Salinas, CA Curfew Laws: Juvenile Curfew (2026)
Key Facts
- Curfew hours
- 11:00 p.m. to 5:00 a.m.
- Applies to
- Anyone under 18
- Exception
- Accompanied by parent/guardian
- Exception
- First Amendment activity
- Disposition
- State Juvenile Court law, not city fine
Summary
Salinas Municipal Code Sec. 21-6 bars anyone under 18 from public streets, parks, and other public places between 11:00 p.m. and 5:00 a.m., unless accompanied by a parent or guardian, running an emergency errand, coming straight home from an approved activity, or exercising First Amendment rights. Violators are handled through the state Juvenile Court system, not the city's regular penalty schedule.
(a)Presence of Minors Prohibited. It shall be unlawful for any minor under the age of eighteen years to be present in or upon the public streets, highways, roads, alleys, parks, playgrounds, or other public grounds, public places and public buildings, or vacant lots between the hours of 11:00 p.m. and 5:00 a.m. of the following day; provided, however, that the provisions of this section shall not apply to a minor accompanied by his or her parent, guardian, or other adult person having the lawful care and custody of the minor, or where the minor is upon an emergency errand or legitimate business directed by his parent, guardian or other adult person having the lawful care and custody of the minor, or where the minor is returning directly home from a meeting, entertainment, recreational activity, or dance or where the minor is exercising rights protected by the First Amendment to the United States Constitution.(c)Penalty. Any minor violating the provisions of this section shall be dealt with in accordance with the Juvenile Court laws of the State of California.
Full Breakdown
Sec. the following day. The section carries built-in exceptions rather than requiring a separate permit: a minor accompanied by a parent, guardian, or other adult with lawful care and custody is exempt, as is a minor on an emergency errand or legitimate business directed by that adult, a minor heading directly home from a meeting, entertainment, recreational activity, or dance, and a minor exercising rights protected by the First Amendment. The ordinance does not set its own fine or administrative citation schedule; instead, subsection (c) routes any violation to the Juvenile Court laws of the State of California, meaning enforcement and disposition follow state juvenile justice procedure rather than a municipal fine.
The current text reflects amendments carried through Ordinance Nos. 907, 962, 1812, 2082, and 2318 (NCS), with a companion provision, former Sec. 21-7, repealed outright by Ordinance No. 1812. Salinas Police Department officers enforce the curfew in the field, typically by stopping and questioning minors found in public during the restricted hours and determining whether one of the statutory exceptions applies before deciding whether to refer the matter for juvenile proceedings.
Violations & Fines
There is no city fine schedule for curfew violations. Sec. 21-6(c) instead directs that any minor violating the section 'shall be dealt with in accordance with the Juvenile Court laws of the State of California,' meaning the case proceeds through the county juvenile justice system rather than a municipal citation or criminal court.
Frequently Asked Questions
What time is curfew for minors in Salinas?
Can a minor be out past curfew with a parent in Salinas?
What happens if a minor is cited for a curfew violation in Salinas?
Are there exceptions for work or events under Salinas's curfew?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Salinas
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