Pender County, NC Curfew Laws: Park Curfew (2026)
Key Facts
- Curfew rule
- Parks close at posted hours, § 28-20
- Exception
- Permit or authorized program allowed after hours
- Discretionary closure
- Director may close areas anytime, § 28-21
- Misdemeanor penalty
- Up to $50 fine or 30 days jail
- Civil penalty
- $100 per offense, up to $500 repeat
- Enforcing agency
- Parks and Recreation Director, § 28-48
Summary
Under County Code § 28-20, every Pender County park closes to the public at its posted hours, and anyone who enters or stays in a park past those hours is in violation unless the parks and recreation director has issued a permit or the person is part of an authorized program, class, special event or meeting. Section 28-19 extends the rule to any park the county owns, operates or maintains.
This article shall apply to all parks owned, operated or maintained by the county. ... All parks shall be open to the public during posted hours. It shall be unlawful for any person or vehicle to enter or be within a park beyond posted hours of operation unless approved by a permit issued by the director of parks and recreation or his designee, or unless such person is participating in authorized and scheduled programs, classes, special events or meetings.
Full Breakdown
Section 28-19 states that the parks article applies to all parks owned, operated or maintained by the county, and § 28-20 requires that all parks be open to the public only during posted hours, making it unlawful for any person or vehicle to enter or be within a park beyond posted hours of operation unless approved by a permit issued by the director of parks and recreation or a designee, or unless the person is participating in authorized and scheduled programs, classes, special events or meetings.
Section 28-21 gives the director discretion to temporarily close any section or part of a park, recreation area or facility at any time for maintenance or other purposes, even during posted open hours. Section 28-46 lets the director set additional rules and regulations for park use and maintenance, though violations of those director-set rules are not punishable as a misdemeanor or civil citation the way violations of the article itself are. Park personnel, their designees, and any authorized law enforcement officer enforce the hours rule under § 28-48.
Violations & Fines
Section 28-48(a) makes a violation of the parks article a misdemeanor under G.S. § 14-4, punishable by a fine of not more than $50.00 or imprisonment for not more than 30 days. Section 28-48(b) also allows a civil penalty of $100.00 per offense, recoverable as a debt under G.S. § 153A-123(c), rising to as much as $500.00 for repeat violations under § 28-48(d), and § 28-48(c) treats each day a violation continues as a separate offense.
Frequently Asked Questions
What time do Pender County parks close?
Can the county close a park early for other reasons?
What's the penalty for being in a Pender County park after hours?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Pender County
Compare Pender County to another location·View the North Carolina curfew laws overview
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