Pawtucket, RI Curfew Laws: Juvenile Curfew (2026)
Key Facts
- Under-16 curfew
- 10 p.m. to 5 a.m.
- Ages 16-17 curfew
- Midnight to 5 a.m.
- School/park curfew
- 8-9 p.m. to 6 a.m.
- School/park curfew fine
- Up to $25
- Juvenile curfew adopted
- November 10, 1994 (Ch. No. 2371)
- Adjudicating bodies
- Juvenile Hearing Board, Family Court
Summary
Pawtucket bars juveniles under 16 from being out in public between 10 p.m. and 5 a.m., and 16- and 17-year-olds between midnight and 5 a.m., under §§ 173-3 and 173-4, with exceptions for parental accompaniment, emergencies and permitted errands.
It shall be unlawful for any juvenile under the age of 16 years to be, remain or loiter in, about or upon any place in the City away from the dwelling house or usual place of abode of said juvenile between the hours of 10:00 p.m. and 5:00 a.m. of the following day ... It shall be unlawful for any juvenile 16 years of age or older and under the age of 18 years to be, remain or loiter in, about or upon any place in the City away from the dwelling house or usual place abode of said juvenile between the hours of 12:00 midnight and 5:00 a.m.
Full Breakdown
Pawtucket's Chapter 173, Curfew, actually contains two separate curfews. m. during daylight saving time) without special permission, and § 173-2 fines a violation up to $25. Article II, approved November 10, 1994 by Ch. No. 2371, is the age-based juvenile curfew. the following day. m. Both sections carry the same exceptions: a juvenile accompanied by a parent, guardian or other adult with care and custody; an emergency errand; or reasonable, legitimate and specific business or activity that the parent or guardian directed or permitted, and § 173-4 additionally exempts emancipated minors.
Rather than routing every case through criminal court, § 173-5, amended November 21, 2007 by Ch. No. 2883, sends curfew violations to the Juvenile Hearing Board or Family Court for adjudication; a juvenile with no prior arrest, or whose past arrests ended in dismissal or a not-guilty finding, can only be sent to the Juvenile Hearing Board rather than Family Court, unless another matter is already pending before one of those bodies.
Violations & Fines
Curfew violations under Article II are referred to the Juvenile Hearing Board or Family Court under § 173-5 rather than fined directly, unlike the Article I school/park curfew, which carries up to a $25 fine under § 173-2. A juvenile with no prior arrest record can only be referred to the Juvenile Hearing Board.
Frequently Asked Questions
What time is curfew for teenagers in Pawtucket?
Are there exceptions to Pawtucket's juvenile curfew?
What happens if my child is caught violating curfew?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Pawtucket
Compare Pawtucket to another location·View the Rhode Island curfew laws overview
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