South Carolina Juvenile Curfew Authority and Limits

South Carolina does not impose a single statewide juvenile curfew, but Title 5 (Municipal Corporations) and Title 4 (Counties) grant local governments police power to enact reasonable curfew ordinances for minors. Statewide laws addressing minors operate uniformly: compulsory school attendance under Section 59-65-10 requires children ages 5 to 17 to attend school, and the Children's Code (Title 63) governs status offenses, runaways, and dependency proceedings. Local curfews must be consistent with constitutional protections and may include exemptions for employment, parental supervision, or emergencies.

Violations of local juvenile curfew ordinances typically result in warnings, parental notification, civil penalties against parents or guardians, or referral to family court for status offenses under the Children's Code.