What Is the Curfew for Minors in Illinois: Fines and Exceptions

The curfew for minors in Illinois applies to anyone under 17. On Sunday through Thursday nights, minors cannot be in a public place or on business premises from 11:00 p.m. to 6:00 a.m. On Friday and Saturday nights, the window shifts later: 12:01 a.m. to 6:00 a.m. (meaning Saturday and Sunday mornings). Violations are petty offenses carrying a fine of $10 to $500, and local cities can set stricter rules.¹

Who the Law Covers

Under 720 ILCS 5/12C-60, a “minor” means anyone under 17. Once you turn 17, the state curfew no longer applies, though a local ordinance may still reach you depending on where you live. During curfew hours, a minor cannot remain in any public place or on the premises of any business establishment.¹

When a Minor Is Not in Violation

The statute lists several defenses. If any one of them fits, the minor is not breaking the curfew:

Accompanied by a parent, legal guardian, or another person with custody or control of the minor.
Running an errand for a parent or guardian, going directly there and back with no detours or extra stops.
Working, or traveling directly to or from a job, again with no detour or stop along the way.
Riding in a vehicle involved in interstate travel.
Involved in an emergency.
Standing on the sidewalk directly in front of their own home, or in front of a next-door neighbor’s home (as long as that neighbor has not complained to police about the minor’s presence).
Attending an official school, religious, or recreational activity supervised by adults and sponsored by a government agency, civic organization, or similar group, or traveling directly to or from one.
Exercising First Amendment rights such as free speech, religious worship, or peaceful assembly.
Married, previously married, or legally emancipated under the Emancipation of Minors Act.¹

The “no detour or stop” condition matters. Driving straight home from a shift that ends at midnight is covered. Stopping at a friend’s house on the way out of that exception.

What an Officer Must Do Before Writing a Ticket

Before issuing a citation or making an arrest, an officer has to ask the minor’s age and reason for being out. The officer cannot act unless, based on the minor’s response and the surrounding circumstances, the officer reasonably believes a curfew violation occurred and none of the statutory defenses applies.² A minor who can explain they are heading home from work or coming back from a church event should not be cited.

Fines for the Minor

A curfew violation is a petty offense with a fine of $10 to $500. A minor who has been made a ward of the court under the Juvenile Court Act of 1987, along with that minor’s legal guardian, cannot be fined.¹

Fines for Parents and Business Owners

The law reaches beyond the minor. A parent, guardian, or other person with custody who knowingly allows a minor to stay in a public place or business during curfew hours commits a separate curfew offense carrying the same $10 to $500 fine. A court can order community service instead of or in addition to the fine, and the schedule cannot conflict with the person’s regular work hours.¹

Business owners and operators face the same petty offense if they knowingly allow a minor to remain on the premises during curfew hours.

Local Ordinances Can Be Stricter

State law lets cities, counties, and other local bodies adopt their own curfew ordinances, which can go beyond the state rules as long as they do not conflict with the statute.¹

Chicago shows how far a local rule can diverge. The city defines “minor” as anyone under 18. For minors 12 and older, curfew starts at 10:00 p.m. every night, a full hour earlier than the state’s weekday rule. For children under 12, it starts at 8:30 p.m. Sunday through Thursday and 9:00 p.m. Friday and Saturday.³ Smaller municipalities set their own hours and sometimes extend coverage to 18-year-olds. Because the local ordinance is what police will actually enforce, checking your city or county code matters more than relying on the state baseline alone.

1
Illinois General Assembly. Illinois Code 720 ILCS 5/12C-60 – Curfew
2
FindLaw. Illinois Code 720-5-12C-60 – Curfew
3
City of Chicago. Chicago Municipal Code 8-16-020 – Curfew Hours for Minors