No Sale: It's Illegal to Buy a Car in Michigan on Sunday

You can do almost anything anytime in the 24/7 world we live in. It seems odd that it is still against the law to purchase a vehicle on a Sunday in Michigan.

Remember when Sunday was considered "the Lord's Day?" Growing up in the Dutch Reformed enclave of Holland, Michigan, I can remember that it was very controversial when Meijer decided that they were going to open the doors to their grocery stores on Sundays. Many businesses used to be closed on the Sabbath and most holidays too, it seems. There was a time when you had to physically go to the bank to withdrawal cash (and maybe travelers cheques) when making vacation plans. Dads everywhere had to make sure the car was filled with gas the Wednesday before Thanksgiving to make the trip over the river and through the woods.

The day of rest is long gone and that era is ancient history. Today's world is all about convenience- on demand, right now, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, 365 days a year. There are few things we even have to wait any considerable amount of time for; everything is at our fingertips. It seems odd that, in 2021, you can't legally buy a car in Sunday. State of Michigan Act 66 of 1953 was ratified on May 12 and reads,

It shall be unlawful for any person, firm or corporation to engage in the business of buying, selling, trading or exchanging new, used or second-hand motor vehicles or offering to buy, sell, trade or exchange, or participate in the negotiation thereof, or attempt to buy, sell, trade or exchange any motor vehicle or interest therein, or of any written instrument pertaining thereto, on the first day of the week, commonly called Sunday.

Although many car dealerships are closed, you can find a few that are open on Sunday. This was once quite controversial too. In fact, when a Metro Detroit- area dealership in Warren announced they were opening on Saturdays, someone blasted out the huge showroom windows with a shotgun.

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Even if this outdated Michigan blue law was repealed and you wanted to sign and drive on a Sunday, you couldn't get to the Secretary of State's office to make it official or get the bank paperwork approved until Monday morning. Besides, all those little old ladies need those cars to drive to church on Sundays.