Juvenile Curfew
The Lubbock Police Department would like to provide you with this information to assist you when making decisions before and during curfew hours. The ordinance can be viewed at the City of Lubbock website. This is a synopsis of the ordinance § Chapter 18 Article II Section 18-46.
The Curfew applies to any person 16 years of age or younger.
Juvenile Curfew Rules:
- Nighttime curfew
- Unlawful to remain at any public place or establishment (business) within the city limits from 11 pm to 6 am Sunday through Thursday. (even during summer vacation)
- On Friday and Saturday nights or the day before a school holiday (or scheduled day off), the hours are from 12:00 midnight till 6 am.
- Daytime curfew
- Any person from six years of age through sixteen years of age, cannot be at any public place or establishment (business)
between 9 am and 2:30 pm, during a school day.
Exceptions To The Curfew
- There is no curfew violation if the juvenile is with their parent, legal guardian or authorized adult supervisor.
- While exercising First Amendment rights at a parade or demonstration (authorized by the City of Lubbock) or other bona fide religious, social or school activities involving the right to assemble.
- While performing a legitimate errand or other business at the direction of a parent, guardian or supervisory adult including traveling to and from the location by a direct route.
- Juvenile can be outside (in front of the juveniles home) on the sidewalk or on sidewalk of either next-door neighbor
(same side of the street), if the neighbor does not object.
- When the juvenile is actively engaged in employment activities.
- Above listed exceptions allows travel to and from the activity by a direct route.
Exceptions To Daytime Curfew
- The previous exceptions also apply to daytime curfew as well as the following exceptions.
- Exception allowed during scheduled school vacations or holidays where juvenile is enrolled.
- Exception given to juveniles who;
- have graduated from high school;
- received their high school equivalency certificate;
- are emancipated by law;
- have received permission from a school official to be absent from school or to be in a public place;
- are home schooled; the parent can give permission for the juvenile to be out in public.
Parental Responsibility
- Parents, guardians or adult supervisors responsible for juveniles, cannot allow (knowingly or by insufficient control) juveniles to remain in public places or establishments other than for the above listed exceptions. (Both parent and juvenile may receive citation for curfew violation.)
- Knowingly is defined as such that a parent should have reasonably known where the juvenile is at throughout the day.
- If the parent is careless and neglectful by having no knowledge of the juvenile’s location, then the parent can also be considered in violation of the curfew.
Fines for violations of this ordinance can vary from $1 to $500 as determined by the Municipal Court. All fines are subject to the court’s discretion and may change without notice.
For further questions or inquiries about the Juvenile Curfew, please contact the Lubbock Police Department Juvenile Section at (806) 775-2788.