Westminster, CA Curfew Laws: Juvenile Curfew (2026)
Key Facts
- Governing section
- WMC § 9.70.010
- Curfew hours
- 10:00 p.m. to 6:00 a.m.
- Covered age
- under 18
- Exception 1
- accompanied by adult with lawful custody
- Exception 2
- on legitimate business directed by custodian
- Default penalty
- § 1.12.010 misdemeanor or infraction
Summary
Minors under 18 cannot loiter, wander, or play on Westminster's streets, parks, or other unsupervised public places between 10 p.m. and 6 a.m. Section 9.70.010 exempts minors accompanied by an adult with lawful custody or on legitimate errands for one.
§ 9.70.010. Curfew. It is unlawful for any minor under the age of eighteen years to loiter, idle, wander, stroll or play in or upon the public streets, highways, roads, alley, parks, playgrounds or other public buildings, places of amusement and entertainment, vacant lot or other unsupervised places, or trespass on private property between the hours of ten p.m. and six a.m. of the following day; provided, however, that the provisions of this section shall not apply to a minor accompanied by an adult person having the lawful care and custody of the minor or when the minor is on legitimate business directed by the person having the minor's lawful care and custody. (Ord. 2214 § 1, 1994)
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: rev 4982734; v10 updated 2026-06-10).
Full Breakdown
the following day. The section provides two exceptions written directly into the text: it does not apply to a minor accompanied by an adult person having the lawful care and custody of the minor, and it does not apply when the minor is on legitimate business directed by the person who has the minor's lawful care and custody, covering situations like a work shift or an errand a parent has sent the minor to run. 72, reflecting a cluster of ordinances aimed at supervising minors' presence in public spaces. 010, which lets the city attorney charge the conduct as either a misdemeanor or an infraction.
Violations & Fines
A curfew violation defaults to the citywide penalty structure in Section 1.12.010: a misdemeanor conviction carries up to a $1,000 fine, up to six months in jail, or both, while an infraction charge carries $100 for a first offense, $200 for a second within a year, and $500 for each additional offense within that year. Parents directing a minor's 'legitimate business' bear the burden of establishing that exception applies.
Frequently Asked Questions
What are Westminster's curfew hours for minors?
Are there exceptions to Westminster's juvenile curfew?
What happens if a minor is caught violating curfew in Westminster?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Westminster
California rules heatmap·Compare Westminster to another location·View the California curfew laws overview
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Juvenile Curfew in Nearby Cities
How other cities in Orange County handle juvenile curfew.