Odd Laws Still on the Books
Bear wrestling, Sunday car sales and a raised truck: real Missouri sections
Lists of strange state laws get passed around with no section number attached. Every one below has one, read from the Revised Statutes of Missouri.
Who handles this in Missouri: legal aid programs and the state offices, listed in the Missouri directory.
| The law | What it says | Breaking it |
|---|---|---|
| The lawBear wrestling | What it saysNo one may wrestle a bear, allow or stage bear wrestling, advertise it, charge admission to it, train a bear for it, or buy, sell or keep a bear knowing it will be used for it. | Breaking itClass A misdemeanor |
| The lawSunday car sales | What it saysA licensed dealer may not keep a lot open to buy, sell or trade motor vehicles on Sunday, with exceptions such as manufactured housing and recreational vehicles. | Breaking itClass C misdemeanor |
| The lawA raised truck | What it saysNo passenger vehicle may be driven with its body raised at the front or rear at an angle that blocks the driver's view ahead or behind. | Breaking itClass C misdemeanor |
| The lawA pet coyote | What it saysCoyotes and bobcats are on the dangerous wild animal list with lions and bears. | Breaking itClass C misdemeanor |
Many laws that sound strange are city or county ordinances rather than state law, and those differ from place to place; this page covers only the Revised Statutes. Whether a particular act broke one of these sections is a question for a licensed Missouri attorney.
Sources for this section (4)
- Mo. Rev. Stat. § 578.176 — Bear wrestling
- Mo. Rev. Stat. § 578.120 — Sale of motor vehicles on Sunday prohibited
- Mo. Rev. Stat. § 307.172 — Altering a passenger vehicle by raising the front or rear
- Mo. Rev. Stat. § 578.023 — Keeping a dangerous wild animal
Legal information, not legal advice. Verified as of October 2026. Applying it to a particular situation is the work of a licensed Missouri attorney.