New Mexico has its fair share of ordinances so weird that you wonder how they were ever passed. We already covered some of our state’s craziest laws in weird laws in New Mexico, but here are seven more bizarre things that are actually illegal in the Land of Enchantment. How many of these weird laws in New Mexico did you know about?

1. "Indecent waitering" is a petty misdemeanor. In other words, it’s illegal for servers to show you their privates.
Flickr/Amy Glaze
Because who wants their enchiladas accompanied by a side of genitals? That’s just unsanitary. Though it does make you curious which restaurant made this law necessary. Like... why though?
2. It’s obvious why dueling is illegal, but it New Mexico it’s also against the law to challenge someone to duel with a deadly weapon or to accept such a challenge, even if the duel never takes place.
Flickr/Matteo
Does a light saber count as a deadly weapon? Asking for a friend. Who is us.
3. In Las Cruces, it is against the law to carry a lunch box down Main Street.
Flickr/Amayzun
That time when your prized vintage Hello Kitty box got you arrested. Awkward.
4. In Albuquerque, cabbies aren’t permitted to reach out and pull potential customers into their cabs.
Flickr/Vee
There’s trying to succeed in business… and then there’s kidnapping.
5. You can be charged with a misdemeanor if you trip a horse.
Flickr/john
This one’s so weirdly specific that someone must have actually done this, which is sad. Oh, and if you trip a horse and the horse is injured, this becomes a literal felony.
6. Speaking of horses, in the tiny town of Omega, it is illegal for a woman to ride a horse unless she is also wearing a corset.
Flickr/Steven Martin
....kay.
7. In Quemado, a newspaper may be subject to a fine if it prints someone’s name and spells it incorrectly.
Flickr/shop boy
How dare they?

Are you surprised by any of these? Have you heard of any other weird laws in New Mexico? Let us know on the Only In New Mexico Facebook page!

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Weird Laws in New Mexico

Tori Jane | August 08, 2022

What are some funny laws in New Mexico?  

New Mexico is a unique place, to say the least, and much like every state in the United States, it’s not without its truly bizarre – and sometimes humorous – laws that remain on the books even to this day. Why some of these laws were ever made in the first place, we don’t know, but we sure do love them. Some of our favorite funny laws in New Mexico include the one that says it’s a misdemeanor to trip a horse. If you dare to do so, and the horse is injured, it becomes a felony. It’s also illegal to sing the National Anthem in public... incorrectly. You can sing it all you want as long as you get it right, though.  

What are some interesting New Mexico facts and trivia?  

New Mexico is weird, sure, but it’s also beautiful, and it’s full of wonderful trivia and interesting facts and historical tidbits that we love to geek out about from time to time. Did you know that Smokey the Bear was born in New Mexico? Yep! The Taos Pueblo has been inhabited for more than 1,000 years, and the Land of Enchantment has more residents with PhDs than any other state. If you go to the top of Capulin Volcano, you can see five states from there. We could go on, but we have more:  

What are some totally strange laws in New Mexico?  

The list of bizarre laws goes way beyond the funny ones we mentioned in the paragraph above. We have lots more, if you have time. Some more genuinely weird laws in New Mexico include ones that say men can walk around in the nude as long as their genitals are covered (wouldn’t this mean they aren’t nude?), or the one that says you’re not allowed to hunt in cemeteries (darn). It is illegal to gamble on, specifically, camel and/or ostrich racing, and it is a literal misdemeanor to throw anything onto the field where sports are being played. It’s also a felony to challenge anyone to a violent duel, which means our weekend plans are now shot. Wait, are we allowed to say that?  

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