May 29, 2024 | Eul Basa

Dumb American Laws That Exist In Every State


These laws are just ridiculous

America has a fair share of dumb laws—and by dumb, I don't mean laws we simply don't agree with. No, the laws in this list are genuinely, mind-bogglingly, dumb. Some may be outdated and rarely enforced, but they are technically still in the books.

Dumblaws Cover

Alabama

In Alabama, wearing a fake mustache in church that leads to laughter is against the law.

fake mustacheLaura Dahl, Flickr

Alaska

In Alaska, taking a photo of a bear that is sleeping is illegal if you wake it up.

bear sleepingBarbara Eckstein, Flickr

Arizona

In Arizona, it's illegal for donkeys to sleep in tubs.

petting a donkeyYan Krukau, Pexels

Arkansas

In Arkansas, a husband can harm his spouse if necessary, but only once per month.

Shocked womanAndrea Piacquadio, Pexels

California

In California, eating a frog that dies during a frog-jumping contest is against the law.

Frog Jumping ContestFrank Schulenburg, CC BY-SA 4.0 , Wikimedia Commons

Colorado

In Colorado, having a sofa on your porch is unlawful.

sofa on porchUnknown Author, PxHere

Connecticut

In Connecticut, for a pickle to be legally classified as a pickle, it needs to bounce.

pickleRon Lach, Pexels

Delaware

In Delaware, it's illegal to whisper in church.

woman whisperingcottonbro studio, Pexels

Florida

In Florida, single, unwed females who engage in parachuting on Sundays may face imprisonment.

Woman parachutingElber Silva, Pexels

Georgia

In Georgia, keeping an ice cream cone in your back pocket on Sundays is against the law.

ice cream coneJean Balzan, Pexels

Hawaii

In Hawaii, putting a coin in your ear could land you a fine.

Person throwing a coinCocaKolaLips, Pexels

Idaho

In Idaho, giving a box of candy exceeding 50 pounds in weight to someone is illegal.

box of candyDenny Müller, Unsplash

Illinois

In Illinois, you are not allowed, by law, to sleep in a cheese shop.

cheese shopKhairil Yusof, Flickr

Indiana

In Indiana, it's illegal to catch a fish using only your hands.

FishImage Catalog, Flickr

Iowa

In Iowa, one-handed pianists are legally required to give performances without payment.

pianists in suitcottonbro studio, Pexels

Kansas

In Kansas, shooting rabbits from a motorboat is against the law.

BunniesJames Johnstone, CC BY 2.0, Wikimedia Commons

Kentucky

In Kentucky, women are not allowed, by law, to wed the same man on four separate occasions.

groom next to brideNathan Dumlao, Unsplash

Louisiana

In Louisiana, gargling in public places is not legally allowed.

boy  garglingMikhail Nilov, Pexels

Maine

In Maine, you cannot, by law, park in front of Dunkin' Donuts.

Dunkin' DonutsChris Waits, Flickr

Maryland

In Maryland, it's illegal to take a lion to the movies.

LionPixabay, Pexels

Massachusetts

In Massachusetts, explosive golf balls are prohibited by law.

golf ballsMick Haupt, Pexels

Michigan

In Michigan, painting sparrows to sell as parakeets is illegal.

sparrow standing on fenceSreenivas, Unsplash

Minnesota

In Minnesota, sleeping naked is against the law.

person sleepingPixabay, Pexels

Mississippi

In Mississippi, teaching others about polygama is prohibited.

 polygamyMincemeat, Shutterstock

Missouri

In Missouri, you cannot drive with an uncaged bear.

Black bear cubsNational Parks Gallery, Picryl

Montana

In Montana, it's illegal to give a rat as a present.

white ratChoco Virat, Pexels

Nebraska

In Nebraska, a mother cannot, by law, give her daughter a perm without a state license.

Perm womenpudgeefeet, Flickr

Nevada

In Nevada, sitting on sidewalks is against the law.

Sitting on SidewalkUnknown Author, Peakpx

New Hampshire

In New Hampshire, you cannot legally collect seaweed at night.

seaweed at nightUnknown Author, PxHere

New Jersey

In New Jersey, it's illegal for men to knit during fishing season.

man knittingZina Zabudkina, Pexels

New Mexico

In New Mexico, idiots are not legally allowed to vote.

vote-pinSora Shimazaki, Pexels

New York

In New York, taking a selfie with a tiger is unlawful.

TigerRrc99, CC BY-SA 4.0, Wikimedia Commons

North Carolina

In North Carolina, you cannot legally use elephants to plow cotton fields.

Cotton fieldsLawrence G. Miller, Flickr

North Dakota

In North Dakota, it's illegal to physically lie down then fall asleep with your shoes on.

fell asleep with her shoes onTim Samuel, Pexels

Ohio

In Ohio, getting a fish drunk is against the law.

blue and red fishHey Fritters, Flickr

Oklahoma

In Oklahoma, wrestling with bears is prohibited.

BearGeschenkpanda, Pixabay

Oregon

In Oregon, you cannot, by law, hunt in a cemetary.

Cemetery OregonRick Obst, Flickr

Pennsylvania

In Pennsylvania, it's illegal to sleep outdoors on top of a fridge.

Confused manMaurício Mascaro, Pexels

Rhode Island

In Rhode Island, biting someone's leg off is against the law.

Woman bitingLukas Beer, Unsplash

South Carolina

In South Carolina, working on Sundays is illegal, unless you're a barber or a shoe shiner.

Closed signMasaaki Komori, Unsplash

South Dakota

In South Dakota, all hotels must have two twin beds that are alwas two feet apart.

twin beds in hotelEngin Akyurt, Pexels

Tennessee

In Tennessee, it's illegal to share your Netflix password.

Netflix phone and laptop conceptRuggiero Scardigno, Shutterstock

Texas

In Texas, selling your eye is against the law.

blue eyeAmanda Dalbjörn, Unsplash

Utah

In Utah, you cannot legally cause a catastrophe.

Shocked older mankrakenimages, unsplash

Vermont

In Vermont, a woman cannot wear fake teeth unless she has her husband's approval.

fake teethbebeplace, Needpix

Virginia

In Virginia, hunting on Sundays is not legally allowed, unless you're hunting raccoons.

Raccooncuatrok77, CC BY-SA 2.0, Wikimedia Commons

Washington

In Washington, it's illegal to attach a vending machine to a pole.

Vending MachineN i c o l a, Flickr

West Virginia

In West Virginia, whistling underwater is prohibited.

cannes underwater diverMike Workman, Shutterstock

Wisconsin

In Wisconsin, butter substitutes are banned in prisson.

MargarinePaul Hermans, CC BY-SA 3.0, Wikimedia Commons

Wyoming

In Wyoming, it's against the law to take a picture of a rabbit from January to April without a permit.

Woman with cameraUnknown Author, PickPik


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