Indiana and Illinois are two of a dozen states that don't allow car sales on Sundays, but why is that?

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Closed on Sundays

There's something super special about the first car you ever buy for yourself. I was lucky and my parents bought me my first ever car when I was 16, but when I turned 22 I was finally making enough money to buy my own car. I remember I was so excited to make my first ever big purchase that I drove around car lots for HOURS taking notes and scoping out cars in my price range.

I remember I was so excited to finally go talk to someone about a car I found that checked off every box I wanted, price range, make, and model. I rolled up to the dealership ready to sign papers only to find them closed. It was a Sunday at noon, what was going on? It was then I learned that it was illegal to sell a car on Sundays.

Photo by Erik Mclean on Unsplash

No Car Sales on Sundays

So why is it illegal to sell cars on Sunday? Well, it's not the case for every state. In fact, our neighbors down in Kentucky can buy and sell cars on Sundays, but it's illegal to do so in Indiana and Illinois. It turns out the reason for this is something called Blue laws.

What are Blue Laws?

Cornell Law explains Blue laws as laws that regulate entertainment or commercial activities on Sundays or certain holidays.

Blue law is a colloquial term for state statute or ordinance that forbids or regulates entertainment and commercial activities (ex. sale of liquor) on Sundays or religious holidays. Blue laws can also be referred to as Sunday closing laws, Sabbath laws, and uniform day of rest laws.

Cornell goes on to say that often times these types of laws are repealed and challenged as unconstitutional, but many Blue laws still remain in place today. A Blue law was the reason Indiana couldn't sell alcohol on Sundays for so many years. However, alcohol sales became legal on Sundays in Indiana in 2018.

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Where is it Illegal to buy a Car on Sundays?

After looking into this bizarre law, I learned that it's illegal to sell cars on Sundays in about a dozen states, including Indiana and Illinois. According to My Car Voice, these are the states that currently do not allow car sales on Sundays: