Under Columbus, Ohio’s curfew ordinance, children under 13 must be off public streets from one hour after sunset until 4:30 a.m., and teens aged 13 through 17 must be off from midnight until 4:30 a.m. Violating the curfew is a third-degree misdemeanor under Section 2319.30 of the Columbus City Code, and a parent or guardian who knowingly allows the violation can be charged too.
Curfew Hours by Age
Columbus uses two tiers. For children under 13, the restricted period starts one hour after sunset and runs until 4:30 a.m. Because the start time tracks the sun, it shifts across the year. In summer it may not begin until after 9:30 p.m.; in winter it can start before 6:00 p.m.
For minors aged 13 through 17, the curfew is a fixed midnight to 4:30 a.m. window. It applies every night, weekends and holidays included. There is no later cutoff for Friday or Saturday.
Where the Curfew Applies
The ordinance reaches public streets, sidewalks, vacant lots, parks, places of amusement or entertainment, and other unsupervised public spaces. The test is whether the space is public and unsupervised. A minor inside a private residence, at a friend’s home with parental permission, or at a supervised private venue is not in violation.
Who Is Exempt
Several situations take a minor outside the ordinance:
- Accompanied by a parent, legal guardian, or another adult who has care and custody of the minor.
- Responding to an emergency, such as a medical crisis or a threat to life or property.
- On a specific errand or activity directed by a parent or guardian.
- For teens 13 through 17 only, active military service or full-time student status.
The exemptions are narrower than many families assume. Walking home from a friend’s house without a parental errand behind the trip, hanging out in a parking lot, or wandering the neighborhood does not qualify. If an officer stops the minor, the minor has to be able to explain which category they fit into.
When Parents Can Be Charged
Columbus doesn’t stop at the minor. The code prohibits any parent, guardian, or other adult with custody from knowingly allowing a minor to violate the curfew. “Knowingly” does the work in that sentence. A parent who is aware their child left during curfew hours and doesn’t act, or who has a pattern of letting a 14-year-old stay out past midnight, can be charged independently of the minor. The classification is the same third-degree misdemeanor.
Penalties in Juvenile Court
A curfew violation is a third-degree misdemeanor. For adults, a third-degree misdemeanor under Ohio law carries up to a $500 fine and up to 60 days in jail.1Ohio Legislative Service Commission. Ohio Revised Code 2929.28 – Financial Sanctions, Misdemeanor Minors go through the juvenile system, where the numbers and options are different.
Under Ohio’s juvenile disposition statute, the ceiling for a third-degree misdemeanor adjudication is up to 90 days in a juvenile detention facility, plus fines of up to $150 and court costs. The minor is also responsible for the cost of any detention stay.2Ohio Legislative Service Commission. Ohio Revised Code 2152.19 – Disposition of Delinquent Child
Detention is the top of the range, not the norm for a first curfew case. Courts often use lighter tools: community control (probation) with conditions such as a stricter personal curfew, community service of up to 200 hours,2Ohio Legislative Service Commission. Ohio Revised Code 2152.19 – Disposition of Delinquent Child house arrest with electronic monitoring, or school attendance requirements. Repeat violations push a judge closer to the harsher end.
How Enforcement Actually Works
The curfew is always on the books, but it isn’t always actively enforced. Enforcement tends to ramp up around specific incidents or public safety concerns. After a mass shooting in the Short North district in 2024, Columbus police announced stepped-up curfew enforcement in that area. On a quieter night, a minor walking home at 12:30 a.m. may never see an officer.
When officers do enforce, the usual approach is to stop the minor, try to reach a parent or guardian, and get the young person home. A citation can still follow. The minor may be taken to a precinct or released to a parent who comes to pick them up. The uneven pattern gives some families a false read on the rule: a teen who’s been out past midnight many times without incident can still be cited the first weekend enforcement rises.
Sealing a Juvenile Curfew Record
A curfew citation that reaches juvenile court does create a record, but Ohio law provides a route to seal it, and sometimes the sealing happens automatically.
If the case is resolved without a formal complaint, or the complaint is dismissed after a hearing, the juvenile court must order the record sealed promptly, with no application needed from the minor.3Ohio Legislative Service Commission. Ohio Revised Code 2151.356 – Sealing of Juvenile Court Records
If the minor is adjudicated delinquent, sealing isn’t automatic but is still available. The minor can apply six months after the court’s order ends, provided they are no longer under the court’s jurisdiction for any pending delinquency complaint. A minor who is 18 or older at the time of the application can apply at any time after the later of turning 18 or completing the court-ordered conditions.3Ohio Legislative Service Commission. Ohio Revised Code 2151.356 – Sealing of Juvenile Court Records The court weighs whether the harm from keeping the record open outweighs the public’s interest in access, a balance that almost always favors sealing for a low-level curfew violation.