Washoe County, NV Curfew Laws: Juvenile Curfew (2026)
Key Facts
- Governing section
- WCC 50.172
- Under-16 hours
- 11 p.m.-5 a.m. school nights; midnight-5 a.m. other nights
- 16-17 hours (WCC 50.174)
- Midnight-5 a.m. school nights; 1 a.m.-5 a.m. other nights
- Sheriff can extend
- To 1 a.m. on written request only
- Each violation
- Treated as a separate offense
Summary
Washoe County bars minors under 16 from loitering, wandering or playing in public streets, parks or other public places between 11 p.m. and 5 a.m. on school nights, and midnight to 5 a.m. other nights, under WCC 50.172. A separate section, 50.174, sets later hours for 16- and 17-year-olds.
1.Except as provided in subsection 2, it is unlawful for any minor under the age of 16 years to loiter, idle, wander, stroll or play in or upon the public streets, highways, roads, alleys, parks, playgrounds or other public grounds, public places and public buildings, places of amusement and entertainment, vacant lots or other vacant areas within the unincorporated area of the county between the hours of 11:00 p.m. and 5:00 a.m. any night preceding a school day, and between the hours of midnight and 5:00 a.m. on any other day.2.Upon the written request of the principal or superintendent of any high school in the county or upon written request on behalf of any official governmental agency or upon written request by the lawful representative of any church in the county directed to the sheriff, the sheriff is empowered to extend the curfew on special occasions to 1:00 a.m.
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: Code of Ordinances: Supplement 20 Update 2).
Full Breakdown
172 sets the curfew for minors under 16 in the unincorporated area of Washoe County. on any other night. , but only on the written request of a high school principal or superintendent, an official government agency, or the lawful representative of a county church; there is no self-serve exception for parents or the minors themselves. Subsection 3 makes each violation a separate offense, so a minor found in violation more than once in a night, or on successive nights, can be charged multiple times.
otherwise, and again allows the sheriff to extend hours on the same written requests. Both curfews are enforced by the Washoe County Sheriff's Office, and both reach every unincorporated community in the county, including Sun Valley, Spanish Springs, Cold Springs, Lemmon Valley, Verdi and the Nevada side of Incline Village, though the Tahoe Regional Planning Agency's land-use authority has no bearing on this criminal curfew ordinance.
Violations & Fines
A violation of the curfew is enforced under the general penalty in section 125.050, since sections 50.172 and 50.174 set no separate fine schedule of their own. Each night a minor is found in violation is a separate offense under subsection 3, so repeat curfew violations in the same week can stack into multiple citations rather than one continuing charge.
Frequently Asked Questions
What time does the Washoe County curfew start for kids under 16?
Is the curfew different for older teenagers?
Can the sheriff extend curfew hours for an event?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Washoe County
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