South Bend, IN Curfew Laws: Juvenile Curfew (2026)
Key Facts
- Ages 15-17 curfew
- 11 p.m.-5 a.m. weeknights, 1-5 a.m. weekends
- Under-15 curfew
- 11 p.m. to 5 a.m. every night
- First-offense fine
- $25, payable through Ordinance Violation Bureau
- Repeat fines
- $100 second offense, $200 third and later, plus costs
- Who is fined
- Custodial parent or legal guardian, not the minor
- Fine allocation
- 50% goes to Juvenile Positive Assistance Fund
Summary
South Bend bars minors from public places during set overnight hours: 15-to-17-year-olds after 11 p.m. on school nights and 1-5 a.m. on weekends, under-15s after 11 p.m. every night. Parents face fines starting at $25.
It is a curfew violation for a child fifteen (15), sixteen (16), or seventeen (17) years of age to be in a public place: (a)Between 1:00 a.m. and 5:00 a.m. on Saturday or Sunday;(b)After 11:00 p.m. on Sunday, Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, or Thursday, or;(c)Before 5:00 a.m. on Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, or Friday. ... The custodial parent or legal guardian of any child who commits a curfew violation, as defined herein, violates this article and shall be subject to the following fines: (a)Twenty-five dollars ($25.00) for a first offense;(b)One hundred dollars ($100.00) for a second offense within a one-year period, plus court costs; or(c)Two hundred dollars ($200.00) for a third offense and every subsequent offense within a one-year period, plus court costs.
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: Code of Ordinances: Supplement 65).
Full Breakdown
City Code Sec. on the following Monday through Friday mornings. Sec. on any day of the week, regardless of whether it is a school night. Both sections trace to Ord. No. 8135-90, § 1. Sec. 14-8 exempts a child accompanied by a parent, guardian or custodian, or by an adult that person designates; a child carrying written, signed permission from a parent for a specific activity; a child going to or from lawful employment, a school-sanctioned activity, a religious event, or a supervised civic/public-organization program, or exercising First Amendment rights; and a child in lawful interstate or international travel passing through Indiana.
These exceptions were expanded by Ord. No. 9125-00 and Ord. No. 9596-05 (6-13-05). Enforcement runs through the City's Ordinance Violation Bureau: Sec. 14-10 routes first-offense fines there for direct payment rather than a full court appearance. Sec. 14-11 dedicates half of all collected curfew fines to the Juvenile Positive Assistance Fund, restricted to that fund's designated juvenile-support purposes.
Violations & Fines
Sec. 14-9 places liability on the custodial parent or legal guardian, not the child: $25 for a first offense, $100 plus court costs for a second offense within one year, and $200 plus court costs for a third and every subsequent offense within that same one-year window. First offenses are treated as an ordinance violation payable through the Ordinance Violation Bureau under Sec. 14-10 rather than requiring a criminal court hearing.
Frequently Asked Questions
What time does South Bend's curfew start for teenagers?
Is the curfew stricter for younger children?
Who has to pay if a South Bend curfew violation happens?
Are there exceptions to South Bend's juvenile curfew?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in South Bend
Compare South Bend to another location·View the Indiana curfew laws overview
See something wrong?
Help us keep this page accurate. If you notice an error or outdated information, let us know.