The 8 Weirdest and Strangest Laws in Arizona (2024)

Arizona is home to the O.K Corral in Tombstone, the Saguaro cactus and the Grand Canyon. But what most people are not aware of is that the ‘Copper State’ is also home to unorthodox laws that anyone thinking of relocating there should bear in mind.

Here are eight of the strangest laws from the Valentine State. Some of them are so quirky, you’ll be left wondering who on earth thought them up.

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1. Don’t unearth the Saguaro

It is illegal to dig up a Saguaro cactus according to Arizona law. Anyone who must move these cacti must purchase a permit, tag and seal from the state. The punishment for disobeying this law is a 25-year stint in prison.

2. The Bighorns must be eaten whole

This one is for the game hunters out there. Any person who kills a wild bird, mammal or fish must not allow any edible portion of the animal to go to waste. Anyone who violates this law is guilty of a Class 2 misdemeanor which is punishable by 4 months incarceration or a $750 (plus 85% surcharge) fine or a 2-year probation. Hunting big game (except for bears and mountain lions) using dogs is also prohibited.

3. No room for psychics

The city of Avondale in Arizona has outlawed fortune-telling, palm-reading, or palmistry within the city limits. Any person found engaging in these activities is guilty of a misdemeanor. However, hypnotism is allowed if it is being practiced by an accredited professional.

4. Bola ties for everyone

Believe it or not, but Arizona ordinance §41-857 states that the “Bola tie shall be the official state neckwear.”

5. Crane game rigging is outlawed

Remember those coin-operated machines with a mechanical crane hand that comes down and grabs you a toy? Well, anyone who knowingly rigs these machines in such a way that the claw is physically incapable of grabbing exposed prizes is guilty of a Class 1 misdemeanor which is punishable by six months in jail, a $2500 fine (plus an 83% surcharge) or three years of probation. Perhaps the guides on how to start an LLC in Arizona and how to find a great registered agent in Arizona can help you avoid any legal issues when opening or closing a business in the state.

6. The “stupid driver law”

It sounds harsh, but it’s the literal name for this ordinance. Any person who drives a vehicle into a flooded street or roadway and gets stuck as a result of this action may be liable for expenses of any emergency response that is required to remove him/ her from the situation including all passengers in the vehicle.

7. Don’t trip the donkeys

If you trip an equine (a horse, donkey, mule, zebra, hinny or pony) for entertainment purposes, you’ll be guilty of a class 1 misdemeanor and may spend between 48 hours and a month as a guest of the state, or/and be fined between $1,000 and $2,000.

8. Don’t feed litter to the swine

You’ll need a permit from the state in order to feed garbage to a pig. This law, however, does not apply to people who use their own household garbage to feed swine that are raised for subsistence use.