Weird Laws That Still Exist in Your State
From a Sasquatch protection ordinance to a high-heel permit, these real and verifiable U.S. laws are stranger than fiction.
The internet is full of lists of bizarre American laws, but many of them are myths that were never actually on the books. The laws below are different. Each one is real, documented, and has been reported on by news outlets and local governments.
Some are more than half a century old, and a few are still enforced today. Here are six genuinely unusual laws from around the United States, with the real stories behind them.
01Washington: A County That Protects Bigfoot
In 1969, Skamania County in Washington State passed an ordinance making it illegal to kill a Sasquatch, the creature also known as Bigfoot. The county updated the measure in 1984 and declared itself a Sasquatch refuge. Whether or not the creature exists, the ordinance became a beloved piece of local history.
02California: A Permit for High Heels
In Carmel-by-the-Sea, a 1963 city ordinance requires a permit to wear shoes with heels over two inches high and a small heel base. The rule was meant to protect the city from lawsuits, since tree roots make its sidewalks uneven. The permit is free, and many visitors pick one up as a souvenir.
Before you share a weird law online, check whether it is real, because the true ones are often strange enough.
03New Jersey: You Cannot Pump Your Own Gas
New Jersey bans self-service at gas stations, so an attendant fills your tank. The law dates back to 1949 and was justified mainly on safety grounds. Oregon had a similar rule for decades but changed it in 2023, which leaves New Jersey as the only state with a full ban.
04Georgia: Fried Chicken Is Finger Food
Gainesville, Georgia, calls itself the poultry capital of the world, and a 1961 city ordinance says fried chicken should be eaten with the fingers, not a fork. It is enforced only in fun. In 2009, the city staged a joking arrest of a visiting 91-year-old woman for using a fork, then honored her.
05Four States With No Billboards
Vermont, Maine, Hawaii, and Alaska all ban billboards along their roads. Vermont’s law passed in 1968 to protect its scenic views, and Hawaii’s restrictions date back to the 1920s. Drivers there see small official signs for businesses instead of giant ads.
06Alaska: No Hunting Right After a Flight
Alaska has a rule known as the same-day-airborne restriction. In most cases, a hunter who has flown in a small aircraft cannot hunt big game, including moose, until 3 a.m. the following day, and using an aircraft to herd or drive animals is also prohibited. The goal is fair chase, so hunters cannot simply spot an animal from the air and land beside it.
Laws like these are a reminder that every rule has a story, from scenic protection to small-town humor. Before you share a weird law online, it is always worth checking whether it is real, because the true ones are often strange enough.
