Weird Indiana Laws Locals Shrug Off but Travelers Keep Asking About

Indiana might not be the first state that comes to mind when you think of bizarre legislation, but it has collected quite a few head-scratching rules over the years.

From restrictions on what beverages liquor stores can sell cold to laws about catching fish with your bare hands, the Hoosier State has plenty of oddities that make visitors do a double-take.

Locals have grown so accustomed to these quirks that they barely give them a second thought, treating them as just another part of everyday life.

Travelers, on the other hand, often find themselves puzzled and full of questions when they stumble upon these unusual statutes.

Whether these laws are relics from a different era or attempts to address very specific problems, they offer a fascinating glimpse into Indiana’s legal landscape.

Understanding these strange regulations can help you navigate the state with confidence and maybe even impress your friends with some truly weird trivia.

Get ready to explore seven of the most peculiar laws that define the Indiana experience.

Cold Soda Restrictions

Walking into an Indiana liquor store can be a confusing experience if you’re thirsty and looking for a cold bottle of water or soda.

Under Indiana Code 7.1-3-10-5, liquor stores are prohibited from selling refrigerated soft drinks or water, even though they can sell chilled beer and wine without any problem.

This strange contradiction leaves many visitors scratching their heads, especially on hot summer days when all they want is something cold to drink.

The reasoning behind this law dates back to efforts by grocery stores and convenience stores to protect their turf.

By preventing liquor stores from selling cold non-alcoholic beverages, lawmakers essentially forced customers who wanted a quick cold drink to shop elsewhere.

This kept liquor stores focused on alcohol sales and prevented them from becoming one-stop shops that might compete with other retailers.

For locals, this is just how things work, and they know to grab their cold drinks at gas stations or supermarkets instead.

But travelers often find themselves baffled when they see warm Coca-Cola sitting on the shelf next to frosty six-packs of beer.

Some liquor store owners have gotten creative by placing coolers near the entrance where customers can chill their room-temperature purchases before leaving.

The law has sparked ongoing debates about whether it still makes sense in the modern retail landscape.

Critics argue that it’s outdated and unnecessarily restrictive, while supporters claim it helps maintain a level playing field for different types of businesses.

Regardless of where you stand on the issue, it remains one of Indiana’s most talked-about quirks.

Next time you’re in the Hoosier State and need a cold drink, remember to stop somewhere other than the liquor store or be prepared to wait a bit for your beverage to chill.

No Fishing with Bare Hands

If you’ve ever been tempted to wade into an Indiana stream and try to catch a fish with nothing but your own two hands, you’d better think twice.

Indiana Code 14-22-9-1 makes it strictly illegal to catch fish using only your bare hands, a practice commonly known as noodling or hogging.

This method involves reaching into underwater holes and crevices to grab catfish by hand, and while it might sound exciting, it’s completely off-limits in Indiana.

The law exists primarily to protect spawning catfish populations during their vulnerable breeding seasons.

When catfish lay their eggs in underwater cavities, male catfish guard these nests aggressively, making them easy targets for hand-fishing enthusiasts.

Removing these guardian fish can devastate entire clutches of eggs and significantly impact local fish populations over time.

Many visitors from states where noodling is legal and even celebrated find this prohibition surprising.

In places like Oklahoma and Mississippi, hand-fishing tournaments draw huge crowds and are considered a proud tradition.

Indiana residents, however, have accepted this rule as a necessary conservation measure, even if it means missing out on the adrenaline rush of wrestling a fifty-pound catfish.

Beyond conservation concerns, there are legitimate safety reasons for the ban as well.

Reaching blindly into murky underwater holes can result in serious injuries from snapping turtles, venomous snakes, or sharp debris.

The risk of drowning also increases when people get their arms stuck or encounter unexpected currents while trying to grab a thrashing fish.

For those who love fishing in Indiana, there are still plenty of legal and enjoyable ways to catch dinner.

Rod and reel fishing remains extremely popular throughout the state’s many lakes, rivers, and streams.

Just remember to keep your hands above water and let your fishing gear do the work instead.

Sunday Car Sales Ban

Planning to buy a car on a Sunday in Indiana? You’ll have to wait until Monday, because state law makes it illegal for dealerships to sell or trade motor vehicles on Sundays.

