New York is known for its landmarks and food, but it also has a collection of strange, outdated laws still on the books. These include odd rules like bathtub bans, chicken gender restrictions, dog hunt limits, and unusual walking street regulations that make everyday actions sound absurd.
Some laws focus on public behavior, such as bans on wearing mismatched clothing and specific rules for public parks. There are even outdated hunt rabbit laws that restrict certain hunting methods. On the food side, ice cream sale regulations highlight old health concerns that now seem unnecessary.
Recreation and transportation laws add to the weirdness. Some rules ensure a pool isn’t treated like a water rapids park, while others govern trolley cars on city streets, including bans on pushing them by hand.
Most of these laws are rarely enforced today, but they remain part of New York’s legal code. They offer a humorous glimpse into the past and show how lawmakers once tried to solve very specific problems in ways that now seem overly strict or unnecessary.
Bizarre Animal Laws You Won’t Believe Exist
Lawmakers have long targeted animals with unusual restrictions. New York’s books include several odd new york ordinances regulating creatures great and small.
1. No Donkey Sleeping in a Bathtub – In New York City, it’s illegal to let a donkey sleep in a bathtub. This may be the most famous of the ridiculous laws new york has on the books. The story goes that the law was created to prevent people from keeping farm animals in their homes when bathtubs were rare.
2. Guessing the Chicken Gender is Banned – At the New York State Fair, you cannot guess the sex of a chicken for a prize. This odd rule was meant to stop betting on animals, but it sounds like something out of a comedy sketch.
3. A dog hunt for squirrels is illegal – In some New York parks, it is illegal for dogs to chase squirrels. The fine can be steep, though enforcement is rare. This is one of those funny state laws that pet owners love to joke about.
4. No Pig Walking Street Without a Leash – In New York City, a pig may not walk down the street without a leash. This unusual law might date back to the days when people kept pigs as pets or let them roam for food.
These weird laws new york holds onto reflect specific problems lawmakers once faced. If you enjoy these, you’ll love our collection of funny Colorado laws that are just as strange.
Odd Public Behavior Rules That Will Confuse You
New Yorkers are known for their bluntness, but the law books contain some contradictory ideas about how people should act in public.
5. Men Cannot Walk Down the Street While Wearing Mismatched Jackets and Pants – In New York City, it is illegal to walk down the street wearing a jacket and trousers that do not match. This was originally a sumptuary law meant to keep people from dressing like they were wealthier than they were.
6. No Yodeling in Public Parks – Yodeling is forbidden in New York City parks after 9 PM. While the law was aimed at noise complaints, it sounds more like a joke than a real regulation.
7. It Is Illegal to Shoot a Rabbit from a Streetcar – This obsolete law from the early 20th century makes it clear that hunters should not use trams as hunting platforms. It remains on the books, making it one of the more bizarre new york statutes.
8. No Selling Ice Cream in a Newspaper – In New York, you cannot sell ice cream wrapped in a newspaper. This was likely a health code from a century ago, but today it seems like an odd new york ordinance that nobody remembers to enforce.
These weird public behavior rules make you wonder what else hides in the city’s legal code. They join a long list of humorous legislation from other states, like the 20 weird and funny Arkansas laws we also cover.
Silly Transportation Laws That Are Still Technically Law
Getting around New York comes with plenty of traffic, but these transportation laws add another layer of absurdity.
9. Not a Water Rapids Park – Yes, in some New York towns, you cannot ride a bicycle inside a swimming pool. The law was probably meant to prevent damage to pool linings, but the image of someone pedaling underwater is too funny to ignore.
10. No Trolley Cars May Be Pushed Through City Streets – Pushing a trolley car by hand is prohibited. Given that trolleys are electric, this rule likely dates back to the pre-electric era.
11. Horse Power or Taxi – Another relic from the horse-and-buggy days, this law forbids entering a taxicab if a horse is still attached to it. It’s a classic example of the ridiculous laws new york keeps around.
These transportation rules are among the funny state laws that never got updated. For more similar oddities, check out 20 weird and funny laws in Colorado, they rival New York in absurdity.
Strange Food and Drink Ordinances
New York takes its food seriously, but some of its food laws are laughable.
