A number of new laws and regulations have been implemented in the District over the past few months, many of which either directly or indirectly impact the District’s youth.
While not all of them will have an impact on Halloween in D.C. this year, there are some that you should be aware of.
Washington, D.C.’s Anti-Mask Statute
Specifically worth noting this Halloween, if you or your kids plan to trick or treat around the District without any parent or adult supervision, this D.C. specific law states that it is unlawful for a person over the age of 16 to wear a mask (or any other article of clothing or accessory that covers/hides a substantial portion of the face) when the person intends to avoid identification while engaging in illegal activity.
The law, which was first established in the 1980s, was repealed in 2022 but was subsequently reinstated in early 2024.
While violating the law is classified as a misdemeanor, the penalty includes fines and potentially even jail time.
So, while wearing a costume with a mask is not illegal in the District if you are over 16, if the MPD or any other law enforcement officer suspects you of taking part in a crime, refusing to remove your mask for identification purposes is considered illegal.
In other words, masks are okay in the eyes of the law, even for older teens, and legal authorities can only stop you because of your mask if they have reasonable suspicion or probable cause.
Washington, D.C.’s Juvenile Curfew
The Juvenile Curfew Emergency Amendment Act of 2025 was established this summer and has since made it illegal for persons aged 17 or younger to congregate in public places or on the premises of any establishment in the District during the hours when the curfew is in effect unless they are involved in a specific exempted activity.
The particular hours of the curfew are:
- 11 pm to 6 am – Sunday through Thursday
- 12:01 am to 6 am – Friday (Technically Saturday since it is 12:01 am) through Sunday
In the “juvenile curfew zones”, the law forbids the congregation of groups larger than 9 in any public place, and parents or legal guardians of a juvenile age 17 or under who violates the curfew either intentionally or via “insufficient control” can be subject to a fine of as much as $500 or even community service.
Exemptions to the curfew, according to the MPD site, are as follows:
- Accompanied by a parent or guardian.
- Complete an errand at the direction of a parent or guardian, without detour or stop.
- Ride in a motor vehicle involved in interstate travel.
- Work or return home from a job, without detour or stop.
- Become involved in an emergency.
- Stand on a sidewalk that joins their residence or the residence of a next-door neighbor, provided the neighbor has not complained to the police.
- Attend an official school, religious, or other recreational activity sponsored by the District of Columbia, a civic organization, or other similar group that takes responsibility for the juvenile (this includes traveling to and from the activity)
- Exercise their First Amendment rights protected by the US Constitution, including the free exercise of speech, religion, and the right of assembly.
Legally mandated “No Candy” signs in Maryland
While not a new law, in Maryland, registered sex offenders who are on parole or probation are legally required to place “No Candy at This Residence” signs visibly on their front door.
Virginia’s law forbidding the brandishing of imitation weapons
In Virginia, it is illegal to brandish imitation firearms, a law that can often lead to unnecessary interactions with the police during the Halloween season.
This means that, whether or not a toy gun is functional in any capacity, if it looks convincingly like a real gun, police would have a legal avenue to stop you if they suspect the toy gun is being used in any capacity to “induce fear in the mind of another”.