Fort Worth, TX Curfew Laws: Park Curfew (2026)
Key Facts
- Default hours
- 5:00 a.m. to 10:00 p.m.
- Governs
- Parks, recreation areas, community centers
- Different hours per facility
- Director may post them
- Seasonal closures
- Entry barred entirely
- Penalty (via § 1-6)
- Up to $500 per day
- Last amended
- Ord. 27255-10-2024, eff. 11-6-2024
Summary
Fort Worth parks, recreation areas, and community centers close to the public overnight. Section 24-8 sets default hours of 5:00 a.m. to 10:00 p.m., and entering or remaining in a park during closed hours, in a restricted area, or during a seasonal closure without a permit is a misdemeanor.
It shall be unlawful for any person to enter or remain in any portion of a park or recreation area which is designated as restricted, or to enter or remain, without a permit, in any park or recreation area during the hours of the day when such park or recreation area is not open to the public, or to enter or remain at any time in any park and recreation area which is closed for the season. The director of the park and recreation department may post the hours during which each park and recreation area is open to the public. Unless otherwise posted by the director of the park and recreation department, the hours during which parks and recreation areas are open to the public are 5:00 a.m. to 10:00 p.m.
Full Breakdown
default. The section reaches three distinct situations: entering or remaining in any portion of a park designated as restricted, being present without a permit outside the posted open hours, and entering at any time during a seasonal closure. Section 24-1 makes the whole park chapter, including the closed-hours rule, apply to every park, recreation area, and community center in the city regardless of which department runs day-to-day operations there. Section 24-2 backs the closed-hours rule with a broader access condition: compliance with all laws and regulations is a condition of using any park or community center, and it is separately unlawful to remain after a city employee or peace officer has warned that the person is disrupting a supervised or unsupervised activity and asked them to leave.
Chapter 24 does not set its own penalty for a § 24-8 violation, so the citywide general penalty in § 1-6 controls: a fine of up to $500, with each day a violation continues charged as a separate offense. The hours provision was last amended by Ord. 27255-10-2024, effective November 6, 2024.
Violations & Fines
Section 24-8 carries no penalty of its own, so a violation falls under the citywide general penalty in § 1-6: a fine of up to $500, with each day the violation continues counted as a separate offense. Remaining after being told to leave under § 24-2 is a separate, additional offense.
Frequently Asked Questions
What time do Fort Worth city parks close?
Can an individual park have different hours than the citywide default?
What happens if I'm asked to leave a park for disrupting an activity?
What is the fine for being in a Fort Worth park after hours?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Fort Worth
Texas rules heatmap·Compare Fort Worth to another location·View the Texas curfew laws overview
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