Porter County, IN Curfew Laws: Juvenile Curfew (2026)
Key Facts
- Curfew hours
- 11:00 p.m. to 6:00 a.m.
- Location
- Burlington Beach Accessway to Flint Lake only
- Liable party
- Parent, guardian or custodian
- Maximum fine
- $500.00
- Exception
- Launching or landing a watercraft
- Scope
- Not a countywide curfew ordinance
Summary
Porter County bars parents and guardians from letting a minor under 18 loiter on the public Burlington Beach Accessway to Flint Lake between 11:00 p.m. and 6:00 a.m. under Code Sec. 14-44(b). This is a location-specific curfew tied to one county-owned beach access, not a countywide minor curfew, and a violation is punishable by up to a $500.00 fine.
(b)It is unlawful for any parent, guardian or person with legal custody, care or control of any minor under the age of 18 years to allow or permit such minor to remain or loiter upon the Burlington Beach Accessway to Flint Lake under the jurisdiction of the board of commissioners, between the hours of 11:00 p.m. and 6:00 a.m. of the following day unless such minor is engaged in the launching or landing of a boat, canoe, raft or other water vessel.(c)Any person violating any of the provisions of this section shall, upon conviction, be fined in an amount not exceeding $500.00.
Full Breakdown
Sec. 14-44, adopted by Ord. No. 81-13 and found in Article III, Property Offenses, of Chapter 14, Public Peace, Morals and Welfare, regulates conduct at one specific site: the public Burlington Beach accessway to Flint Lake under the jurisdiction of the Porter County Board of Commissioners. unless the person is launching or landing a boat, canoe, raft or other watercraft. window, again subject to the boat-launching exception. Because the ordinance was written for this one beach access rather than the whole county, it functions as a location-specific minor curfew rather than a general Porter County youth curfew; a footnote to Chapter 14 in the county code also notes that counties are preempted under IC 36-1-3-8(8) from creating offenses similar to a state crime or infraction, which helps explain why Porter County has not enacted a broader countywide juvenile curfew.
00. There is no separate juvenile citation; instead, the county holds the responsible adult accountable for a minor's presence at this location during curfew hours.
Violations & Fines
A parent, guardian or custodian who allows a minor under 18 to remain on the Burlington Beach Accessway to Flint Lake between 11:00 p.m. and 6:00 a.m. can be convicted under Sec. 14-44(b) and fined up to $500.00 under subsection (c). The same fine applies to any adult or minor who personally loiters there during those hours under subsection (a), unless the person is actively launching or landing a boat, canoe, raft or other vessel.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does Porter County have a general curfew for minors?
Who gets cited if a minor is out past curfew at Burlington Beach?
Is there an exception to the Burlington Beach curfew?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Porter County
Compare Porter County to another location·View the Indiana curfew laws overview
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