Newport Beach, CA Curfew Laws: Juvenile Curfew (2026)
Key Facts
- Governing section
- NBMC § 10.36.030
- Curfew hours
- 10:00 p.m. to 6:00 a.m.
- Covered minors
- under 18, not emancipated
- Enforcing agency
- Newport Beach Police
- First-offense fine
- up to $100
Summary
Newport Beach bars minors under 18 from loitering in public streets, parks and vacant lots between 10:00 p.m. and 6:00 a.m. under Municipal Code Section 10.36.030. Exceptions cover minors with a parent, at work, coming home, or at an organized activity.
It shall be unlawful for any minor to loiter or idle in or upon the public streets, alleys, parks, playgrounds or other public places, vacant lots or other unsupervised places, between the hours of 10:00 p.m. and 6:00 a.m. of the following day.
Full Breakdown
020 as any person under 18 who is not an emancipated minor under California Family Code Section 7002. the following day. The curfew has six built-in exceptions: a minor accompanied by a parent, legal guardian or a responsible adult with custody; a minor performing a task at a guardian's direction or responding to an emergency; a minor acting within the scope of employment; a minor on the property or adjacent sidewalk of their own residence; a minor attending an organized associational activity such as school events, religious meetings, dances, concerts or theatrical performances, or engaged in other constitutionally protected activity; and a minor in reasonable direct travel to or from those activities.
The City Council's findings, carried forward from Ordinances 85-20 and 85-21, cite rising nighttime juvenile crime, minors as crime victims, and reinforcement of parental authority as the basis for the curfew. 040 authorizes any Police Officer with reasonable cause to believe a violation is occurring to demand the minor's name, address, proof of age, and the name of the parent or guardian having care or custody.
Violations & Fines
A curfew violation is enforced under the City's general penalty schedule at Section 1.04.010: as an infraction punishable by a fine up to $100 for a first offense, $200 for a second offense of the same ordinance within one year, and $500 for further offenses within that year, or the City may instead prosecute as a misdemeanor carrying up to $1,000 and six months in jail. Officers may detain a minor to obtain identifying information and the name of the parent or guardian under Section 10.36.040.
Frequently Asked Questions
What time does the juvenile curfew start in Newport Beach?
Is a minor coming home from work exempt from curfew?
Can police stop a minor out after curfew in Newport Beach?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Newport Beach
California rules heatmap·Compare Newport Beach to another location·View the California curfew laws overview
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Juvenile Curfew in Nearby Cities
How other cities in Orange County handle juvenile curfew.