Ontario, CA Curfew Laws: Juvenile Curfew (2026)
Key Facts
- Curfew hours
- 10:00 p.m. to sunrise
- Applies to
- persons under age 18
- Exceptions
- 8 listed, incl. parent, work, First Amendment
- Parents liable
- Sec. 5-7.03
- Repeat offenders
- police services fee, Sec. 5-7.05
Summary
Ontario Municipal Code Sec. 5-7.02 makes it unlawful for anyone under 18 to remain on a public street, park, or other public place between 10:00 p.m. and sunrise unless accompanied by a parent, on a parent-directed errand, returning from a supervised event, exercising First Amendment rights, or otherwise exempt.
It is unlawful for any person under the age of eighteen (18) years to remain on or about any public street, avenue, alley, park or other public place between the hours of 10:00 p.m. and the time of sunrise the following day unless: (a) The minor is accompanied by his or her parent or a guardian having legal custody and control of the minor; or ... (h) The minor is exercising First Amendment rights protected by the United States Constitution.
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: 2026 S-32: Current through Ordinance 3338, passed 7-21-2026).
Full Breakdown
Chapter 7 of Title 5, first adopted by Ordinance 843 in 1949 and rewritten by Ordinance 2688 in 1999, sets Ontario's curfew for minors. and sunrise the next day, unless one of eight listed exceptions applies: accompaniment by a parent or legal guardian; emancipation under the Family Code; an errand a parent or guardian directed; returning directly home from a public meeting or place of entertainment; presence connected to lawful employment; an emergency such as a fire or accident; standing on the sidewalk directly adjacent to the minor's own residence; or exercising First Amendment rights.
03 separately makes it unlawful for a parent, guardian, or other person with legal custody of a minor to permit the minor to violate the curfew. 05, added to address repeat offenders, lets the City recover its police costs: if a minor is detained more than once in a twelve-month period for a curfew or daytime-loitering violation and is later found by the San Bernardino Juvenile Court to have violated Sec. 02 or Sec. 04, the City Council may impose a police services fee on the minor or parent to defray the extraordinary cost of repeatedly detaining and supervising that minor. The Ontario Police Department enforces the curfew in the field.
Violations & Fines
Violating the curfew, or as a parent knowingly permitting a minor to violate it, is punished under Ontario Municipal Code Sec. 1-2.01, either a misdemeanor carrying up to a $1,000 fine and six months in jail, or, if charged as an infraction, escalating $100/$200/$500 fines; repeat violators can also be billed a separate police services fee under Sec. 5-7.05.
Frequently Asked Questions
What time is curfew for minors in Ontario, CA?
Can parents be cited if their child breaks curfew in Ontario?
Is walking home from a football game after 10 p.m. a curfew violation in Ontario?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Ontario
California rules heatmap·Compare Ontario to another location·View the California curfew laws overview
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Juvenile Curfew in Nearby Cities
How other cities in San Bernardino County handle juvenile curfew.