West Covina, CA Curfew Laws: Juvenile Curfew (2026)
Key Facts
- Governing section
- Municipal Code Sec. 15-8
- Curfew hours
- 10:00 p.m. to 6:00 a.m.
- Applies to
- Anyone under 18
- Exceptions
- 8 listed, incl. parent permission, work, emergency
- School-hours curfew
- Sec. 15-8.1: 8:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m.
- Penalty
- Misdemeanor, up to $1,000 fine, 6 months jail
Summary
West Covina bars anyone under 18 from being in any public place or establishment between 10:00 p.m. and 6:00 a.m. under Municipal Code Sec. 15-8. Eight exceptions cover minors with a parent, guardian or accompanying adult spouse, parental permission, emergencies, supervised activities, work, interstate travel, First Amendment activity, and standing on their own or a neighbor's sidewalk. Violating the curfew is a misdemeanor.
(a)It is unlawful for any minor under the age of eighteen (18) to remain in any public place or establishment within the city between the hours of 10:00 p.m. and 6:00 a.m. However, the provisions of this section shall not apply if any of the following apply:(1)The minor is accompanied by his or her parent(s), legal guardian, or by his/her spouse eighteen (18) years of age or older.(2)The minor's parent(s) or legal guardian has given the minor permission to remain in a public place or establishment during curfew hours.(3)The minor is involved in an emergency... (5)The minor is engaged in lawful employment activity or is going to or returning from a lawful employment activity without any detour or stop... (8)The minor is on the sidewalk adjacent to his/her residence or the residence of a next door neighbor and the neighbor does not complain to the police department about the minor's presence. Any minor who violates this section is guilty of a misdemeanor.
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: Code of Ordinances: Supplement 94).
Full Breakdown
West Covina enforces its nighttime curfew, Sec. , defined broadly to include streets, highways and the common areas of schools, apartment buildings, office buildings, transit facilities and shops. Eight exceptions keep the ordinance from sweeping in minors who have a legitimate reason to be out: being with a parent, guardian or an accompanying spouse eighteen or older; carrying parental permission; responding to an emergency; traveling to or from a supervised school, civic, religious or recreational activity; going to or from lawful employment; riding in a vehicle on interstate travel; exercising First Amendment rights such as speech, assembly or religion; or simply standing on the sidewalk next to their own home or a neighbor's home so long as that neighbor has not complained to police (Sec.
15-8(a)(1)-(8)). The city layers a second, narrower curfew on top of the nighttime rule: Sec. , or other hours the local school district sets, on days school is in session, subject to the same eight exceptions. A related provision, Sec. 15-18, separately makes it unlawful for a school-age minor to loiter, idle or wander in public places during those same school hours. Both Sec. 15-8 and Sec. 1 state directly in their text that a violating minor is guilty of a misdemeanor.
Violations & Fines
Sec. 15-8 states directly that a minor who violates the nighttime curfew is guilty of a misdemeanor, punishable under Sec. 1-37(a) by a fine of up to $1,000, up to six months in county jail, or both, since the section names no lesser penalty of its own. The companion school-hours curfew, Sec. 15-8.1, carries the identical misdemeanor penalty for the same reason.
Frequently Asked Questions
What time does the youth curfew start in West Covina?
Can a teen be out in West Covina at night if a parent gives permission?
Is violating West Covina's curfew a serious charge?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in West Covina
California rules heatmap·Compare West Covina to another location·View the California curfew laws overview
See something wrong?
Help us keep this page accurate. If you notice an error or outdated information, let us know.
Juvenile Curfew in Nearby Cities
How other cities in Los Angeles County handle juvenile curfew.