Putnam County, FL Curfew Laws: Park Curfew (2026)
Key Facts
- Park closure hours
- Sundown to sunrise (unlit/non-night areas)
- Maximum civil fine
- $500.00 (Sec. 29-36)
- Pay-and-close option
- $250.00 within 30 days
- After-hours access
- Requires director-issued permit
- Refusing to sign citation
- Second-degree misdemeanor
- Enforcing officers
- Law enforcement and code enforcement officers
Summary
In unincorporated Putnam County, Putnam County Code Sec. 29-4(1) closes any park or section of a park not lighted or designated for night use to the public from sundown to sunrise. Staying in a closed park without a director-issued permit is unlawful, and the Parks and Recreation Department may also close a park temporarily, at set intervals, or once it reaches carrying capacity.
(1)Closing of parks.a.Any park or section of a park not lighted or designated for night use will be closed to the public from sundown to sunrise.b.It shall be unlawful for any person to be or remain in any park during the hours the park is closed to public use, unless such person has a permit issued by the director authorizing that person to remain in the park. ... Violation of any provision of this chapter is a civil infraction with a maximum fine of $500.00. Any enforcement officer finding probable cause that a person has committed an act in violation hereof may issue that person a citation.
Full Breakdown
Putnam County's Board of County Commissioners regulates park access through Chapter 29 of the county code, enforced by the Parks and Recreation Department. Sec. 29-4(1) closes any unlit park or section not designated for night use from sundown to sunrise, and a person may remain past closing only with a permit from the department director. Beyond the nightly closure, the department can shut any park or section at any time and for any interval of time, either temporarily or at regular and stated intervals, entirely or merely to certain uses, and it may set carrying capacities and close a park once that capacity is reached.
Individual sites can carry additional posted rules kept in the department's Standard Operating Procedures Manual. Enforcement runs through Sec. 29-36, the chapter's general enforcement section: law enforcement and code enforcement officers issue citations, and violating any park provision, including the after-hours closure, is a civil infraction carrying a fine of up to $500.00. A person cited may pay $250.00 within 30 days to close the case without a hearing, or contest it by entering a not-guilty plea with the clerk of county court within the same 30 days. Refusing to sign a citation is a second-degree misdemeanor, and failing to pay or appear can bring a show-cause order and a contempt finding.
Violations & Fines
Being in a closed county park after sundown without a director-issued permit is a civil infraction under Sec. 29-36, punishable by a fine of up to $500.00. Officers may issue a citation on probable cause; paying $250.00 within 30 days settles it without a hearing, while contesting it requires a not-guilty plea filed with the clerk of county court within 30 days. Refusing to sign the citation is a second-degree misdemeanor.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I stay in a Putnam County park after dark?
What happens if I'm cited for being in a closed park?
Can the county close a park for reasons other than nighttime?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Putnam County
Florida rules heatmap·Compare Putnam County to another location·View the Florida curfew laws overview
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