New Berlin, WI Curfew Laws: Juvenile Curfew (2026)
Key Facts
- Curfew hours
- 11:00 p.m. to 5:00 a.m.
- Covered age
- Anyone under 17
- Base forfeiture
- $50 per citation
- Special function exception
- Registered in advance with the Chief of Police
- Grace period
- 30 minutes home after a registered function ends
Summary
New Berlin bars anyone under 17 from wandering or lingering without purpose in public places between 11:00 p.m. and 5:00 a.m. under Code of Ordinances § 161-2(B), unless accompanied by a parent or guardian, on a documented errand, or coming from legitimate work or a registered special function.
MINOR — Any person under the age of 17. ... B.Curfew for minors. No minor shall remain, idle, wander, stroll or play in any public place either on foot or upon any conveyance without a set destination in, about or upon any place in the City between the hours of 11:00 p.m. and 5:00 a.m. unless accompanied by a parent, guardian, custodian or other adult person having custody or control of such minor, or unless the minor is on an emergency errand or specific business or activity directed or permitted by his parent, guardian or other adult person having the care and custody of the minor, or where the presence of such minor is connected with or required by some legitimate employment, trade, profession or occupation.
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: Municipal Code: Supplement 3 Update 1).
Full Breakdown
Section 161-2 sets New Berlin's curfew for anyone under age 17, defined in Subsection A as a MINOR. m. Public place is defined broadly in the same section to include streets, alleys, sidewalks, parks, playgrounds, school buildings and any business open to the public such as a restaurant, tavern, bowling alley or theater, plus the areas immediately in front of those places. The curfew does not apply if the minor is with a parent, guardian, custodian or other adult with custody or control, is on an emergency errand or specific business directed by a parent or guardian, or is present because of legitimate employment, a trade, a profession or an occupation.
Subsection C separately makes it a violation for anyone operating or in charge of a public place to knowingly let minors stay past curfew, and Subsection D makes a parent, guardian or custodian liable for knowingly, or through inefficient control, allowing a minor onto the streets or into a public place during curfew hours, though that liability does not attach if the parent has already filed a missing-person report with the Police Department. Section 161-2(E) carves out an exception for minors attending a registered special function of a church, school, club or other organization: the organization must register the event and its ending time in advance with the Chief of Police, and attending minors then have half an hour after the function ends to get home.
Violations & Fines
Curfew violations carry a $50 base forfeiture under the City's citation schedule, on top of the general § 1-18 penalty structure: $5 to $1,000 for a first offense and $10 to $1,000 for a repeat offense within a year, plus court costs, with unpaid forfeitures potentially resulting in county jail time. Both the minor and a knowingly noncompliant parent, guardian or business operator can be cited separately.
Frequently Asked Questions
What time does New Berlin's juvenile curfew start?
Can a business be cited for letting minors stay past curfew?
Are parents responsible if their child breaks curfew?
Can a minor stay out late for a school or church event?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in New Berlin
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Juvenile Curfew in Nearby Cities
How other cities in Waukesha County handle juvenile curfew.