Renton, WA Curfew Laws: Park Curfew (2026)
Key Facts
- Governing section
- RMC 6-30-5, trespass in parks
- Penalty
- misdemeanor, up to $1,000 and 90 days
- Serious-offense expulsion
- up to 1 year (6-30-2)
- General expulsion
- up to 7 days for other violations
- No defense
- pending appeal or prior permit
- "Park" includes
- trails, golf course, recreation buildings
Summary
Being present in a Renton park after posted closing hours is criminal trespass under RMC 6-30-5, a misdemeanor punishable by up to a $1,000 fine and 90 days in jail, separate from the City's park-expulsion process.
A. It is unlawful for any person to: 1. Enter or remain in any park during the period covered by an expulsion notice pursuant to RMC 6-30-2; or 2. Enter, remain in, or be present within the premises of a park during hours that the park is not open to the public. ... C. Any person who violates the provisions of this chapter shall be guilty of a misdemeanor and may be punished by a fine in any sum not to exceed one thousand dollars ($1,000) or by imprisonment for a term not to exceed ninety (90) days, or by both such fine and imprisonment.
Official source re-checked September 8, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: current through Ordinance 6197, passed August 10, 2026).
Full Breakdown
RMC 6-30-5(A) makes it unlawful for any person to "enter, remain in, or be present within the premises of a park during hours that the park is not open to the public," alongside a separate ban on entering a park during an active expulsion issued under RMC 6-30-2. "Park" is defined broadly in RMC 6-30-1(B) to include the parks, trails, open space areas, golf course, and recreation buildings owned, operated, or maintained by the City, so the after-hours rule reaches more than neighborhood playfields.
Subsection B removes two common defenses: it is not a defense that an underlying expulsion is on appeal when the person is apprehended, and it is not a defense that the person entered under a permit issued before or after the expulsion notice. Subsection C sets the penalty: violating the chapter, including the after-hours trespass provision, is a misdemeanor punishable by a fine up to $1,000, up to 90 days in jail, or both.
The trespass rule works alongside the City's expulsion system in RMC 6-30-2, under which a Park Official or police officer can bar a person from all City parks for up to one year for offenses like assault, weapons, drug sales, or repeated rule violations, and for up to seven days for any other park rule or law violation. A person who re-enters during an expulsion, or anyone present when a park is closed for the night, faces the same misdemeanor exposure under 6-30-5(C).
Violations & Fines
A Renton police officer or Park Official who finds someone in a park after closing, or during an active expulsion, can cite them for trespass in parks under RMC 6-30-5. Conviction is a misdemeanor carrying up to a $1,000 fine, up to 90 days in jail, or both; expulsion periods run up to one year for serious offenses like weapons, drug sales, or assault under RMC 6-30-2, or up to seven days for lesser rule violations.
Frequently Asked Questions
What happens if I'm in a Renton park after it closes?
Can I appeal a park expulsion?
Does having a permit protect me from a trespass charge during an expulsion?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Renton
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Park Curfew in Nearby Cities
How other cities in King County handle park curfew.