Yonkers, NY Curfew Laws: Park Curfew (2026)
Key Facts
- Unlit parks curfew
- Sunset to 8:00 a.m.
- Lit parks curfew
- 10:00 p.m. to 8:00 a.m.
- Permission granted by
- Commissioner of Parks, Recreation and Conservation
- Also covers
- City schools, play areas, City-leased facilities
- Bench rule
- No blocking or sleeping on benches, § 100-18
- Default penalty
- Class II offense, § 1-21
Summary
City parks in Yonkers carry a nighttime loitering ban. Unlighted parks and playgrounds are off-limits from sunset to 8 a.m., and lighted ones close to loitering between 10 p.m. and 8 a.m., unless the Commissioner of Parks, Recreation and Conservation grants permission. The same hours reach City schools and other City-run facilities.
It shall be unlawful to loiter or remain in any unlighted City-owned park or playground between sunset and 8:00 a.m. without general or special permission granted by the Commissioner of Parks, Recreation, and Conservation. ... It shall be unlawful to loiter or remain in any lighted City-owned park or playground between the hours of 10:00 p.m. and 8:00 a.m. without general or special permission granted by the Commissioner of Parks, Recreation and Conservation.
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: rev 4745274; v31 updated 2025-10-28; through 10-28-2025).
Full Breakdown
§ 100-17, adopted in 1956 and last amended in 1999, makes it unlawful to loiter or remain in any unlighted City-owned park or playground between sunset and 8:00 a.m. without general or special permission from the Commissioner of Parks, Recreation and Conservation. A separate curfew covers lighted parks and playgrounds: loitering there between 10:00 p.m. and 8:00 a.m. is likewise unlawful without the Commissioner's permission. A 1994 amendment (G.O. No. 10-1994) extended both curfews beyond parks to any publicly owned area or facility, including City schools and play areas and City-owned or City-leased facilities and premises, unless the department or agency head running that building grants permission instead. § 100-18, added in 2016, layers on a related rule that applies around the clock, not just at night: no one may use a park bench or sitting area in a way that blocks another person's use of it, including by storing belongings there or sleeping on it.
Violations & Fines
Article IV carries no penalty section of its own, so a violation of the sunset-to-8-a.m. or 10-p.m.-to-8-a.m. curfew defaults to § 1-21's citywide schedule: a Class II offense, meaning a criminal fine of $100 to $5,000, up to 15 days in jail, or a civil penalty of $250 to $5,000, enforced by the Yonkers Police Department.
Frequently Asked Questions
What time do Yonkers parks close?
Does the park curfew apply to school grounds too?
What's the penalty for loitering in a Yonkers park after hours?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Yonkers
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Park Curfew in Nearby Cities
How other cities in Westchester County handle park curfew.