Waukesha, WI Curfew Laws: Juvenile Curfew (2026)

Section 11.055, Loitering of Minors, makes it unlawful for any person under the age of 17 to congregate, loiter, wander, stroll, stand or play on public streets, alleys, parks, buildings, places of amusement, employment, vacant lots, or any public place in Waukesha, on foot or in a vehicle, between 11 p.m. and 5 a.m. Sunday through Thursday and between midnight and 5 a.m. Friday and Saturday, unless accompanied by a parent, guardian, or other adult with custody of the minor. The ordinance exempts minors returning home from a supervised school, church, or civic function, minors whose job requires them to be out, and anyone exercising First Amendment rights of religion, speech, or assembly; before citing a minor, an officer must reasonably believe a violation occurred and that none of those exceptions apply.

Liability extends beyond the minor: a parent or guardian who permits or, through inefficient control, allows a violation is separately liable, though a parent who has filed a missing-person report is protected from that liability. Businesses that run places of amusement or entertainment, and hotels, motels, or rooming houses, are barred from letting an unaccompanied minor remain on the premises during curfew hours. Officers may take a minor believed to be violating the ordinance to the Police Department for identification and hold them until a parent or guardian is notified and comes to sign a release. The penalty for violating § 11.055 is a forfeiture of not less than $55.00 nor more than $110.00, a specific amount set by the section itself rather than the chapter's general penalty.