D.C. police activate three juvenile curfew zones Friday in Navy Yard, U Street, and Chinatown
Curfew zones take effect Friday evening
Washington, D.C. police have placed three juvenile curfew zones into effect beginning Friday, March 20, 2026, covering Navy Yard, the U Street Corridor, and Chinatown. The zones are scheduled to start at 6:00 p.m. Friday and remain in place through 11:00 p.m. Sunday, March 22, 2026.
The zones operate alongside the District’s citywide juvenile curfew, which restricts minors under 18 from remaining in public places or on the premises of establishments between 11:00 p.m. and 6:00 a.m. every day, subject to enumerated exemptions.
Where the three zones are located
The Metropolitan Police Department (MPD) described each zone by street boundaries:
Navy Yard juvenile curfew zone: South Capitol Street SE (west), I-695/Southeast-Southwest Freeway (north), 8th Street SE (east), and the Anacostia River (south).
U Street Corridor juvenile curfew zone: T Street NW (south); a northern boundary that includes segments of V Street NW, Vermont Avenue NW, and Florida Avenue NW; and an eastern boundary that includes segments of 7th Street NW and 9th Street NW, with the western edge along 13th Street NW from T Street to V Street.
Chinatown juvenile curfew zone: 9th Street NW from E Street to I Street (west), I Street NW from 6th to 9th (north), 6th Street NW from I to E (east), and the E Street–I Street segment of 9th Street NW (south boundary as described by MPD).
What conduct is restricted inside an extended curfew zone
Within an extended juvenile curfew zone, MPD rules prohibit youth ages 17 and under from gathering in groups of nine or more in public places or on the premises of establishments during the zone’s designated hours, unless an exemption applies. The framework differs from the citywide curfew rule, which is time-based and applies broadly across the District.
MPD guidance lists multiple exemptions for minors during curfew hours, including being accompanied by a parent or guardian; traveling directly to or from work or an official school, religious, or recreational activity; responding to an emergency; and exercising First Amendment rights.
Legal authority and penalties under District law
The District’s current curfew framework is governed by temporary curfew legislation in effect through April 15, 2026, which authorizes the police chief to establish extended juvenile curfew zones and permits the mayor to authorize emergency curfews under specified circumstances.
Under MPD’s published enforcement guidance, an adult who violates the juvenile curfew law is subject to a fine of up to $500 or community service. A minor found in violation may be ordered to complete up to 25 hours of community service.
Start time for all three zones: 6:00 p.m. Friday, March 20, 2026. End time: 11:00 p.m. Sunday, March 22, 2026.
Police have used the same two locations—Navy Yard and the U Street Corridor—in prior weekend curfew-zone activations earlier this month, reflecting a pattern of time-limited, geographically targeted restrictions under the current law.