In Green Bay, anyone under 17 is subject to a nighttime curfew: 11:00 p.m. to 6:00 a.m. on Sunday through Thursday nights, and midnight to 6:00 a.m. on Friday and Saturday nights. The rule is set out in Green Bay Municipal Code Section 27.203, and a violation can mean a citation for the minor, the parent, or both.
Curfew Hours
The schedule has two windows, tied to the day of the week:
- Sunday through Thursday: 11:00 p.m. to 6:00 a.m. the next morning.
- Friday and Saturday: 12:00 midnight to 6:00 a.m. the next morning.
These hours run year-round. The ordinance does not build in a separate summer schedule or a holiday exception.
Who the Curfew Covers and Where
If you have not yet turned 17, the curfew applies to you. Age is the only threshold. Grade level, maturity, and whether you hold a driver’s license make no difference. On your 17th birthday, Section 27.203 no longer applies, though Wisconsin’s separate nighttime rule for teen drivers may still reach you.
The restricted places are essentially any publicly accessible location within the city: streets, sidewalks, highways, alleys, public parks, vacant lots, and public buildings. Walking, standing, sitting — the activity doesn’t matter. Being present during restricted hours is enough.
There is one narrow carve-out for location: a minor is allowed to stand on the sidewalk directly in front of their own home. Stepping outside briefly is fine. Walking to a friend’s block or a nearby park is not.
When a Minor Can Be Out Legally
The ordinance lists several situations where a minor can lawfully be out during curfew hours:
- Accompanied by a parent, legal guardian, or another adult with custody.
- Running a specific errand for a parent or guardian, going directly there and back.
- Traveling to or from a lawful job, or actively working.
- Attending a school-sponsored activity, religious service, or civic meeting organized by a recognized group.
- Responding to an emergency involving someone’s immediate health or safety.
These are read narrowly. The errand exception assumes you were sent for something specific and are coming straight home. The employment exception covers your route to and from work, not a stop at a friend’s house along the way. Organized events means officially organized, not an informal gathering. If you are relying on an exception, you should be able to explain it clearly to an officer.
What Happens If You Get Stopped
Wisconsin law lets an officer who believes a juvenile has violated a local ordinance take that juvenile into temporary custody. For an ordinance violation like curfew, state law also requires that the minor be released as soon as practical, with the officer making every effort to turn them over to a parent, guardian, or legal custodian right away.1Wisconsin State Legislature. Wisconsin Statutes 938.19 If a parent cannot be reached, the officer can release the juvenile to another responsible adult, and juveniles 15 or older can be released on their own after a warning or counseling.2Wisconsin State Legislature. Wisconsin Statutes 938.20
In practice, that usually means the officer contacts a parent, issues a citation, and either brings the minor home or waits for someone to pick them up. A curfew violation on its own does not land a juvenile in a detention facility.
Fines and Court Process
A curfew citation is a civil forfeiture, not a criminal charge. Wisconsin municipalities set their own forfeiture amounts for ordinance violations, and the final bill includes mandatory state court costs, fees, and surcharges added under Chapter 814.3Wisconsin State Legislature. Wisconsin Statutes 66.0113 Those surcharges can push the amount owed well above the base forfeiture. Repeat violations may carry higher penalties, and an unpaid forfeiture can trigger a driver’s license suspension even though the underlying offense had nothing to do with driving.
Citations go to Green Bay Municipal Court, which has jurisdiction over juveniles between 12 and 17 for non-traffic ordinance violations. When a juvenile is cited, the issuing agency must notify a parent, guardian, or legal custodian within seven days.4Wisconsin State Legislature. Wisconsin Statutes 938.17(2) At the initial appearance, the minor enters a plea of guilty, no contest, or not guilty.
When Parents Can Be Cited
Section 27.203(2) reaches parents too. A parent or guardian who knowingly allows their child to violate the curfew can receive their own citation and forfeiture. The word “knowingly” does real work. A parent who was told what their teenager planned to do, or who was asked and did nothing, is in a different position than one who was asleep while their teenager slipped out a window.
The municipal court can also summon a parent or guardian to appear in person at a hearing on the child’s violation. A summoned parent who fails to show up without good cause can be held in contempt.4Wisconsin State Legislature. Wisconsin Statutes 938.17(2)
A Separate Nighttime Rule for Teen Drivers
Turning 17 ends the curfew, but it does not end every nighttime restriction. Wisconsin’s Graduated Driver License program imposes its own rule for new drivers. For the first nine months after a probationary license is issued, you cannot drive between midnight and 5:00 a.m. unless you are going directly between home, school, or work.5Wisconsin Department of Transportation. Probationary Driver License Requirements The restriction can be extended until you turn 18 if you pick up a violation during that initial nine months.
The only other way to drive during those hours is with a qualifying adult in the front passenger seat: a parent, a guardian, or someone 21 or older with at least two years of driving experience.6Wisconsin Department of Transportation. Graduated Driver License and Teen Driving Requirements FAQs A 17-year-old is past the city curfew but can still be cited under the GDL rules for driving alone at 1:00 a.m. For most 16-year-old drivers in Green Bay, both the curfew and the GDL restriction apply at the same time.