Utah Curfew Laws

As Utah schools come to a close for the 2014/2015 school year, knowing the curfew laws for teens is an important first step for keeping them out of trouble this summer.

School’s out for summer

Now that the hassle of waking up early for school is nearly gone, the majority of teenagers are staying up and out later than usual. How late are teens permitted to be out without receiving a curfew violation? At what ages do the state’s curfew laws apply?

State curfew vs city curfew laws

According to Utah state curfew laws, all minors under the age of 18 are not to be out in public or semi-public areas during the hours of 12:00 midnight and 6:00am. However, some cities have different curfew laws in place. In Salt Lake City, minors under the age of 16 have a different curfew than those 16 and older. Their curfew starts an hour earlier at 11:00pm but the morning curfew for all is changed from 6:00am to 5:00am. In Brigham City, minors under the age of 14 cannot be out in public unattended past 10:00pm. It is important to know the curfew in the city in which you live since the curfew laws put in place by the city will override that of the state.

Curfew Exceptions

All minors under the age of 18 are expected to abide by curfew laws. There are a few exceptions that may apply depending on the area such as during an emergency or when a minor is:
• accompanied by an adult
• traveling to and from work
• attending a school or religious function
• exercising 1st amendment rights
• married

Help your teens stay out of trouble this summer by educating them of the curfew laws in your city and state. Most violations of curfew will result in either a fine or community service for the teen and the parent. For more serious offenses other than curfew violation, contact a criminal defense attorney for more information.