Have you ever tipped your waiter? Have you ever opened a tab at a bar? Have you ever winked at a woman you don’t know? Well you, my friend, are a criminal according to the state of Iowa. That’s right. In Iowa, there are countless rules that are written into the law books that promise swift punishment for a slew of innocuous actions. Times have changed, but these Hawkeye State laws haven’t! Here are 10 weird laws in Iowa that will undoubtedly leave you scratching your head!
- It’s illegal for mustached men to kiss women in public.
fetmano/Flickr Sorry fellas, rules are rules. If you want to give your lady PDA you have to shave the face.
- It’s illegal for a kiss to last longer than five minutes.
Marco/Flickr Hey – if you finally shave your ‘stache and get the chance to kiss your girl, make sure the kiss lasts under five minutes - or else!
- It’s illegal to sell drugs without a drug tax stamp.
Chris Goldberg/Flickr It is a violation of the law to sell or distribute drugs or narcotics without having first obtained the appropriate Iowa drug tax stamp.
- According to Iowa law, one-armed piano players must perform for free.
marcus oh/Flickr (We have no idea…)
- It’s a crime in Iowa to use a dead person’s handicapped parking sign or license plate.
Steve Johnson/Flickr
- Ministers must obtain a permit to carry their liquor across state lines.
Caspar Diederik/Flickr
- In Cedar Rapids, Iowa, it is illegal to read a person’s palms in the city limits.
Hugo/Flickr Fortune telling just isn’t tolerated in Cedar Rapids!
- In Ottumwa, a man may not wink at any woman he does not know.
Mo Riza/Flickr
Listen, guys: winking is kind of creepy regardless of whether or not you know the girl.
- In Marshalltown, horses are forbidden to eat fire hydrants.
Hector Parayuelos/Flickr
- In Mount Vernon, one must obtain written permission from the City Council before throwing bricks or stones into a highway.
John McLinden/Flickr Really? Now we have to wait weeks for approval before throwing bricks at the highway?! How preposterous!
BONUS! The Iowa Legislature once passed a resolution ordering the state cafeteria to start serving cornbread.
Jason Mrachina/Flickr Because everyone knows that the key to a successful, high functioning society is cornbread. What do we want? Cornbread! When do we want it? Now!
Well, you do the crime you do the time… or not. Don’t worry; these laws are likely not going to be enforced! They are simply products of another time and place that no one wants to bother with anymore. Phew! Did you know about these weird laws in Iowa? Do you know of any other weird laws in the Hawkeye State? Share them with us in the comments below!
fetmano/Flickr
Sorry fellas, rules are rules. If you want to give your lady PDA you have to shave the face.
Marco/Flickr
Hey – if you finally shave your ‘stache and get the chance to kiss your girl, make sure the kiss lasts under five minutes - or else!
Chris Goldberg/Flickr
It is a violation of the law to sell or distribute drugs or narcotics without having first obtained the appropriate Iowa drug tax stamp.
marcus oh/Flickr
(We have no idea…)
Steve Johnson/Flickr
Caspar Diederik/Flickr
Hugo/Flickr
Fortune telling just isn’t tolerated in Cedar Rapids!
Mo Riza/Flickr
Listen, guys: winking is kind of creepy regardless of whether or not you know the girl.
Hector Parayuelos/Flickr
John McLinden/Flickr
Really? Now we have to wait weeks for approval before throwing bricks at the highway?! How preposterous!
Jason Mrachina/Flickr
Because everyone knows that the key to a successful, high functioning society is cornbread. What do we want? Cornbread! When do we want it? Now!
Iowa sure is one weird little state. And it’s not just our laws — Iowans are pretty weird people, too!
