9: a misdemeanor conviction carrying a fine of up to fifty dollars, repayment of administrative correction costs of up to five hundred dollars, and/or imprisonment of up to thirty days, with each day a violation continues counted as a separate offense.
Frequently Asked Questions
What are Knoxville's juvenile curfew hours?
Can a Knoxville minor be out past midnight with a parent?
Is coming home from work a defense to Knoxville's curfew law?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Knoxville
Compare Knoxville to another location·View the Tennessee curfew laws overview
See something wrong?
Help us keep this page accurate. If you notice an error or outdated information, let us know.