Weird Laws in New York: Real, Repealed and Myths (2026)
Short answerPartly. Weird laws in New York are a mix of real statutes, repealed rules and internet myths. The tiger-contact ban in ECL § 11-0538 and the ball-throwing rule in Penal Law § 245.05 exist, while the mask law and the pinball ban are gone.
Last verified: November 10, 2026 against the Penal Law, the Environmental Conservation Law and the New York Attorney General’s office
Lists of weird laws in New York spread fast online, and most of them are wrong, outdated or twisted. This page checks the famous ones against the actual statutes, so you can tell which rules still apply, which were repealed and which never existed at the state level.
The short version is that New York State law is stricter and more ordinary than the jokes suggest. Most of the weird laws in New York you see on social media come from old local ordinances, legends or garbled news stories.
Key facts
- Real today: the big cat contact ban, the offensive exhibition rule and the church disturbance offense.
- Repealed: the 1845 group mask law (
Penal Law § 240.35(4)), repealed in 2020, and New York City’s pinball ban, lifted in 1976. - Myth or unconfirmed: a ban on passing gas in church, a Sunday ice cream cone rule and a slipper curfew. We found no state statute for any of them.
- Penalties range from a violation to a class A misdemeanor, which carries up to 364 days in jail.
Weird laws in New York that are real today
A few odd-sounding rules are genuine. Each one has a real purpose behind it, which is why it still sits in the books.
Big cat contact and tiger selfies
The famous tiger selfie rule is real but often misdescribed. Environmental Conservation Law § 11-0538 makes it unlawful for a licensed exhibitor or dealer to knowingly let the public have direct contact with a lion, tiger, leopard, jaguar, mountain lion or hybrid of those species.
The statute defines direct contact to include allowing a photograph without a permanent physical barrier. The target is the business, not the visitor. A violation carries a penalty of up to $500 for a first offense.
Throwing balls at someone’s head
Penal Law § 245.05, called offensive exhibition, covers public entertainment where a person is held up to ridicule by submitting to indignities such as having balls or other articles thrown at the head or body. It also covers contests of physical endurance that run more than eight consecutive hours without a break and shows where a firearm is discharged or a knife is thrown toward a person.
The law applies to those who produce or promote the event. It is a violation, the lowest level of offense under New York law, but a promoter can still be charged.
Is it illegal to fart in church in New York?
No New York statute bans passing gas in church. The claim is an internet joke that grew out of lists of weird state laws, and we found no law that says it.
A real rule does protect worship, though. Penal Law § 240.21 makes it a class A misdemeanor to make unreasonable noise or disturbance at a lawfully assembled religious service, funeral, burial or memorial service, or within 300 feet of one, with intent to cause annoyance or alarm or by recklessly creating a risk of it.
That means intent or recklessness is required. An accidental, ordinary noise is not a crime. Shouting, blasting music or deliberately interrupting a service is.
Why was pinball banned in New York City?
New York City banned pinball in January 1942 because officials treated the machines as gambling devices tied to organized crime and a bad influence on children. Mayor Fiorello LaGuardia led the campaign, and police seized about 2,000 machines in the first sweep.
Accounts also point to wartime metal shortages. Reports say LaGuardia argued the copper, aluminum and nickel in the machines were better used for arms. Sources describe the legal basis differently, some citing City Council action and some a court ruling that the machines were gambling devices, so we do not name a single ordinance.
The ban lasted more than 30 years. In 1976, as the city faced a budget crisis, the City Council voted to lift it after pinball champion and writer Roger Sharpe showed that the game took skill by calling where the ball would go. The city expected licensing fees from the machines. Today, pinball is legal in New York, and the old ban shows up mainly as a history lesson. Gambling rules for games of chance are covered in our guide to whether gambling is legal in New York.
Weird laws in New York that were repealed
Some famous rules are gone, even though old lists still repeat them.
| Old rule | What happened |
|---|---|
Group mask ban, Penal Law § 240.35(4) | The nearly two-century-old provision made it a violation for groups to wear masks in public. The Legislature repealed it in 2020, and Attorney General Letitia James praised the repeal. |
| NYC pinball ban | Imposed in January 1942 and lifted by the City Council in 1976. |
| NYC cabaret law (dancing) | The city repealed its long-running cabaret rules in 2017, ending the “no dancing without a license” restrictions that sparked jokes for decades. |
The mask story matters because it gets garbled. A separate real rule, Penal Law § 205.35, still makes it a class B misdemeanor to wear a mask or facial covering to hide your identity while committing a felony or class A misdemeanor, or fleeing from one. Wearing a mask to a party or to protect your health is not a crime.
