Maricopa, AZ Curfew Laws: Juvenile Curfew (2026)
Key Facts
- Under 16
- 10:00 p.m.-5:00 a.m.
- Ages 16-17
- Midnight-5:00 a.m.
- Enforced by
- Maricopa Police Department
- Parent liability
- Knowing or negligent permission counts
Summary
Maricopa bars minors under 16 from public places 10 p.m.-5 a.m., and minors 16-17 from midnight-5 a.m., unless with a parent or under a listed exception.
It is unlawful for any minor under the age of 16 years to be in, about or upon any place in the city away from the property where the youth resides between the hours of 10:00 p.m. and 5:00 a.m. of the following day.
2. It is unlawful for any minor 16 years of age or older and under the age of 18 years to be in, about or upon any place in the city away from the property where the child resides between the hours of 12:00 a.m. and 5:00 a.m.
3. It is unlawful for a parent or guardian of a minor to knowingly permit, or by insufficient control, allow a minor to violate subsections (A)(1) or (A)(2) of this section.
4. It is unlawful for a parent, guardian or other person having the care, custody or supervision of the minor to fail or refuse to take custody of the minor after such demand is made upon him by a law enforcement officer who arrests the minor for violation of subsections (A)(1) or (A)(2) of this section.
B. Defenses/Exceptions. It is a defense to prosecution under subsection (A), including subsection (A)(3), of this section that the minor was:
1. Accompanied by the minor’s parent or guardian.
2. With prior permission of the parent or guardian, in a motor vehicle involved in interstate travel.
3. With prior permission of the parent or guardian, in an employment activity or going to or returning home from an employment activity without any detour or stop by the most direct route.
4. Involved in an emergency.
Official source re-checked September 8, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: current through Ordinance 26-10, passed April 21, 2026).
Full Breakdown
Under Maricopa City Code § 9.50.010, it's unlawful for a minor under 16 to be away from home in the city between 10:00 p.m. and 5:00 a.m., and for a minor 16 or 17 to be away from home between midnight and 5:00 a.m. Parents or guardians who knowingly permit a violation, or fail to take custody when a police officer demands it after an arrest, are also in violation. Defenses include being accompanied by a parent, traveling to or from work or a supervised school/religious/recreational activity, an emergency, exercising First Amendment rights, being married or in the military, or being on the sidewalk in front of home or a consenting neighbor's property.
Violations & Fines
Civil citation or arrest of the minor; parents/guardians also face liability for knowingly permitting a violation or refusing to take custody when police demand it.
Frequently Asked Questions
What time is curfew for a 15-year-old in Maricopa?
Can a 17-year-old be out at 11 p.m. in Maricopa?
Is it a defense if a minor was coming home from work?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Maricopa
Compare Maricopa to another location·View the Arizona curfew laws overview
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