Virginia Beach Tightens Minor Curfew to 10 PM

City Council unanimously approves new curfew with exceptions for work, events, and religious activities.

Published on Feb. 20, 2026

Got story updates? Submit your updates here. ›

The Virginia Beach City Council has unanimously voted to move the city's minor curfew from 11 PM to 10 PM, with exceptions allowing minors to be out past the new curfew time for work, concerts, religious events, and other activities. The change is aimed at improving public safety, though the enforcement approach will focus on having parents pick up minors rather than arrests.

Why it matters

This curfew change reflects an ongoing effort by Virginia Beach officials to maintain safety and security in the city, particularly in public spaces and gathering areas frequented by young people. The previous curfew had been in place for several years, but the city council determined that an earlier cutoff time was warranted to better protect minors.

The details

The new 10 PM curfew applies to all minors under the age of 18 throughout Virginia Beach, from the Oceanfront to Kempsville. However, the curfew includes several exceptions that will allow minors to be out past 10 PM if they are attending work, concerts, religious events, or other approved activities. The enforcement approach aims to be family-friendly, with police focusing on having parents pick up minors who are out after curfew rather than making arrests.

  • The Virginia Beach City Council unanimously approved the new 10 PM curfew on February 18, 2026.
  • The new curfew will go into effect within the next 30 days.

The players

Virginia Beach City Council

The governing body of the city of Virginia Beach, Virginia, which voted 10-0 to approve the new 10 PM curfew for minors.

Bobby Dyer

The mayor of Virginia Beach, who stated that the curfew change is designed to keep young residents safe in their own communities.

Got photos? Submit your photos here. ›

What they’re saying

“It's about public safety.”

— Bobby Dyer, Mayor of Virginia Beach (wtkr.com)

“Remember a couple of years ago when we had some problems at Lynnhaven mall and we put in a curfew and we asked for certain things and guess what it really worked out.”

— Bobby Dyer, Mayor of Virginia Beach (wtkr.com)

“I think we built in enough provisions and exceptions that it's not going to be burdensome.”

— Bobby Dyer, Mayor of Virginia Beach (wtkr.com)

What’s next

The new 10 PM curfew for minors in Virginia Beach will go into effect within the next 30 days.

The takeaway

This curfew change reflects Virginia Beach's ongoing efforts to maintain public safety, particularly for young people, while also recognizing the need for reasonable exceptions to accommodate work, events, and other activities. The family-friendly enforcement approach suggests the city is aiming to find a balanced solution that protects minors without overly burdening families.