Chelsea, MA Curfew Laws: Park Curfew (2026)
Key Facts
- Playground hours
- 8:00 a.m. to 9:00 p.m. daily
- Maximum criminal fine
- $100.00 per offense
- Enforcement
- Any Chelsea police officer may arrest violators
- Governing law
- Code of Ordinances § 20-1
- Oversight
- Recreation department sets site-specific rules
Summary
Chelsea closes its playgrounds to the public between 9:00 p.m. and 8:00 a.m. under Code of Ordinances § 20-1. Anyone who enters or stays in a city playground outside those hours, or after being told to leave, is committing a violation the police can enforce with an arrest and a criminal fine of up to $100 per offense.
(a)No person shall be allowed to enter a playground without right or remain therein after having been forbidden to do so either directly or by posted notice.(b)A person may enter a playground, and act within a playground, in accordance with the rules and regulations of the recreation department; said playground hours shall be from 8:00 a.m. to 9:00 p.m., except when other hours have been authorized by the recreation department. ... (d)Any conviction for a violation of this section shall be punishable by a criminal fine of not more than $100.00 for each offense, and shall in all other respects be subject to the provisions of section 1-8.
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: Code of Ordinances: Supplement 26).
Full Breakdown
, unless the recreation department authorizes different hours for a specific site or program. ' The ordinance gives any police officer authority to make an arrest for a violation, which puts park curfew enforcement on the same footing as the city's other criminal ordinance violations rather than a simple warning system. 00 for each offense, and the general penalty provisions of section 1-8 also apply, meaning the city can pursue the matter as a noncriminal disposition with an escalating schedule of $50, $150 and $300 fines for repeat offenses if the city elects that route instead of a criminal complaint.
c. 45. window is the baseline citywide curfew. 2-square-mile city, and the after-dark restriction applies uniformly regardless of neighborhood. , not just loud or destructive conduct.
Violations & Fines
Entering or remaining in a Chelsea playground before 8:00 a.m. or after 9:00 p.m., or staying after being told to leave, is a criminal violation of section 20-1. Police officers may arrest violators on the spot. A conviction brings a fine of up to $100.00 per offense, and the city can instead pursue noncriminal disposition under section 1-8 with escalating $50, $150 and $300 fines for repeat violations.
Frequently Asked Questions
What time do Chelsea's playgrounds close?
Can police arrest someone for being in a Chelsea park after hours?
Do the curfew hours apply to every city park?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Chelsea
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Park Curfew in Nearby Cities
How other cities in this county handle park curfew.