San Mateo County Code Chapter 3.04 (Juvenile Curfew Regulations) prohibits minors under 18 from being in public places within unincorporated areas of the County between 11:30 PM and 5:00 AM on weeknights, and between 12:30 AM and 5:00 AM Friday, Saturday, and holiday nights. A daytime truancy curfew applies during school hours. Standard exceptions include minors accompanied by a parent/guardian, traveling to or from work or school activities, or in case of emergency.
County Code Chapter 3.04 establishes the juvenile curfew enforced by the San Mateo County Sheriff in unincorporated areas. Nighttime curfew: minors under 18 may not be in public places (streets, sidewalks, parks, public buildings) from 11:30 PM Sunday-Thursday and 12:30 AM Friday/Saturday/holiday nights, until 5:00 AM. Daytime truancy curfew makes it unlawful for minors subject to compulsory education to be in public places during school hours (approximately 8:30 AM to 1:30 PM) without lawful excuse. Enumerated exceptions include: accompanied by parent/guardian, traveling directly to/from employment or school/religious/civic activity, emergencies, First Amendment protected activity, within the minor's own yard/property. Violations result in deputies transporting the minor home and issuing notice to parents. Habitual offenders are referred to Juvenile Probation. The countywide 2020 emergency curfew (June 2-4, 2020) was a separate emergency proclamation under Government Code §8630, not the regular Chapter 3.04 curfew.
First offense: warning, parental notification, minor returned home. Second: citation to parents, $50-$100 fine. Third+: up to $500 parental fine and referral to Juvenile Probation. Habitual: informal probation or diversion program. Contributing to delinquency by parent permitting curfew violation: Penal Code §272 misdemeanor.
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