Weird laws by state: which ones are real?
Most state-by-state lists repeat laws that were never on the books. Every entry here was checked against the state's own code: 50 claims so far, and 16 of them turned out to be myths.
20 are true as claimed. The rest are real laws that are narrower or older than the story. Open any entry for the statute, the sources and what the popular version gets wrong.
Across the US
9 checked- Partially TrueBanned Nationwide? The Truth About America's Rainwater Laws
- Confirmed MythCard Counting in US Casinos: Totally Legal (But They'll Still Throw You Out)
- Partially TrueCat Declawing Is Illegal — But Only in 6 States and D.C.
- Partially TrueDumpster Diving Isn't Federally Illegal in the US — But It's Complicated
- Partially TrueFlag Burning IS Illegal in the U.S. — Except the Supreme Court Says It Isn't
- Confirmed MythNo, It's Not Illegal to Drive Barefoot Anywhere in the US
- Partially TrueTalking to Wild Dolphins Isn't Illegal in the US — Feeding or Chasing Them Is
- Partially TrueYes, Burning Money IS Illegal in the U.S. — But There's a Catch
- Confirmed TrueYou Can't Buy a Car on Sunday in These 12+ US States — It's Actually Illegal
Alabama
4 checked- Confirmed MythAlabama House Bill 72 makes it a crime to smoke or vape marijuana in a car with a child, starting October 1, 2026
- Partially TrueFake Priest Alert: Fraudulently Dressing as Clergy Is Illegal in Alabama
- Confirmed MythIt is NOT illegal to carry ice cream in your back pocket in Alabama, Kentucky, or Georgia
- Confirmed MythNo, You Can't Be Arrested for a Funny Fake Mustache in Alabama Church
Alaska
1 checkedArizona
1 checkedArkansas
1 checkedCalifornia
4 checked- Confirmed MythAre Peacocks Banned From Crossing Roads in California? Not Quite.
- Confirmed TrueCalifornia Law: Dead Frog-Contest Frogs Can't Be Eaten — They Must Be Destroyed
- Confirmed TrueCalifornia Requires Tortilla Flour to Be Spiked With a Pregnancy Vitamin
- Confirmed MythNo, Californians Don't Need a Hunting Licence to Set a Mousetrap
Colorado
1 checkedDelaware
1 checkedFlorida
1 checkedGeorgia
1 checkedHawaii
2 checkedIdaho
1 checkedKentucky
1 checkedLouisiana
2 checkedMassachusetts
1 checkedMinnesota
2 checkedNew Jersey
1 checkedNew York
1 checked- Confirmed TrueNew York Was the First U.S. State to Ban Cat Declawing
North Carolina
1 checkedNorth Dakota
1 checked- Confirmed MythNo longer in forceIn North Dakota it is illegal to lie down and fall asleep with your shoes on
Ohio
1 checkedOklahoma
1 checked- Confirmed TrueIt is technically illegal to hunt whales in Oklahoma
Pennsylvania
1 checkedTexas
3 checkedUtah
2 checked- Confirmed TrueBoom Goes the Fishing Rod: Utah Bans Dynamite and Explosives for Fishing
- Partially TrueNo longer in forceUtah Once Banned Public Swearing — Then Courts Said 'Hell No'
Vermont
2 checkedWashington
3 checked- Confirmed MythDid Washington's House Bill 626 make aimless driving, or cruising around without a destination, illegal across the state?
- Confirmed TrueSkamania County, Washington makes it illegal to kill Bigfoot
- Confirmed MythWomen Must Place a Pillow Between Themselves and a Man's Lap on Seattle Buses