Palm Desert, CA Curfew Laws: Juvenile Curfew (2026)
Key Facts
- Curfew hours
- 12:01 a.m. until six a.m., any evening of the week
- Who is a minor
- Any person under eighteen years of age
- Parent liability
- Knowingly permitting, or insufficient control, is an offense
- Defenses
- Nine listed in § 9.56.020(C)
- Maximum penalty
- Fine up to $500, up to six months County Jail, or both
- Truancy
- Separate ban during school session hours under § 9.56.030
Summary
In the City of Palm Desert, California, a minor under eighteen cannot be in a public place or on the premises of a for-profit establishment during curfew hours, which run from 12:01 a.m. until six a.m. any evening of the week. Parents and guardians who knowingly permit it, or allow it through insufficient control, commit a separate offense under Chapter 9.56.
"Curfew hours"means the period from 12:01 a.m. any evening of the week, until six a.m. of the day. ... "Minor"means any person under eighteen years of age. ... A. It is unlawful for any minor to be present in any public place or on the premises of any establishment within the city during curfew hours. B. It is unlawful for any parent or guardian of a minor to knowingly permit, or by insufficient control to allow, the minor to be present in any public place or on the premises of any establishment within the city during curfew hours; C. It is a defense to prosecution under subsection A or B that the minor was: 1. Accompanied by the minor's parent, guardian or responsible adult; 2. On an errand at the direction of the minor's parent, guardian or responsible adult, without any detour or stop;
Full Breakdown
Chapter 9.56 of the Palm Desert Municipal Code, Curfew and Truancy of Minors, was adopted by Ordinance 902 in 1999. Section 9.56.010 defines the key terms. A minor is any person under eighteen years of age. Curfew hours run from 12:01 a.m. any evening of the week until six a.m. of the day. A public place is any place to which the public or a substantial group of the public has access, including streets, highways and the common areas of schools, hospitals, apartment houses, office buildings, transport facilities and shops. An establishment is any privately owned place of business operated for a profit to which the public is invited, including places of amusement or entertainment.
Section 9.56.020 creates two offenses. Subsection A makes it unlawful for a minor to be present in a public place or on the premises of an establishment in the city during curfew hours. Subsection B makes it unlawful for a parent or guardian to knowingly permit, or by insufficient control to allow, the minor to be there.
Subsection C lists nine defenses. The minor was accompanied by a parent, guardian or responsible adult; on an errand at the direction of a parent, guardian or responsible adult without any detour or stop; in a motor vehicle involved in interstate travel; engaged in, going to or returning home from employment without any detour or stop; involved in an emergency; on the sidewalk abutting the minor's residence; engaged in, going to or returning home from an official school, religious or other recreational activity supervised by adults and sponsored by the city, a civic organization or a similar entity that takes responsibility for the minor; exercising First Amendment rights; or emancipated pursuant to law. A responsible adult is a person at least eighteen years of age authorized by a parent or guardian to have the care and custody of the minor.
Section 9.56.030 separately bars a minor subject to compulsory education or compulsory continuation education from being in a public place or establishment during truancy hours, the period when the school the minor would normally attend is in session. Its defenses include a medical appointment trip and valid proof that the student has permission to leave the school campus.
Violations & Fines
Section 9.56.040 requires an officer to ask the apparent offender's age and reason for being in the public place before any enforcement, and bars a citation or arrest unless the officer reasonably believes an offense occurred and no defense under Section 9.56.020(C) or 9.56.030(C) applies. Each violation is a separate offense, punishable as a misdemeanor or an infraction by a fine of not more than five hundred dollars, up to six months in County Jail, or both. Minors are dealt with under juvenile court law and procedure.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can a minor be out after 12:01 a.m. if going to or from work?
Does being with a parent or another adult end the problem?
What must an officer do before citing a minor in the City of Palm Desert?
What penalty can a parent face?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Palm Desert
California rules heatmap·Compare Palm Desert to another location·View the California curfew laws overview
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