While some of these weird Alabama laws may not be enforced as much (or at all) today, they are still strange and can get you into serious trouble. It’s a good idea to know them if heading to any part of Alabama because better safe than sorry. As you’d expect, some of them will make you want to read them twice just to make sure you read it right.
1. Add salt on a railroad track = death
It might sound weird that you can be sentenced to death for such a ludicrous thing but there’s some reason behind this. Salt will attract cattle onto the railroad tracks and thus prevent the train from passing. It’s probably happened in the past and that’s why this has such a terrible punishment attached to it.
2. Divorce favors women
Women can keep ALL the property they owned before marrying if they divorce their husbands. The same thing doesn’t apply to men which doesn’t seem fair at all. Shouldn’t both parties just keep what they had before marriage and split the others?
3. Don’t spit orange peels onto the sidewalk
This can lead to problems if you do it in Mobile. But why just orange peels? Why not banana peels as well?
4. Ice cream in your back pocket is a no-no!
Who would want to go on a stroll with an ice cream in their pocket, no? When this law was thought off this was a known “procedure” of stealing horses. They would just follow you home, being attracted by the ice cream. So there’s some reason behind the apparent madness.
5. Boogers in the wind
Like to flick your boogers in the wind? Don’t do it in Alabama. Actually, don’t do it anywhere because it’s gross.
6. Impersonating a priest is illegal
Why would this even have to be a law? Of course it’s not a good idea to impersonate anyone, whether it’s a priest, doctor, cop, teacher etc. And it’s good to know that you are not allowed to dress up as a priest even on Halloween. Not that kids would want to do it.
7. No silly string or confetti
Is silly string illegal in Alabama? Yes, it is if you are in Mobile. Remember Mobile? Well it seems they don’t like silly string as well as orange peels. While most of us would consider this just some silly fun, they don’t. They also don’t like confetti but seem quite in love with Mardi Grass celebrations if you can believe it.
8. Driving the wrong way down a one-way street is… legal?
Sounds weird and it is. You can apparently do this IF you have a lantern attached to the front of your vehicle! Why would this be legal? And why a lantern? Why not just turn your headlights on?
9. No fake mustaches in church
Is it illegal to wear a fake mustache in Alabama? Yes. Why is this illegal? Because it could cause laughter, as it should.
10. Driving blindfolded is illegal
Nothing weird about this. But why would this need to be made into a law? How many people in Alabama liked driving blindfolded?
11. Wearing blue jeans while walking down a certain street is illegal
It’s strange that walking down Noble Street shouldn’t be done in blue jeans. This happens in Anniston and we wonder why this had to be a law.
12. No Dominoes on Sundays
If you like Dominoes, you better not play it on Sundays. Why? It had more to do with the gambling side of it, so if you play for some extra cash, you’re breaking the law.
13. Don’t open your umbrella on a street
This may not make any sense nowadays but it did once. This would have scared horses back in the day and that’s why they made it illegal to do. The question is why only in Montgomery when this was clearly a problem in all places that relied on horse travel…
14. Wearing a mask in public is illegal in Alabama
This was actually a good idea because it was intended to discourage and decrease Ku Klux Klan activity. But what do you do when something like Covid happens?
15. Bear wrestling is illegal
Is there a place where this is legal? Exploiting bears and other animals should not be legal, anywhere. If they had to create a law for this it seems that some people were/are doing it. It’s now a Class B felony which hopefully stops people from even considering it.
16. High-heeled shoes are banned
Again, we return to Mobile for this weird Alabama law. This was introduced in 1959 and you, wait for it, signed a liability waiver to get a permit to do so. Yes, you need a permit to wear high-heeled shoes. Talk about strange laws…
17. No windshield wipers on your car is not good
Have you ever considered driving your car without windshield wipers on? It seems at least one person did consider it because this is one of those weird Alabama laws that should be common sense.
Bonus: No peanuts after sundown. Not a law anymore but it was pretty weird
But only on Wednesdays. If it’s any other day of the week, just go ahead. This was a law in Lee County and we’re glad it’s not anymore because it doesn’t make sense.
There are plenty more weird Alabama laws and we’ve collected just a part that was more interesting. You can find more strange ones if you dig a little deeper. We hope you’ve found these interesting and we recommend you also check out some weird laws in Florida that will make you say WTF. If you know more unique or weird laws from Alabama please share them in the comments.
Craving for even more weird laws? How about some of the weirdest laws in Florida?
FAQ
Is it illegal to cuss in Alabama?
Making unreasonable noise, causing annoyance or making obscene gestures are illegal in Alabama.
Is alcohol illegal in Alabama?
Purchasing, possessing or consuming alcohol if you’re under 21 is illegal.
What is it illegal to dress up as in Alabama?
A priest, not even on Halloween.
I’m a passionate writer with an insatiable curiosity for history, obscure facts, and the weird corners of the internet. When I’m not fact-checking bizarre stories or diving into historical mysteries, I’m exploring the strange and unusual to bring you the most fascinating tales.
A self-proclaimed weirdness enthusiast, who loves turning the odd, the quirky, and the unbelievable into engaging stories for curious minds.
My kids sometimes call me the walking Wikipedia, which can get very annoying sometimes.
