Manatee County, FL Curfew Laws: Juvenile Curfew (2026)
Key Facts
- School-night curfew
- 11 p.m. to 5 a.m., Sun-Thu
- Weekend curfew
- 12:01 a.m. to 6 a.m.
- Minor defined
- under 16 years old
- First offense
- written warning only
- Second-plus offense
- $50 civil fine
- Local ordinance effective
- November 18, 2025
Summary
Manatee County's Sec. 2-21-1 adopts Florida's local juvenile curfew law, barring anyone under 16 from public places between 11 p.m. and 5 a.m. on school nights and 12:01 a.m. to 6 a.m. on weekends, enforced countywide by the Sheriff's Office.
Sec. 2-21-1. - Incorporating by reference Sections 877.20-877.25, Florida Statutes. The provisions of Sections 877.20—877.25, Florida Statutes, as may be amended from time to time, are hereby adopted by reference as the Manatee County Juvenile Curfew Ordinance, and shall apply within the unincorporated areas of Manatee County. ... 877.22 Minors prohibited in public places and establishments during certain hours...(1)(a) A minor may not be or remain in a public place or establishment between the hours of 11:00 p.m. and 5:00 a.m. of the following day, Sunday through Thursday, except in the case of a legal holiday.(b) A minor may not be or remain in a public place or establishment between the hours of 12:01 a.m. and 6:00 a.m. on Saturdays, Sundays, and legal holidays.
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: Code of Ordinances: Supplement 124 | Land Development Code: Supplement 21).
Full Breakdown
Manatee County adopted its own juvenile curfew on November 18, 2025, not by writing new curfew hours from scratch but by incorporating Florida's local-curfew statutes wholesale. Sec. m. on Saturdays, Sundays, and legal holidays. on a school day. 24 exempts minors who are with a parent or an adult the parent authorized, on an emergency errand, exercising First Amendment rights, going to or from lawful employment, or heading straight home from a school, religious, or civic function. Sec. 2-21-2 of the county code puts enforcement in the hands of Manatee County Sheriff's Office deputies and directs that violations follow the penalty procedure state law sets, not a separate county fine schedule.
Violations & Fines
Under Section 877.22(3), Florida Statutes, a minor caught violating curfew gets only a written warning for a first offense; a second violation is a civil infraction carrying a $50 fine. Section 877.22(4) requires an officer taking a minor into custody to try to reach a parent within two hours and release the minor to them, rather than hold the minor in custody.
Frequently Asked Questions
What time does curfew start for a 14-year-old in unincorporated Manatee County?
Does a teenager get arrested for a first curfew violation?
Can a minor be out late coming home from a school event?
Is the curfew new in Manatee County?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Manatee County
Florida rules heatmap·Compare Manatee County to another location·View the Florida curfew laws overview
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