Minnesota: Can car dealerships open on Sundays?
Minnesota bans car dealers from buying, selling, or opening a lot to sell motor vehicles on Sunday.
Running a new or used vehicle business, or opening a lot to do so, on Sunday is a misdemeanor for a first offense and a gross misdemeanor after that. The ban dates to 1957. The only listed exceptions are certain trailers, such as boat, ATV, snowmobile, and utility trailers.
What the law says
Any person who shall carry on or engage in the business of buying, selling, exchanging, dealing in or trading in new or used motor vehicles; or who shall open any place of business or lot wherein the person attempts to or does engage in the business of buying, selling, exchanging, dealing or trading in new or used motor vehicles; or who does buy, sell, exchange, deal or trade in new or used motor vehicles as a business on the first day of the week, commonly known and designated as Sunday, is guilty of a misdemeanor for the first offense, and a gross misdemeanor for each succeeding offense.
Sources
- Minn. Stat. § 168.275 Official · revisor.mn.gov
Confirm with the state
- Agency
- Minnesota Driver and Vehicle Services
- Phone
- 651-201-7777
- Website
- dps.mn.gov
How bordering states compare
- Iowa Sunday car sales bannedIowa bars licensed dealers from buying or selling new or used cars at retail on Sunday.
- North Dakota Sunday car sales bannedNorth Dakota law says a motor vehicle dealer may not sell a motor vehicle on Sunday.
- South Dakota Sunday sales allowedSouth Dakota has no state law that stops licensed dealers from selling cars on Sunday.
- Wisconsin Sunday car sales bannedWisconsin bans car dealers from staying open on Sunday to buy, sell, or lease vehicles.