Manatee County, FL Curfew Laws: Juvenile Curfew (2026)
Key Facts
- Who is covered
- Any minor under 16 years of age
- Sunday to Thursday hours
- 11:00 p.m. to 5:00 a.m. the following day
- Weekend and holiday hours
- 12:01 a.m. to 6:00 a.m. on Saturdays, Sundays, legal holidays
- Suspended or expelled students
- 9:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. on school days, including within 1,000 feet of a school
- Penalty
- Written warning first, then $50 civil infraction fine per violation
- Enforced by
- Manatee County Sheriff's Office in unincorporated areas
- Parent contact window
- 2 hours after the minor is taken into custody
Summary
In unincorporated Manatee County, minors under 16 cannot be in a public place or establishment from 11:00 p.m. to 5:00 a.m. Sunday through Thursday, or from 12:01 a.m. to 6:00 a.m. on Saturdays, Sundays and legal holidays. Sec. 2-21-1 adopts Florida Statutes 877.20 to 877.25 as the county curfew, and the Sheriff's Office enforces it.
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. ( Ord. No. 25-60, art. 3(Exh. A), 11-18-25) [...] Law enforcement officers of the Manatee County Sheriff's Office are authorized to enforce the provisions of the Manatee County Juvenile Curfew Ordinance consistent with Sections 877.20-877.25, Florida Statutes. Violations shall be handled in accordance with the procedures and penalties provided in state law.
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
Article I of Chapter 2-21 is the Manatee County Juvenile Curfew Ordinance, and it is short because it borrows its rules from Florida law. Sec. 2-21-1 adopts Sections 877.20 through 877.25, Florida Statutes, as amended from time to time, and applies them within the unincorporated areas of Manatee County. The history note shows Ordinance 25-60, adopted November 18, 2025. Because the county text follows the statute as amended, a change by the Legislature changes the county curfew without a new county vote.
The nightly limits come from s. Sunday through Thursday, a minor cannot be or remain in a public place or establishment between 11:00 p.m. and 5:00 a.m. of the following day, except in the case of a legal holiday. On Saturdays, Sundays and legal holidays the window runs from 12:01 a.m. to 6:00 a.m. That means the hours between 11:00 p.m. and midnight on a Friday or Saturday night fall outside the curfew. Under s.
A public place is any place the public can reach, including streets, highways, public parks and the common areas of schools, hospitals, apartment houses, office buildings, transportation facilities and shops. An establishment is a privately owned place of business to which the public is invited, such as a place of amusement or entertainment. To remain means to stay unnecessarily in a particular place.
Sec. 2-21-2 authorizes Manatee County Sheriff's Office officers to enforce the ordinance consistent with the statute.
Violations & Fines
A minor gets a written warning for a first violation. A minor who violates the curfew after a prior written warning is guilty of a civil infraction and pays a $50 fine for each violation. A parent who knowingly permits a violation faces the same ladder: a written warning first, then a $50 civil infraction fine per violation. A minor taken into custody is transported to a police station or a curfew program facility, and officers try to reach the parent, who is asked to take custody. If no parent is reached within 2 hours, or the parent refuses, the minor can be taken home or handled under part IV of chapter 39.
Frequently Asked Questions
What time is curfew for minors in unincorporated Manatee County?
How old does a person have to be to fall under the curfew?
How much is the fine for breaking the juvenile curfew?
Does the Manatee County curfew apply inside Bradenton or Palmetto?
Who is exempt from the curfew?
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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