Is it legal to own a pet armadillo?
Prohibited
Massachusetts allows private owners to keep only the wild mammals on its exempt list, and armadillos are not on it.
MA · State hub
Massachusetts
Every QuirkMaps topic for Massachusetts, grouped by category. Each answer links to the official source it comes from.
Exotic pets
Vehicles
Can car dealerships open on Sundays?
Sunday sales allowed
Massachusetts lets stores and shops open and sell at retail on Sunday, and has no Sunday rule aimed at car dealers.
Do adults have to wear motorcycle helmets?
All riders
Massachusetts requires every motorcycle operator and passenger to wear a helmet.
Do you need a front license plate?
Front and rear plates
Massachusetts requires passenger cars to display plates on both the front and the rear.
Is it legal to pump your own gas?
Self-serve allowed
Massachusetts allows self-service gas stations, as long as the station's setup is approved by the State Fire Marshal.
Is it legal to put a train horn on a car?
Allowed with limits
Massachusetts has no train horn ban, but sounding any horn to make a harsh, objectionable or unreasonable noise is illegal.
Is there an annual vehicle safety inspection?
Regular safety inspection
Massachusetts requires a yearly safety inspection for registered motor vehicles.
Home & property
Are fireworks legal?
Consumer fireworks banned
Massachusetts bans all consumer fireworks, including sparklers, for private persons.
Food & drink
Are happy hour drink specials legal?
Happy hour banned
Massachusetts bans happy hours: bars must charge the same drink price all week.
Is there a bottle deposit?
Bottle deposit law
Massachusetts requires a refundable deposit of at least 5 cents on soda, carbonated water, mineral water, and beer containers.
Where can you buy liquor?
Private licensed stores
Massachusetts liquor is sold by privately owned package stores licensed by cities and towns; the state does not buy or sell spirits.
Time & calendar
Does the state observe daylight saving time?
Observes DST
Massachusetts observes daylight saving time and has no enacted law to switch to year-round daylight or standard time.
Money & taxes
Are groceries taxed?
Groceries exempt
Massachusetts exempts food bought for home consumption from its 6.25% sales tax.
Does the state have a lottery?
Has a state lottery
Yes. Massachusetts runs a state lottery through the State Lottery Commission in the state treasurer's office.
Does the state have a sales-tax-free weekend?
Has a tax-free period
Yes. Massachusetts holds a permanent two-day sales tax holiday each August; in 2026 it was August 8 and 9.
Voting & elections
Do you need an ID to vote?
No ID document required
Massachusetts does not require most in-person voters to show ID. A voter who is asked for ID and has none can still vote.