Why We Can’t Buy Cars on Sundays in Minnesota?
As a lifelong Minnesotan, I’ve just grown accustomed to car dealerships being closed on Sundays. But it can come as a surprise to visitors that buying a vehicle here is a 6-day-a-week endeavor.
Minnesota is one of only 13 states that prohibits auto sales on Sundays under a longstanding “blue law.” This ban dates back to 1957 and has endured thanks to support from dealerships, employees, and even customers like me.
Keeping an Industry-Wide Day of Rest
The rationale for Minnesota’s Sunday ban is to provide the industry with a consistent day off. Dealers say adding a 7th day would just increase overhead without boosting sales. Employees across positions prefer having guaranteed family time on Sundays rather than working additional hours.
The Minnesota Auto Dealers Association believes that the number of cars sold remains constant, regardless of the number of days the car lots are open in a week. But by reducing the operating days, they can save $20 million dollars annually.
Additional things like banking, insurance and motor vehicle titles are not available on Sunday, making it hard to conduct business.
Navigating the Sunday Rules
The prohibition imposed on Sundays is specifically targeted towards licensed Minnesota automobile dealers only. Individuals can still sell private party vehicles on Sundays.
You can visit dealership lots on Sunday to see vehicles, but you can only test drive or buy them on Monday.
Which Other States Ban Sunday Sales?
Besides Minnesota, car sales are also banned on Sundays in Alabama, Colorado, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Louisiana, Maine, Michigan, New Jersey, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania, and Wisconsin. If you’re driving through the Midwest or live near a border, know that several nearby states also have restrictions on buying cars on Sundays.
Minnesota’s Sunday ban on car shopping may appear outdated to some visitors. However, as a local, I have become used to the practice of pausing car shopping for one day a week. And a day of test drives and dealership browsing awaits on the other six days!
