In the USA, there are, or were until recently, laws in place that may seem amusing from today’s perspective. These laws often find their justification in history or peculiar decisions of mayors and judges. Most of them are no longer valid today, and if they are, their repeal has likely been forgotten.
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Funny American Laws
- Dumb Alabama Laws: It’s illegal to injure oneself to avoid paying taxes.
- Dumb Alaska Laws: It’s illegal to push a moose out of a moving airplane.
- Dumb Arizona Laws: If someone steals soap in Mohave County and gets caught, they must wash with it until it’s all used up.
- Dumb Arkansas Laws: In one of the towns, the law prohibits dogs from barking after 6 p.m.
- Dumb California Laws: According to a Chico city ordinance, anyone who detonates an atomic bomb in the city will be fined $500.
- Dumb Colorado Laws: In the city of Sterling, cats not on leashes must have reflectors.
- Dumb Connecticut Laws: A regulation in this state bans the use of dull razor blades.
- Dumb Delaware Laws: You can’t sell corpses in this state without the proper permit.
- Dumb Florida Laws: Sexual intercourse with porcupines is prohibited.
- Dumb Georgia Laws: This state once had 75 laws regarding the construction of rice paddies, despite only having one of its own at the time.
- Dumb Hawaii Laws: One of the laws here directly instructs children to obey their parents.
- Dumb Idaho Laws: If you’re riding a giraffe in Boise, you can’t legally fish at the same time.
- Dumb Illinois Laws: One town’s ordinance prohibits bowling.
- Dumb Indiana Laws: In this state’s law, the value of π is defined as 4, not 3.1415.
- Dumb Iowa Laws: In the city of Fort Madison, firefighters must practice their response 15 minutes before attending a fire.
- Dumb Kansas Laws: If you utter President George Washington’s name in Kansas City without adding “God save him”, you may receive a fine of $0.50.
- Dumb Kentucky Laws: Each year, the mayor of Danville must post the three most intelligent homemakers in the city on the city’s bulletin board.
- Dumb Louisiana Laws: You can’t sneeze unless all windows are closed and well-sealed.
- Dumb Maine Laws: Late removal of Christmas decorations may result in a fine.
- Dumb Maryland Laws: One town in this state prohibits kisses lasting longer than a second.
- Dumb Massachusetts Laws: Church attendance regulations prohibit the consumption of peanuts.
- Dumb Michigan Laws: Women are not allowed to cut their hair without their husbands’ permission.
- Dumb Minnesota Laws: In this state, you are also required to fill in the date of your death on your tax form.
- Dumb Missouri Laws: In Natchez, it is unlawful to serve alcohol or drugs to elephants.
- Dumb Montana Laws: An ordinance specifically prohibits kicking a ball outside the city limits.
- Dumb Nebraska Laws: Men are prohibited from shaving their chests in this state.
- Dumb Nevada Laws: If someone shoots your dog, it is legal to hang the assailant.
- Dumb New Hampshire Laws: It is unlawful to operate any machinery on Sundays.
- Dumb New Jersey Laws: Cheeseburgers are specifically prohibited in one town.
- Dumb New Mexico Laws: Women are forbidden from appearing unshaven in public.
- Dumb New York Laws: The penalty for jumping out of a building window is death.
- Dumb North Carolina Laws: It is illegal to use elephants as draft animals for plowing cotton fields.
- Dumb North Dakota Laws: Falling asleep or sleeping with your shoes on is against the law in this state.
- Dumb Ohio Laws: An ordinance in the city of Lima prohibits the sale of maps that do not place Lima at the center.
- Dumb Oklahoma Laws: The name and photograph of anyone soliciting a prostitute must be broadcast on TV.
- Dumb Oregon Laws: A city’s ordinance prohibits animals from mating within city limits.
- Dumb Pennsylvania Laws: If a motorist is approached by a herd of horses, they must stop, cover the car with a blanket or canvas, and wait for the horses to pass. If the horses are unattended, the motorist must dismantle the car into its individual parts, which should then be hidden under a bush.
- Dumb Rhode Island Laws: One town once implemented a ban on hookah smoking after sunset.
- Dumb South Carolina Laws: Every adult male must bring a rifle to church on Sundays to potentially defend against an Indian raid.
- Dumb South Dakota Laws: If more than five Native Americans are on your property, you can legally shoot them.
- Dumb Tennessee Laws: In Memphis, women are only allowed to drive a car if a man is walking in front of it waving a red flag to warn other motorists and pedestrians.
- Dumb Texas Laws: If you have ever been to church in this state and plan to return, you must wear the same clothes as your first visit.
- Dumb Utah Laws: Birds have legal precedence in the air over airplanes.
- Dumb Vermont Laws: At one time, it was against the law to tie a giraffe to a telephone pole.
- Dumb Virginia Laws: In Salem, there was once a law that made it illegal to leave your house without knowing your destination.
- Dumb Washington Laws: A law intended to suppress crime requires you to inform the local sheriff upon arrival in a town.
- Dumb Washington D.C. Laws: Weather forecasts that prove false may not be published by meteorologists.
- Dumb West Virginia Laws: By law, hens are only allowed to lay eggs between 8 a.m. and 4 p.m.
- Dumb Wisconsin Laws: It is legal to marry your house in this state.
- Dumb Wyoming Laws: A town’s ordinance once banned showering on Wednesdays.
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