Kentucky: Can car dealerships open on Sundays?
Kentucky's Sunday work law covers car dealers unless a city or county ordinance allows Sunday retail sales.
A general state law fines people who do business on Sunday. Its exceptions cover certain shops, such as groceries and gas stations, but not car dealers. Cities, and counties outside city limits, can pass ordinances allowing other retail sales on Sunday. Businesses allowed under such an ordinance can't open to the public between 6 a.m. and noon. Whether Sunday car sales are allowed therefore depends on local ordinances, and how strictly the state law is enforced is unclear.
Conditions
- Allowed only where a city or county ordinance permits Sunday retail sales
- Where permitted, not open to the public from 6 a.m. to noon
What the law says
(1) Any person who works on Sunday at his own or at any other occupation or employs any other person, in labor or other business, whether for profit or amusement, unless his work or the employment of others is in the course of ordinary household duties, work of necessity or charity or work required in the maintenance or operation of a public service or public utility plant or system, shall be fined not less than two dollars ($2) nor more than fifty dollars ($50).
Sources
- KRS 436.160 (Working on Sunday) Mirror of official text · codes.findlaw.com
- KRS 436.165 (Sunday retail sales subject to local control) Mirror of official text · codes.findlaw.com
Confirm with the state
- Agency
- Kentucky Motor Vehicle Commission
- Website
- kmvc.ky.gov
How bordering states compare
- Illinois Sunday car sales bannedIllinois bars car dealers from being open to sell or lease new or used cars on Sunday.
- Indiana Sunday car sales bannedIndiana makes it a crime to be in the business of buying, selling, or trading cars on Sunday.
- Missouri Sunday car sales bannedMissouri bars licensed car dealers from opening to buy, sell, or trade motor vehicles on Sunday.
- Ohio Sunday sales allowedOhio has no state law that stops licensed car dealers from selling on Sunday.
- Tennessee Sunday sales allowedTennessee has no state law found that stops licensed dealers from selling cars on Sunday.
- Virginia Sunday sales allowedVirginia has no state law that stops car dealers from selling on Sunday.
- West Virginia Sunday sales allowedWest Virginia has no state law found that stops licensed dealers from selling cars on Sunday.