This restriction is one of the last remaining “Blue Laws” in Indiana, religious-based regulations that historically prohibited various commercial activities on Sundays to encourage church attendance and rest.

While most Blue Laws have been repealed across the country, Indiana’s car sales ban has stubbornly persisted.

Locals have completely accepted this weekly closure as normal, and many dealership employees actually appreciate having a guaranteed day off every week.

The automotive sales industry is known for demanding schedules and weekend work, so this mandated break provides workers with consistent family time.

Some dealers have even embraced the closure, using Sundays for inventory management, cleaning, and preparation for the busy week ahead.

Travelers and newcomers, however, often find this law incredibly frustrating, especially when they discover it the hard way.

Imagine driving past row after row of closed dealerships on a beautiful Sunday afternoon when you have time to shop, only to realize that every single one is locked up tight.

The confusion multiplies when people notice that they can buy virtually anything else on Sunday, from groceries to furniture to electronics, but cars remain off-limits.

The law has faced numerous challenges over the years from dealers who want the freedom to operate seven days a week.

Opponents argue that the restriction costs businesses money and inconveniences consumers who work Monday through Saturday.

Supporters counter that the uniform closure prevents a competitive disadvantage, since no dealer can gain an edge by staying open when others close voluntarily.

Whether you view it as an outdated relic or a worker-friendly policy, the Sunday car sales ban remains firmly in place.

If you’re shopping for a vehicle in Indiana, plan your dealership visits for Monday through Saturday and enjoy your Sunday doing something else entirely.

Mandatory Color Updates

Starting January 1, 2026, Indiana drivers will need to pay attention to a brand-new requirement that might catch many people off guard.

Senate Enrolled Act 331 mandates that vehicle owners must notify the Bureau of Motor Vehicles within thirty days if they change their vehicle’s color through paint or vinyl wraps.

This law represents Indiana’s effort to keep vehicle registration records accurate and up-to-date with the actual appearance of cars on the road.

The legislation emerged from concerns about vehicle identification in various situations, from traffic enforcement to stolen vehicle recovery.

When a car’s registered color doesn’t match its actual appearance, it can create significant problems for law enforcement officers trying to locate specific vehicles.

Amber Alerts and other emergency notifications rely heavily on accurate vehicle descriptions, and outdated color information can hamper these critical efforts.

For car enthusiasts who love customizing their rides with new paint jobs or trendy vinyl wraps, this means adding a trip to the BMV to their modification checklist.

The process will likely involve filling out forms and possibly paying a small fee to update registration documents.

While this might seem like an inconvenience, it’s actually a pretty reasonable requirement when you consider how much vehicles can change with a complete color transformation.

Locals are still learning about this upcoming law, as it hasn’t taken effect yet and hasn’t received widespread publicity.

Many people who wrap their vehicles for advertising purposes or personal style will need to adjust their routines to comply.

The BMV has indicated that the notification process should be straightforward, though specific procedures are still being finalized.

Interestingly, this law applies to both permanent paint changes and temporary vinyl wraps, which can be removed and changed relatively frequently.

This means that someone who switches wrap colors multiple times a year could theoretically need to notify the BMV each time.

Whether this will be enforced strictly or if there will be some flexibility for frequent changers remains to be seen once the law goes into effect.

Hypnotism Referrals

Indiana has one of the most unusual laws regarding hypnotherapy that you’ll find anywhere in the United States.

According to Indiana Code 25-20.5-1-23, you cannot legally see a hypnotist for most purposes without first obtaining a referral from a licensed physician.

The only exceptions to this rule are if you’re seeking hypnosis specifically to quit smoking or lose weight, which are apparently considered safe enough to pursue without medical oversight.

This law reflects deep skepticism about hypnosis that was more common in previous decades when the practice was viewed with considerable suspicion.

Lawmakers worried that unqualified practitioners might cause psychological harm or take advantage of vulnerable people in suggestible states.

By requiring physician referrals, the state attempted to add a layer of medical legitimacy and oversight to hypnotherapy services.

Modern hypnotherapists and their clients often find this requirement frustrating and outdated, especially given that hypnosis has gained much more acceptance in mainstream medicine and psychology.

Many licensed mental health professionals now incorporate hypnotic techniques into their practices for issues ranging from anxiety to chronic pain management.

