Car Dealerships Open on Sunday

In many states across the USA, auto dealers are restricted or prohibited from operating and keeping the dealership open on Sundays. Though there are many legislative battles and mixed opinions on whether the ban should be lifted., let’s look at some common questions and how the ban on auto sales on Sunday goes like in different forbidden and restricted states.

Car dealerships remain shut on Sundays as enforced by ‘Blue Laws’. However some states in the US now have permission to remain open on Sundays where you can buy your new car from.

Blue Law or Sunday Law has its traces from colonial Law. This law prohibits and restricts certain activities and commercial services for a period as a religious belief that Sundays are for people to worship and to attend church services. Blue Law regulations are with the state.

Colorado, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Louisiana, Maine, Minnesota, Missouri, Oklahoma, New Jersey, North Dakota, Pennsylvania, and Wisconsin are thirteen states that have dealerships open on Sundays.

In seven states, auto sales on Sundays are prohibited during certain periods and in some counties. These are mixed states which include Nevada, Utah, Texas, North Dakota, Michigan, Rhode Island and Maryland.

Maryland permits Sunday auto sales only in the counties of Charles, Prince George’s, Montgomery, and Howard. Michigan restricts Sunday car sales to only those counties which have a population less than 130,000.

One can definitely book a car online on Sundays through dealership service car booking forms on various dealer websites.

You can’t finance your new car on Sunday due to blue law. Most dealerships are closed on Sundays except during special sales events.

Some auto dealers choose to keep the dealership shut to provide a day off to its retail employees since they work long hours on weekdays for sales, finance, and services. They also remain shut to meet and manage its operating costs.

Dealerships that make car sales on Sundays can have their license canceled and can face legal issues.

Texas and Utah have dealerships open on Sundays but does have to keep either Saturday or Sunday off as a prohibition to open car sales on both the days to allow a day off each week.

While some states sees the government regulation unneeded., a few other states have been supporting the Blue Law. Few years back, Illinois, Texas and New Jersey claimed and raised questions against the removal of the ban as financial institutions do not work then.

Also, States where the ban is lifted have argued that they will be forced to continue working on Sundays; to be at par with the competitors.

On the other hand, a number of dealerships see the ban as an interference of the government in their businesses.

So, some dealerships argue that their potential sales do not get affected with the ban whereas the others argue that their sales get affected since Sundays are holidays and that’s when a number of customers can shop for new cars and that they may lose buyers to neighboring states that allow Sunday car sales.