Why Are Car Dealerships Closed on Sunday?

Weekends are the best time for leisure, which can involve a visit to your local dealership and shopping for a new car. Unfortunately, you should know that many car dealerships are closed on Sundays. Before you find yourself at a dealership wondering “Why are dealerships closed on Sunday?” you should know that there are three good reasons why this is the case.

Blue Laws

Blue laws prohibit certain activities on specific days, most notably Sunday. Some states have blue laws that explicitly prohibit car sales on Sundays. Blue laws were made to honor the Sabbath, which is the day for worship and rest for Christians and Jews.

Modern blue laws mainly prohibit the sale of alcohol. Before 1985, Texas blue laws prohibited the sale of items like cars and liquor, knives, pots, pans and even washing machines.

Blue laws vary in every state.  Car sales on Sundays are banned in 12 states: Colorado, Indiana, Illinois, Iowa, Minnesota, Missouri, Maine, Mississippi, Louisiana, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, and Wisconsin. Other states have similar laws, but they don’t completely restrict sales. Instead, they just restrict how people can purchase vehicles.

Maryland, Michigan, Nevada, North Dakota, Texas, Rhode Island, and Utah, for example, don’t explicitly ban car purchases on Sundays. However, they can limit the hours during which dealerships can sell cars that day.

This might seem like a huge hassle, especially for potential customers who have busy work weeks and can only find time on Sundays. Luckily, people looking for cars who live in states like California, New York, and Florida don’t have to worry about these laws.

To Give Salesmen a Day Off

Selling cars can be a tiring job given that the vehicle market is highly competitive. That said, car dealers can be closed on Sundays so that they can give their employees time for themselves. Day offs also give people time to rest and prevent overwork. After all, nobody would want to work in a job that takes up all their time.

Because Banks Are Closed

Vehicle dealerships rely on bank auto loans so that customers can purchase vehicles and just pay for them in installments. However, since banks are closed on Sundays, dealerships might find it difficult to do business since auto loans won’t go through.

Ultimately, the reasons behind Sunday closures vary, but they reflect a complex interplay of tradition, employee well-being, and practicality in the modern automotive industry, depending on the state you’re in. If you live in a state with blue laws and are looking for car dealerships that are open on Sunday, perhaps you should visit online vehicle sale websites and forums instead.

Can You Buy a Car on Sunday?

While you can’t buy a car from a dealership on Sundays, it’s not impossible to make a purchase.

If you’re keen on purchasing a second-hand car, you can buy the vehicle directly from another seller. The downside is you’ll need to fill out paperwork and register the vehicle, which can be a problem because many offices are closed on Sundays.

Note that driving a vehicle that isn’t officially registered in your name can lead to several legal problems. Fortunately, there are ways to circumvent this problem.

For example, you can have the seller drive to your home and leave the car there. Alternatively, you can also use temporary license plates and stickers to prove that you own the vehicle.

Just be wary of potential scammers. Because most auto shops are closed on Sundays as well, you won’t be able to bring your vehicle to a mechanic for a pre-purchase inspection. This means you won’t be able to confirm whether or not the car is in good condition.

It’s generally a good idea to hold out on purchasing a vehicle on a Sunday.