Virginia curfew laws for minors are not set at the state level. Virginia Code § 15.2-926 lets each city, county, and town decide whether to adopt a curfew ordinance for unaccompanied minors, and any curfew a locality passes must fall within the window of 10:00 p.m. to 6:00 a.m.1Virginia Code Commission. Virginia Code 15.2-926 – Prohibiting Loitering; Frequenting Amusements and Curfew for Minors; Penalty Hours, exceptions, and enforcement vary from one community to the next, so the rule that applies to you depends on where you are standing at the moment.
How the State Statute Works
Section 15.2-926 is an enabling statute. It does not create a curfew on its own; it authorizes local governments to pass one. A locality that never adopts an ordinance has no curfew, while its neighbor may enforce a strict one.
The statute splits into two parts. Subsection A covers general curfew restrictions on unaccompanied minors in public places during the hours a locality chooses within the 10:00 p.m. to 6:00 a.m. window. Subsection B covers a narrower situation: minors loitering in or around public places of amusement. The two subsections carry very different penalties, and confusing them is easy.1Virginia Code Commission. Virginia Code 15.2-926 – Prohibiting Loitering; Frequenting Amusements and Curfew for Minors; Penalty
“Public place” is defined broadly. It reaches both public and private property, and the statute expressly includes public libraries. Local ordinances typically extend the definition further to streets, sidewalks, parks, alleys, and parked vehicles.
What Hours Apply
The state sets only the outer boundaries. Within 10:00 p.m. to 6:00 a.m., a locality can pick any window it wants. Some start at 11:00 p.m. rather than 10:00. Some end at 5:00 a.m. rather than 6:00. Weekend hours may differ from weekday hours in the same ordinance. Because there is no uniform Virginia curfew time, the only reliable answer to “what time does curfew start here” is the text of your local ordinance.
Penalties for a General Curfew Violation
A standard curfew violation under subsection A is not a criminal misdemeanor. The case goes to juvenile and domestic relations court, and the judge draws from the dispositions in Virginia Code §§ 16.1-278.4 and 16.1-278.5.1Virginia Code Commission. Virginia Code 15.2-926 – Prohibiting Loitering; Frequenting Amusements and Curfew for Minors; Penalty Those statutes focus on rehabilitation rather than punishment.
Available outcomes include letting the minor stay home under court-imposed conditions, ordering the minor or the parent into counseling or a treatment program, requiring community service, placing the child on probation, and, in serious or repeated cases, transferring custody to a relative, a licensed child welfare agency, or the local department of social services.2Virginia Code Commission. Virginia Code 16.1-278.4 – Children in Need of Services3Virginia Code Commission. Virginia Code 16.1-278.5 – Children in Need of Supervision Probation conditions can include suspension of the minor’s driver’s license with a restricted permit.
For a first offense, courts usually stay near the lighter end: conditions on the family, a required program, or community service hours. Repeat violations, or violations paired with other conduct, tend to escalate the response.
Penalties for Loitering at Amusement Places
Subsection B is the only part of § 15.2-926 that authorizes a fine. A locality can set penalties up to a Class 3 misdemeanor for minors loitering in or around public places of amusement. Under Virginia Code § 18.2-11, a Class 3 misdemeanor carries a fine of up to $500 and no jail time.4Virginia Code Commission. Virginia Code 18.2-11 – Punishment for Conviction of Misdemeanor This penalty structure does not apply to a plain after-hours curfew violation; it applies to the amusement-place conduct described in subsection B.
What Parents Can Be Held Responsible For
The state statute does not itself set penalties for parents. Many local ordinances do. A common local provision makes it unlawful for a parent, guardian, or other adult with custody to knowingly permit or encourage a minor to violate curfew, and it exposes that adult to fines separate from anything the juvenile court does with the minor. Some ordinances give parents a defense if they have already filed a missing-person report with the police.
Common Exceptions
The statute itself contains one exception: a minor accompanied by a parent is not covered.5Virginia Code Commission. Virginia Code 15.2-926 – Prohibiting Loitering; Frequenting Amusements and Curfew for Minors; Penalty Every other exception lives in the local ordinance.
Local ordinances across Virginia tend to repeat a few categories. A minor traveling to or from a legitimate job, or actively working, is usually exempt. So is a minor responding to an emergency or running a specific errand directed by a parent. Attendance at a school, church, or civic event often qualifies, though some localities require the sponsoring organization to register the event with police in advance and expect the minor home within 30 minutes of the event ending. Activity a parent has specifically authorized is another common exemption.
None of these are guaranteed. Because they live in local code rather than the state statute, you cannot assume your city or county recognizes any particular one.
Finding the Ordinance That Applies to You
Age cutoffs, hours, exceptions, and enforcement practices all differ by locality. A teenager who lives in one jurisdiction and visits friends in another can be subject to different rules within the same evening. If you are moving to a new Virginia community, or if your teenager drives between them, look up each city or county code separately. Your local police department or the city or county clerk’s office can point you to the current text.