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Shasta County, CA Curfew Laws: Juvenile Curfew (2026)

Some Restrictions
Compiled from the official code textEditor Martyn O'NeillLast verified August 2026

Key Facts

Curfew hours
10:00 p.m. to 6:00 a.m.
Covers
Anyone under 18
Parent liability
Permitting or insufficient control
Defenses listed
9, incl. work, errands, emergencies
Penalty escalation
Misdemeanor on 3rd offense/12 months

Summary

Shasta County bars anyone under eighteen from being in a public place or business establishment between 10 p.m. and 6 a.m. under Code Section 9.04.020(A). Parents and guardians who knowingly allow it, or fail to exercise reasonable control, face the same violation under subsection (B), subject to nine listed defenses covering work, errands, emergencies, and supervised events.

City-specific rules exist: Redding has its own juvenile curfew rules that differ from Shasta County's county-level regulations. If you live in Redding, check the city-specific page instead.

"Curfew hours" means the period from ten p.m. on any evening of the week until six a.m. on the following day....A. It is unlawful for any minor to be present in any public place or on the premises of any establishment during curfew hours.B. It is unlawful for any parent or guardian of a minor to permit, or by insufficient lawful control to allow, a minor to be present in any public place or on the premises of any establishment during curfew hours.

View official code

Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: Code: Supplement 22).

Full Breakdown

the following day, and defines minor as anyone under eighteen. 020(A) makes it unlawful for a minor to be present in any public place, defined broadly to include streets, parking lots, and the common areas of schools, hospitals, apartment buildings, offices, arcades and shopping malls, or on the premises of any privately-owned business open to the public, during those hours. Subsection (B) extends liability to a parent or guardian who permits the violation, or who allows it by insufficient lawful control. Subsection (C) lists nine specific defenses a minor can raise: being accompanied by a parent, guardian or a responsible adult at least twenty-five years old; running an errand at a parent's direction without detour; traveling interstate in a vehicle; commuting to or from a job without detour; responding to an emergency; standing on the sidewalk or property next to the minor's own residence with parental permission; attending or returning from a supervised school, religious, recreational or civic function, or exercising First Amendment rights; and being married, previously married, or legally emancipated.

Violations & Fines

A curfew violation by either the minor or a permitting parent or guardian is punishable under the county's general penalty, Chapter 1.08: an infraction under Government Code Section 25132(b) for a first or second offense, escalating to a misdemeanor, up to one year in county jail, a $1,000 fine, or both, if the same provision is violated three or more times in a twelve-month period. Section 9.04.030(B) makes the chapter a strict-liability regulatory offense, so the county need not prove the minor or parent knew the curfew rule existed.

Frequently Asked Questions

What counts as a defense to a Shasta County curfew citation?
Section 9.04.020(C) lists nine defenses, including being accompanied by a parent, guardian, or a responsible adult at least twenty-five, running a direct errand for a parent, commuting to or from work without a detour, responding to an emergency, standing on the sidewalk by the minor's own home with permission, or attending a supervised school, religious, or civic event.
Can a parent be cited even if they didn't know their child was out?
Yes, in some cases. Section 9.04.020(B) makes it unlawful for a parent or guardian to permit a curfew violation, or to allow one by insufficient lawful control, meaning a parent who simply fails to supervise a minor closely enough during curfew hours can still be charged alongside the minor.
Does the curfew apply to a 17-year-old driving through the county?
Yes, unless a defense applies. Section 9.04.020(A) covers any minor, defined in Section 9.04.010 as under eighteen, present in a public place during the 10 p.m. to 6 a.m. curfew window, though the interstate-travel and emergency defenses in subsection (C) can excuse a minor passing through by car.

Sources & Official References

Other rules in Shasta County

All Shasta County rules

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