12. No Eating Peanuts While Reverse Walking – In some New York jurisdictions, it is illegal to eat peanuts while walking backward. The reason may have to do with tripping hazards, but it sounds like a rule a parent would make up.
13. Sugar Coated Prize Only – You cannot sell candy with a prize inside unless the prize is completely edible. This law targeted cheap toys that could be choking hazards.
14. No Drinking Beer Out of a Bucket – Using a bucket as a drinking vessel for beer is against the law. This might be a health regulation, but it remains one of the more unusual laws new york has.
These food-related weird laws are silly, yet they show lawmakers creatively addressing safety issues.
Obsolete Laws from Another Era
A handful of New York statutes are so outdated they belong in a museum. These obsolete laws new york never repealed are pure comedy gold.
15. It Is Illegal to Spit on the Sidewalk – A law from the tuberculosis era, spitting on the sidewalk in New York City is still illegal. You could technically be fined for it today.
16. Sugar Coated Deception – There is a law that makes it illegal to lure a man into a candy store and then have him arrested. The story behind it involves a prank that went wrong, a group of friends once trapped an acquaintance inside and called the police as a joke.
17. Equal Rights Movement – In New York, women have the same right as men to go shirtless in public. While this is actually a progressive law, many people still don’t know it exists.
These obsolete laws show that times change much faster than statutes. They serve as reminders that everyday life has changed dramatically.
Miscellaneous Weirdness You Need to Know
A few remaining laws defy easy categorization.
18. No Face Mask (Unless It’s Halloween) – New York has strict anti-mask laws dating back to the 19th century, aimed at preventing people from hiding their identity during protests. There are exceptions for holidays and theatrical performances.
19. Fire Away – This sounds like a joke, but it is illegal to fire a cannon inside your home. The law may have been inspired by revolutionary war veterans who liked to celebrate with loud bangs.
20. No Jumping Off a Building – While this might seem obvious, New York specifically forbids jumping off a building. The law likely exists to discourage suicides and stunts, but it’s still one of the more bizarre new york statutes.
These last entries round out the list, showing that New York’s legal code has a quirky charm no other state can match.
| Law | What It Says | Why It’s Ridiculous |
|---|---|---|
| Donkey sleeping in bathtub | No donkey may sleep in a bathtub | Who would even try this? |
| Guessing chick sex at fair | You cannot guess the sex of a chicken for a prize | Bans a bizarre form of gambling |
| Men’s mismatched clothes | Jacket and pants must match when walking | Sumptuary law from 1800s |
| Ice cream in newspaper | Cannot sell ice cream wrapped in newspaper | Health code from 1900s |
| Jumping off a building | Jumping off a building is illegal | Seems too obvious to need a law |
These five laws are just a sample of the weird laws new york has on the books. If you enjoyed this list, you’ll enjoy our roundup of strange and silly Arizona laws that are equally hilarious.
Why Do These Funny Laws Still Exist?
Lawmakers rarely go back and clean up old statutes. Thousands of laws across the country remain on the books because no one has repealed them. In many cases, they are never enforced, but they provide endless entertainment for trivia lovers. These new york legal oddities are part of a larger tradition of humorous legislation that exists in every state. So next time you visit New York, you need not worry about most of these rules, unless you plan to ride a bicycle in a swimming pool.
Frequently Asked Questions
Are these 20 funny laws in New York actually enforced?
Most of them are never enforced. Police have bigger things to worry about than a donkey in a bathtub. However, some laws like spitting on the sidewalk could still result in a ticket in certain situations.
Why do these weird laws remain on the books?
States and cities rarely repeal old laws unless they cause problems. These obsolete laws are simply forgotten by lawmakers. They become trivia instead of active regulations.
Can you get arrested for breaking a funny law in New York?
Technically yes, but it is highly unlikely. Most of these laws carry small fines, not jail time. A judge would probably dismiss the case with a laugh.
What is the strangest law in New York?
The donkey sleeping in a bathtub law is the most famous of the bizarre new york statutes. It is often cited as the weirdest because it is so specific and pointless.
Where can I find more funny state laws?
You can explore our entire collection of weird laws from other states. Each state has its own set of ridiculous rules waiting to be discovered.
To See Laws From Other States, Click Here.