The referral requirement can create unnecessary barriers and delays for people seeking help.

The exemptions for smoking cessation and weight loss are particularly curious, suggesting that legislators viewed these as less risky applications of hypnosis.

Perhaps they recognized the significant public health benefits of helping people quit smoking or achieve healthier weights and decided not to create obstacles in these specific areas.

The inconsistency, however, strikes many people as arbitrary.

Enforcement of this law is relatively rare, and many hypnotherapists operate without strictly adhering to the referral requirement.

Still, the statute remains on the books and could theoretically be invoked.

If you’re visiting Indiana and want to try hypnotherapy for stress, phobias, or other issues beyond smoking and weight, you might want to check whether your practitioner follows this unusual legal requirement or risk running afoul of state regulations.

No Coasting in Neutral

Among Indiana’s traffic laws, one stands out for being both safety-conscious and slightly ridiculous given the state’s geography.

Indiana Code 9-21-8-44 makes it illegal to coast down a hill in neutral, meaning you cannot shift your manual transmission into neutral or put your automatic in neutral while descending any incline.

The law was originally intended to ensure drivers maintain full control of their vehicles and preserve brake systems by using engine braking on steep descents.

The amusing part of this regulation becomes apparent when you consider Indiana’s famously flat terrain.

The state is not exactly known for its mountainous landscapes or dramatic elevation changes.

Most of Indiana consists of gently rolling plains and farmland, with very few hills that would actually require serious engine braking or pose significant safety concerns for coasting vehicles.

Visitors from genuinely hilly or mountainous states often find this law hilarious, wondering what Indiana lawmakers were so worried about.

The mental image of someone carefully avoiding neutral gear while descending one of Indiana’s modest slopes provides endless entertainment.

Yet the law remains firmly in place, technically applicable even to the gentlest of inclines throughout the state.

There are actually some valid safety reasons for this prohibition, even on relatively flat terrain.

Coasting in neutral does reduce your control over the vehicle and increases stopping distances since you lose the braking assistance provided by engine compression.

In emergency situations, that extra second or two of stopping distance could make a real difference.

Additionally, coasting uses more fuel than leaving the car in gear on modern fuel-injected engines.

Enforcement of this particular law is extremely rare, and most Indiana police officers have bigger concerns than monitoring transmission positions.

Still, it could theoretically be added to a ticket if an officer observed particularly reckless coasting behavior that contributed to an accident or near-miss.

For practical purposes, most drivers never think about this law and likely violate it regularly without consequence, especially when pulling into parking lots or navigating gentle slopes.

Religious Medical Exemptions

Perhaps the most controversial and emotionally charged law on this list involves religious exemptions for medical care of children.

Under Indiana Code 35-46-1-5, parents can be exempt from criminal charges for failing to provide medical support for a dependent child if they instead provide treatment through prayer in accordance with their religious beliefs.

This statute creates a significant exception to child neglect and abuse laws that would normally require parents to seek appropriate medical care for their children.

The law reflects the delicate constitutional balance between religious freedom and child welfare that states struggle with across the country.

Supporters argue that religious liberty is a fundamental right that includes the freedom to raise children according to deeply held spiritual beliefs, including reliance on faith healing.

They point to cases where prayer and spiritual support have provided comfort and even unexpected recoveries.

Critics, however, view this exemption as dangerous and potentially deadly, pointing to documented cases where children have died from treatable conditions because their parents chose prayer over medical intervention.

Medical professionals and child welfare advocates argue that children should not pay the ultimate price for their parents’ religious convictions, especially when effective treatments exist for their conditions.

The debate raises profound questions about parental rights versus children’s rights to life and health.

For travelers and newcomers to Indiana, this law can be shocking, especially if they come from states with more stringent child protection requirements.

Many people assume that medical neglect laws apply universally without religious exceptions.

Learning that Indiana law specifically carves out this protection for faith-based treatment choices often sparks intense discussions about where society should draw lines between religious freedom and child safety.

Locals have varying opinions on this statute, with perspectives often falling along religious and political lines.

Some faith communities deeply appreciate this legal protection, while others believe it goes too far.

The law continues to generate controversy whenever cases arise involving children who suffered serious harm or death while receiving only spiritual treatment for medical conditions that doctors could have treated successfully.