Prince William County, VA Curfew Laws: Juvenile Curfew (2026)
Key Facts
- Weeknight curfew
- 11:00 p.m.-5:00 a.m., Sun-Thu
- Weekend curfew
- 11:59 p.m.-5:00 a.m., Fri-Sat
- Applies to
- Anyone under 18
- Parent liability
- Class 2 misdemeanor, Sec. 16-3.4
- Third offense fine
- Minimum $350, non-suspendable
Summary
Minors under 18 may not be in a public place or on a vacant lot in unincorporated Prince William County between 11:00 p.m. and 5:00 a.m. Sunday through Thursday, or between 11:59 p.m. and 5:00 a.m. on Friday and Saturday nights, under County Code Sec. 16-3.3, with defenses for work, school events, emergencies and parental permission.
(a)It shall be unlawful for any minor to be or remain in or upon any public place or upon any vacant lot, between the hours of 11:00 p.m. on any Sunday, Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday and 5:00 a.m. of the following day, and between the hours of 11:59 p.m. on any Friday and Saturday and 5:00 a.m. of the following day. ... (c)A violation of subsection 16-3.3(a) shall constitute a Class 3 misdemeanor.(1)For a first offense in lieu of a fine, the court may impose community service of up to 50 hours.(2)For a second offense of violation of subsection 16-3.3(a), the penalty shall be a fine of not less than $200.00, none of which shall be suspended by the court. In lieu of a fine, the court may impose community service of up to 100 hours.(3)For a third or any subsequent offense of violation of this section 16-3.3(a), the penalty shall be a fine of not less than $350.00, none of which shall be suspended by the court. In lieu of a fine, the court may impose community service of up to 200 hours.
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: Code of Ordinances: Supplement 46 Update 4).
Full Breakdown
Sec. on Friday and Saturday nights, for anyone under 18 in any public place or vacant lot. Ten specific defenses in subsection (b) cover a minor accompanied by a parent or guardian, running an errand for a parent, working a job with parental permission, attending a school, religious, civic or county-sponsored recreational activity, handling a genuine emergency, traveling interstate, standing on the sidewalk or property abutting the minor's own home, being married or emancipated, exercising First Amendment rights, or returning directly home from an entertainment business with a dated ticket stub.
Sec. 4 separately makes it a Class 2 misdemeanor for a parent or guardian to knowingly permit, or through insufficient control allow, a minor to violate the curfew, though the court must suspend any fine or jail time on a first offense. Sec. 5 makes it a Class 2 misdemeanor for a business to knowingly let a minor remain on the premises during curfew hours, unless the business promptly calls police after the minor refuses to leave. Before citing anyone, Sec. 6 requires an officer to first ask the minor's age and reason for being out, and officers may choose a warning, a summons, or returning the minor to a parent instead of an arrest.
Minors processed by the county's curfew processing center are subject to a separate processing fee, set by board resolution, charged to the parent under Sec. 7.
Violations & Fines
A minor's first curfew violation is a Class 3 misdemeanor, but courts may substitute up to 50 hours of community service for a fine. A second offense carries a mandatory, non-suspendable fine of at least $200, or up to 100 hours of community service in lieu. A third or later offense carries a mandatory minimum fine of $350, or up to 200 hours of community service. Parents who knowingly allow a violation face a separate Class 2 misdemeanor under Sec. 16-3.4.
Frequently Asked Questions
What time does the Prince William County juvenile curfew start?
Can my teenager be out late coming home from work or a school event?
Can parents be punished if their child breaks curfew?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Prince William County
Compare Prince William County to another location·View the Virginia curfew laws overview
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