Dumb laws in New York that are mostly myths
Several viral items have no state statute behind them that we could find. Treat them as folklore unless you can see the actual law.
| Claim | What we found |
|---|---|
| It is illegal to carry an ice cream cone in your pocket on Sunday | No state statute found. The story is usually tied to a legend about horse thieves. |
| No slippers in public after 10 p.m. | No state statute found. A local rule is possible but unconfirmed. |
| A $25 fine for flirting | No state statute found. |
| Fart in church is a crime | No such law. Penal Law § 240.21 covers deliberate disturbances only. |
Local codes vary, and we did not search every town or village code, so a local ordinance may exist even where no state law does. If a claim matters to you, ask the town or city clerk.
Weird laws in New York City vs the rest of the state
Many strange-sounding rules come from the city, not the state. New York City has its own Administrative Code, and older entries cover street performance, found property and licensing. City rules can differ from state law, so a rule that applies in Manhattan may mean nothing in Buffalo.
When a list of weird laws in New York says “New York law” without naming a statute, check whether it describes the state Penal Law or a city ordinance. Our overview of the New York Penal Law explains how state criminal offenses are organized.
Penalties for the real weird laws in New York
| Rule | Offense level | Penalty |
|---|---|---|
Church or funeral disturbance, Penal Law § 240.21 | Class A misdemeanor | Up to 364 days in jail under Penal Law § 70.15 |
Offensive exhibition, Penal Law § 245.05 | Violation | Violation under the Penal Law |
Mask to evade identification, Penal Law § 205.35 | Class B misdemeanor | Set by the sentencing rules in the Penal Law |
Big cat contact, ECL § 11-0538 | Statutory penalty | Up to $500 for a first offense |
More weird laws in New York about animals and everyday life
Animal rules are another source of odd headlines. Agriculture and Markets Law § 353 makes it a class A misdemeanor to torture or cruelly beat an animal or deprive it of food and drink, which is a serious law, not a joke. Rules on exotic animals are covered in our guide to illegal pets in New York.
Many more everyday topics have ordinary but useful rules. Browse the full Everyday Life and Animals section.
Frequently asked questions
What are the weirdest laws in New York?
The real weird laws in New York are the big cat contact ban, the ball-throwing rule and the church disturbance offense. The most famous “weirdest laws” claims, such as a pocket ice cream cone ban, lack a state statute we could find.
Why did New York ban pinball?
Officials in 1942 saw pinball as gambling linked to organized crime and a bad influence on children, and Mayor LaGuardia pushed the ban. It was lifted in 1976 after the City Council heard a skill demonstration from Roger Sharpe.
Was pinball banned in New York?
Yes, in New York City. The ban started in January 1942 and ended in 1976. Pinball is legal now. Gambling devices that pay out money remain regulated under state gambling law.
Is it illegal to fart in church in New York?
No. No statute covers it. Under Penal Law § 240.21, only unreasonable noise made with intent to annoy or alarm, or recklessly creating that risk, is a crime at a religious service.
Are weird laws in New York still enforced?
Real ones can be, but rarely for the funny reading. The tiger rule targets exhibitors, and the ball-throwing rule targets promoters. Repealed laws, like the 2020 mask repeal, cannot be enforced.
Can I trust lists of weird laws in New York?
Not without checking. Many lists copy each other and skip the statute citation. Look for a named law, a section number and a date before you believe it.
What changed on this page
- November 10, 2026: First published. Weird laws in New York checked: statute text checked against the Penal Law and the Environmental Conservation Law, and the 2020 mask repeal checked against the Attorney General’s announcement.
If this affects you
Questions about weird laws in New York usually come down to one real statute. If you were charged under one of these rules, contact a New York-licensed criminal defense attorney. For a referral, the New York State Bar Association runs a lawyer referral service. For local rules in your town, ask your town or city clerk. You can read how we check facts on our editorial policy page, and report a mistake through corrections. This page is general legal information, not legal advice.
