You Can't Buy a Car on Sunday in These 12+ US States — It's Actually Illegal
The Short Answer
In approximately 12 U.S. states, selling or buying a car at a dealership on a Sunday is explicitly prohibited by law. These restrictions are remnants of colonial-era 'Blue Laws' and remain actively enforced today.
The Full Story
America's Sunday car-sales bans are survivors of a much broader legal tradition known as 'Blue Laws' — statutes rooted in colonial-era religious values that sought to keep Sunday as a sacred day of rest and worship. At their peak, Blue Laws regulated vast swaths of daily life, from prohibiting work to restricting the sale of specific goods. Over the 20th century, most of these laws were gradually repealed as society became more secular, but the automotive sales ban proved remarkably sticky.
The reasons are partly surprising: it's not just religious sentiment keeping these laws alive. Car dealers themselves frequently lobby to preserve them. A guaranteed Sunday closure levels the playing field — no dealer can poach customers by staying open an extra day — and gives employees a consistent day off without any single dealership falling behind the competition. Banks are also closed on Sundays, meaning auto loans can't be processed in real time, which further complicates Sunday sales.
The Federal Trade Commission has publicly criticized these bans, noting that Illinois' prohibition harms competition and makes it harder for consumers to shop around for the best deal. Illinois' ban has only been in effect since 1983–1984, showing these are not all ancient relics. Pennsylvania's Board Vehicle Act of 1983 similarly codified the ban there. Repeal efforts have repeatedly stalled — an Illinois Senate committee defeated one such bill as far back as 1987, and New Jersey's legislature has similarly rebuffed multiple challenges.
Some states take creative middle-ground approaches: Texas and Utah require dealerships to close on either Saturday or Sunday, but not both, giving businesses flexibility while maintaining a mandatory weekly day of rest. Maryland allows the ban to be determined county by county. Michigan restricts Sunday sales only in counties with populations above 130,000 — a threshold set in 1953 that now catches far more of the state than originally intended.
Common Misconceptions
- People assume this is a nationwide federal law — it is not; it varies entirely by state, and roughly half of U.S. states (including California, New York, and Florida) have no such restrictions. 2) Many assume all 50 states once had this law and most repealed it; in reality, enactment dates vary widely (e.g., Illinois passed its ban in 1983). 3) Some assume private person-to-person car sales are banned — in most states, the law targets licensed dealerships specifically, not private sellers. 4) The bans are often assumed to be purely religious in motivation; in practice, dealer lobbying and competitive-fairness arguments now drive their preservation more than religiosity. 5) Some states (Texas, Utah) are incorrectly described as having outright Sunday bans — they actually require dealers to close one of the two weekend days, but allow the dealer to choose which.
Actual Legal Text
Under New Jersey Revised Statutes § 2C:33-26, 'a person who engages in the business of buying, selling, or exchanging motor vehicles or who opens a place of business and attempts to engage in such conduct on a Sunday commits a disorderly persons offense.' Similar statutes exist in Colorado, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Louisiana, Maine, Minnesota, Missouri, Mississippi, Pennsylvania, and Wisconsin. North Dakota's law states plainly: 'A motor vehicle dealer may not sell a motor vehicle on Sunday.' Oklahoma prohibits opening any place 'for the purpose of selling, bartering, or exchanging... any motor vehicle... on the first day of the week, commonly called Sunday.'
Current Status
Actively Enforced
Penalty
New Jersey (representative example): First offense — fine up to $100 and/or up to 10 days imprisonment; second offense — fine up to $500 and/or up to 30 days imprisonment; third or subsequent offense — $750 fine and/or up to 6 months imprisonment. Licensed dealers also risk suspension or revocation of their dealer's license. Illinois: $1,500 fine per violation.
Fine: USD100 – USD1,500
Imprisonment: 180 days
Last Verified
August 28, 2026
Enacted
January 1, 1999
Jurisdiction Notes
Applies in approximately 12 states with full bans (Colorado, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Louisiana, Maine, Minnesota, Missouri, Mississippi, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Wisconsin) and additional states with partial restrictions (Texas, Utah, Maryland, Michigan, Nevada, Rhode Island, North Dakota). Does not apply in California, New York, Florida, and many others.