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Office of the Deputy Mayor for Public Safety and Justice
 

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Juvenile Curfew Enforcement

On September 1, 2023 the District launched an Enhanced Juvenile Curfew Enforcement Pilot to ensure that young people are safe and to proactively connect youth and families with critical support and services. 

In summer 2025, the Juvenile Curfew Emergency Amendment Act of 2025 was passed which states that persons age 17 or younger cannot remain in any public place or on the premises of any establishment within the District of Columbia during curfew hours, unless they are involved in certain exempted activities. The law gives the Chief of Police the authority to establish Extended Juvenile Curfew Zones and allows the Mayor of the District of Columbia to authorize an Emergency Juvenile Curfew. 

What are the curfew hours?
Now through August 31, 2025:

  • Curfew hours are 11 pm to 6 am, seven days a week

Beginning September 1, 2025:

  • Curfew begins at 11 pm on Sunday through Thursday nights, and continues until 6 a.m. the following day
  • Curfew hours are 12:01 am to 6 am on Saturday and Sunday (curfew on "Friday night" begins at 12:01 am Saturday; curfew on "Saturday night" begins at 12:01 am Sunday)

Juvenile Curfew Zones 
In Juvenile Curfew Zones, any person age 17 and under gathering in a group of nine (9) or more youths in any public place or on the premises of any establishment within the perimeter of an extended juvenile curfew zone must leave the area unless engaged in certain exempted activities. The Chief of Police will designate the curfew hours within these zones and communicate them to the public, but they will not begin before 8 pm or end after 6 am A list of declared Juvenile Curfew Zones is available here

Does the curfew law apply to non-District residents?
Yes. The curfew law applies to all persons age 17 and under who are in the District of Columbia during curfew hours. This includes both District residents as well as young people who reside elsewhere.

What are the penalties for violating the law?
A parent or legal guardian of a juvenile age 17 and under commits an offense if he or she knowingly permits, or by insufficient control allows, a minor to violate the curfew law. Any adult who violates the Juvenile Curfew Act is subject to a fine not to exceed $500 or community service. A minor who violates curfew may be ordered to perform up to 25 hours of community service.

Persons age 17 and under are exempt from curfew if they:

  • Accompany a parent or guardian
  • Complete an errand at the direction of a parent or guardian, without detour or stop
  • Ride in a motor vehicle involved in interstate travel
  • Work or return home from a job, without detour or stop
  • Become involved in an emergency
  • Stand on a sidewalk that joins their residence or the residence of a next-door neighbor, if the neighbor did not complain to police
  • Attend an official school, religious, or other recreational activity sponsored by the 
  • District of Columbia, a civic organization, or other similar group that takes responsibility for the juvenile (this includes traveling to and from the activity)
  • Exercise their First Amendment rights protected by the US Constitution, including the free exercise of speech, religion, and right of assembly

What happens when the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD) encounters a youth that will not go home and is violating curfew? 
MPD will first try to get the youth to go home. If that is not successful, if a youth is encountered in one of the focus areas, MPD brings youth to Department of Youth Rehabilitation Services (DYRS). DYRS will work to connect with the youth’s parents for pickup and monitor the child until they can be reconnected with a parent or guardian.

Is a Curfew Law Constitutional?
Passed in 1995, The Juvenile Curfew Act of 1995 (DC Code 2-1541 et. seq.) was set up to protect the health and safety of young people and our communities. After the law was challenged in court, MPD stopped enforcement until the court decided whether the law was constitutional. In June 1999, the US Circuit Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia found the law to be constitutional. The District began enforcing the law again in the fall of 1999.

 

Fiscal Year

Total number of youth MPD transferred to DYRS custody that were in violation of curfew 

Number of youth released to parent/guardian from DYRS custody

Number of youth released to CFSA from DYRS custody

Number of youth released to MPD from DYRS custody

Number of youth released to Other from DYRS custody

Fiscal Year 2023 (September 2, 2023 – September 30, 2023)

19

16

2

1

0

Fiscal Year 2024 (October 1, 2023 – September 30, 2024)