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The OIYS Visitor Center
Weird laws in Iowa September 14, 2021 Sarah Why are there so many weird laws in Iowa? If you think Iowa has weird laws, you should visit Washington, where lollipops are banned. Or Lexington, Kentucky, which has a law against carrying an ice cream cone in your back pocket. And in Arkansas? Well, in Arkansas it is illegal to have an alligators living in your bathtub. Our point is, weird laws are everywhere, in every state in the country – not just Iowa! And these laws still exist because frankly, it would take too much time and resources to go through the process of repealing them. So rest assured, you probably will not get arrested in Iowa for having your palms read, but you could always ask your palm reader to give you a heads up before it happened! What are some fun facts about Iowa? The Hawkeye State is a fascinating place, and we love passing along fun facts about Iowa for you to share at your next dinner party. First, Iowa is home to The Future Birthplace of Captain James T. Kirk. Yes, you read that correctly. According to the creator of StarTrek, Captain Kirk was born in Riverside, Iowa… in 2228. You can visit the “birthplace” in Riverside, Iowa, too! In terms of thrilling history, on April 16, 1934, the infamous crime couple Bonnie and Clyde robbed the First National Bank in Stuart, Iowa. And on July 21, 1873, Jesse James and his gang robbed the first train in the West, in Adair, Iowa. Iowa is quite a legendary place! What are some weird places to visit in Iowa? Iowa is kind of a weird little state. From our weird laws to weird culinary preferences, the Hawkeye State welcomes and celebrates the weird! If you’re looking for some of the strangest sites you’ll ever see in the Hawkeye State, check out these nine bizarre destinations. From a zombie-themed diner to a hobo museum, there’s a lot of weirdness to embrace in Iowa.
The OIYS Visitor Center
Weird laws in Iowa
September 14, 2021
Sarah
Why are there so many weird laws in Iowa? If you think Iowa has weird laws, you should visit Washington, where lollipops are banned. Or Lexington, Kentucky, which has a law against carrying an ice cream cone in your back pocket. And in Arkansas? Well, in Arkansas it is illegal to have an alligators living in your bathtub. Our point is, weird laws are everywhere, in every state in the country – not just Iowa! And these laws still exist because frankly, it would take too much time and resources to go through the process of repealing them. So rest assured, you probably will not get arrested in Iowa for having your palms read, but you could always ask your palm reader to give you a heads up before it happened! What are some fun facts about Iowa? The Hawkeye State is a fascinating place, and we love passing along fun facts about Iowa for you to share at your next dinner party. First, Iowa is home to The Future Birthplace of Captain James T. Kirk. Yes, you read that correctly. According to the creator of StarTrek, Captain Kirk was born in Riverside, Iowa… in 2228. You can visit the “birthplace” in Riverside, Iowa, too! In terms of thrilling history, on April 16, 1934, the infamous crime couple Bonnie and Clyde robbed the First National Bank in Stuart, Iowa. And on July 21, 1873, Jesse James and his gang robbed the first train in the West, in Adair, Iowa. Iowa is quite a legendary place! What are some weird places to visit in Iowa? Iowa is kind of a weird little state. From our weird laws to weird culinary preferences, the Hawkeye State welcomes and celebrates the weird! If you’re looking for some of the strangest sites you’ll ever see in the Hawkeye State, check out these nine bizarre destinations. From a zombie-themed diner to a hobo museum, there’s a lot of weirdness to embrace in Iowa.
The OIYS Visitor Center
The OIYS Visitor Center
If you think Iowa has weird laws, you should visit Washington, where lollipops are banned. Or Lexington, Kentucky, which has a law against carrying an ice cream cone in your back pocket. And in Arkansas? Well, in Arkansas it is illegal to have an alligators living in your bathtub. Our point is, weird laws are everywhere, in every state in the country – not just Iowa! And these laws still exist because frankly, it would take too much time and resources to go through the process of repealing them. So rest assured, you probably will not get arrested in Iowa for having your palms read, but you could always ask your palm reader to give you a heads up before it happened!
What are some fun facts about Iowa?
The Hawkeye State is a fascinating place, and we love passing along fun facts about Iowa for you to share at your next dinner party. First, Iowa is home to The Future Birthplace of Captain James T. Kirk. Yes, you read that correctly. According to the creator of StarTrek, Captain Kirk was born in Riverside, Iowa… in 2228. You can visit the “birthplace” in Riverside, Iowa, too! In terms of thrilling history, on April 16, 1934, the infamous crime couple Bonnie and Clyde robbed the First National Bank in Stuart, Iowa. And on July 21, 1873, Jesse James and his gang robbed the first train in the West, in Adair, Iowa. Iowa is quite a legendary place!
What are some weird places to visit in Iowa?
Iowa is kind of a weird little state. From our weird laws to weird culinary preferences, the Hawkeye State welcomes and celebrates the weird! If you’re looking for some of the strangest sites you’ll ever see in the Hawkeye State, check out these nine bizarre destinations. From a zombie-themed diner to a hobo museum, there’s a lot of weirdness to embrace in Iowa.
