Southfield, MI Curfew Laws: Juvenile Curfew (2026)
Key Facts
- Ages 15 and under
- Off public streets 10 p.m. to 6 a.m.
- Ages 16-17
- Off public streets 11 p.m. to 6 a.m.
- Exception
- Accompanied by parent or delegated adult
- Older-teen exception
- Parent-directed errand or legitimate business
- Penalty
- Up to $500 fine or 90 days jail
- Parental liability
- § 9.505 for a minor's delinquent act
Summary
Southfield sets two curfew tiers for minors on public streets, parks and other public places: 10:00 p.m. to 6:00 a.m. for anyone fifteen or younger, and 11:00 p.m. to 6:00 a.m. for sixteen- and seventeen-year-olds. Both bans lift when the minor is with a parent, guardian, or an adult the parent designated, and the older group also gets an exception for a parent-directed errand.
It shall be unlawful for any minor fifteen (15) years of age or younger to loiter, idle or congregate in or on any public street, highway, alley, park, or other place open to the general public between the hours of 10:00 p.m. and 6:00 a.m., immediately following, unless the minor is accompanied by a parent or guardian, or some adult delegated by the parent or guardian to accompany the child. ... It shall be unlawful for any minor sixteen (16) or seventeen (17) years of age to loiter, idle or congregate in or on any public street, highway, alley, park, or other place open to the general public between the hours of 11:00 p.m. and 6:00 a.m., immediately following, except where the minor is accompanied by a parent or guardian or some adult delegated by the parent or guardian to accompany the minor child, or where the minor is upon an errand or other legitimate business directed by his parent or guardian.
Full Breakdown
Chapter 125 sets Southfield's curfew scheme in two sections. Section 9.501 makes it unlawful for any minor fifteen years of age or younger to loiter, idle or congregate on a public street, highway, alley, park or other public place between 10:00 p.m. and 6:00 a.m., unless accompanied by a parent, guardian, or an adult the parent or guardian delegated to accompany the child. Section 9.502 sets a later window, 11:00 p.m. to 6:00 a.m., for sixteen- and seventeen-year-olds, and adds a second exception beyond adult supervision: the minor may be out on an errand or other legitimate business the parent or guardian directed.
Neither section states its own fine, so a curfew violation falls back to the Code's general penalty in Section 1.15, up to $500.00 and costs, or up to ninety days in jail, with each day of violation a separate offense. Chapter 125 pairs the curfew with Section 9.505, Parental Responsibility, which holds a parent liable for a delinquent act by their minor child if the parent's own conduct encouraged or allowed the act, or if the parent knew or should have known the minor was likely to commit it and failed to act; police must notify the parent as soon as reasonably possible after any arrest or detention of the minor.
Section 9.504 lets the mayor impose a separate, broader curfew of any duration during a declared state of disaster or emergency, applicable to all persons, not just minors.
Violations & Fines
Neither Section 9.501 nor 9.502 states its own penalty, so a curfew violation is punished under the Code's general penalty, Section 1.15: a fine of not more than $500.00 plus costs of prosecution, or imprisonment for not more than ninety days, or both, with each day treated as a separate offense. A parent found responsible for the underlying delinquent act under Section 9.505 faces the same general penalty.
Frequently Asked Questions
What time does curfew start for a 14-year-old in Southfield?
Is curfew later for older teenagers?
What happens if my child is caught violating curfew?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Southfield
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Juvenile Curfew in Nearby Cities
How other cities in Oakland County handle juvenile curfew.