76

45

25

3

3

Fiscal Year 2025

October 1 through October 7, 2024

1

0

1

0

0

October 7, 2024 through October 14, 2024

8

6

1

0

1

October 14, 2024 through October 21, 2024

0

0

0

0

0

October 21, 2024 through October 28, 2024

1

1

0

0

0

October 28, 2024 through November 4, 2024

8

4

3

0

1

November 4, 2024 through November 11, 2024 0 1 0 0
November 11, 2024 through November 18, 2024 5 4 1 0 0
November 18, 2024 through November 25, 2024 0 0 0 0 0
November 25, 2024 through December 2, 2024 11 7 1 0 3
December 2, 2024 through December 9, 2024   1 0 1 0 0
December 9, 2024 through December 16, 2024 0 0 0 0 0
December 16, 2024 through December 23, 2024  0 0 0 0 0
December 23, 2024 through December 30, 2024 0 0 0 0 0
December 30, 2024 through January 6, 2025 0 0 0 0 0
January 6, 2025 through January 13, 2025 0 0 0 0 0
January 13, 2025 through January 20, 2025 1 0 1 0 0
January 20, 2025 through January 27, 2025 0 0 0 0 0
January 27, 2025 through February 3, 2025 0 0 0 0 0
February 3, 2025 through February 10, 2025 0 0 0 0 0
February 10, 2025 through February 17, 2025 0 0 0 0 0
February 17, 2025 through February 24, 2025 1 1 0 0 0
February 24, 2025 through March 3, 2025 0 0 0 0 0
March 3, 2025 through March 10, 2025 2 0 2 0 0
March 10, 2025 through March 17, 2025  0 0 0 0 0
March 17, 2025 through March 24, 2025 4 1 0 0 3
March 24, 2025 through March 31, 2025 1 1 0 0 0
March 31, 2025 through April 7, 2025 2 2 0 0 0
April 7, 2025 through April 14, 2025 1 1 0 0 0
April 14, 2025 through April 21, 2025 0 0 0 0 0
April 21, 2025 through April 28, 2025 1 1 0 0 0
April 28, 2025 through May 5, 2025 1 0 0 0 1
May 5, 2025 through May 12, 2025 0 0 0 0 0
May 12, 2025 through May 19, 2025 0 0 0 0 0
May 19, 2025 through May 26, 2025 11 6 4 0 1
May 26, 2025 through June 2, 2025 7 5 0 0 2
June 2, 2025 through June 9, 2025 10 8 0 0 2
June 9, 2025 through June 16, 2025 5 5 0 0 0
June 16, 2025 through June 23, 2025 4 3 0 0 1
June 23, 2025 through June 30, 2025 0 0 0 0 0
June 30, 2025 through July 7, 2025 6 3 0 0 3
July 7, 2025 through July 14, 2025 1 1 0 0 0
July 14, 2025 through July 21, 2025 16 10 3 0 3
July 21, 2025 through July 28, 2025 4 1 3 0 0

What additional supports and services are available for youth and their families?
Mayor Bowser has prioritized investment in youth services across District government and encourages youth and their families to take advantage of these offerings, including:

DYRS Achievement Centers

  • The DYRS Achievement Centers provide youth with free access to support, resources, and social opportunities designed to develop their strengths and confidence, in addition to free meals.
  • Programs include life skills training, mentorship opportunities, vocational skills training, work readiness and job placement, community service and more.
  • Achievement Centers are located in Chinatown and Anacostia.
  • Interested families can learn more by visiting dyrs.dc.gov/service/achievement centers or calling (202) 576-7299.

CFSA Family Success Centers

  • Serving families in Wards 5, 7, and 8, CFSA’s Family Success Centers offer programs to help families thrive and build on positive skills.
  • Programs include nutrition workshops, professional development training, stress management, and parenting classes.
  • Interested families can visit cfsa.dc.gov/page/families-first-dc to learn more.
  •  

DHS Parent and Adolescent Support Services (PASS)

  • The PASS program assists youth who are currently in crisis, skipping school, violating curfew, leaving home, and/or experiencing extreme family conflict.
  • Functional Family Therapy, community-based services, and more are used to address these behaviors.
  • Interested families should email [email protected] or call (202) 698-4334 for more information.

DBH Mental Health Hotline

  • DBH operates a 24/7 mental Health Hotline to support District residents of all ages who need assistance.
  • Trained mental health specialists are provided at no costs to assist with depression, anxiety, or other mental health issues.
  • Families experiencing a mental health crisis can contact the hotline at (888) 793-4357.


DBH Children and Adolescent Mobile Psychiatric Service (ChAMPS)

  • ChAMPS provides on-demand psychiatric services to families when youth ages 6-18 are experiencing a behavioral health crisis.
  • Families in need of support should call (202) 481-1440.

Additional Resources

For more information on programs and safety tips for young people, visit: