Oak Park, IL Curfew Laws: Juvenile Curfew (2026)

Section 17-1-16 of the Oak Park Village Code makes it unlawful for anyone under 18 to be present at a public assembly, building, place, street, or highway during curfew hours unless supervised by a parent, legal guardian, or another responsible companion at least 21 years old and approved by a parent or guardian, or unless the minor is engaged in work Illinois law authorizes a minor to perform. m. the following morning, covering every night of the week. The ordinance reaches three groups: minors who violate curfew, parents or guardians who knowingly let a minor in their custody violate it, and business owners, operators, or employees who knowingly let a minor remain on the premises during curfew hours.

Two defenses are built into the section: a minor traveling directly to or from, or attending, an official school, religious, or recreational activity sponsored by the Village, a civic organization, or a similar supervising entity, and a minor exercising First Amendment rights such as religious exercise, speech, or assembly. Before enforcing the curfew, subsection C requires a police officer to ask the apparent offender's age and reason for being out, and bars a citation or arrest unless the officer reasonably believes an offense occurred and no defense applies. The current version was adopted by Ordinance 2004-0-30 on June 21, 2004.