Guides
Short, plain-spoken articles on how U.S. state laws differ — written for people who travel, not for lawyers. For the specifics where you are, browse the state law pages.
Hunting Draw & Tag Deadlines by State
Every upcoming tag-draw, lottery and application deadline LawLert tracks, dated and linked to the wildlife agency that published it. Miss the date and you usually miss the season.
Colorado's New Gun Law: What Changes August 1, 2026 (SB25-003)
From August 1, buying a specified semiautomatic firearm in Colorado requires a sheriff-issued eligibility card plus a state-verified safety course. Who's affected, the 5-step process, courses, fees — sourced to CPW and the Dept. of Revenue.
Can You Drive With Weed or a Gun in Your Car? State-by-State (2026)
Legal to own, still a crime to drive with — cannabis and firearm rules in your vehicle flip the moment you cross a state line or hit federal land. A live, state-by-state guide.
Cannabis & Guns on Federal Land (2026): National Parks, Monuments & Forests
Your state's laws stop at the federal boundary. Cannabis is illegal on all federal land — parks, monuments, forests, military bases — and firearm rules change at the building door. What's actually legal, with official sources.
Laws You Didn't Know You Were Breaking (2026): A Traveler's Survival Guide
Most people who break the law never meant to — they crossed a line, drove into a different county, or boarded a flight. The most common ways good people unknowingly break the law, and how to make sure you never do.
Legal Terms in Plain English: The LawLert Glossary
Per se, preemption, shall-issue, decriminalized vs. legalized, implied consent, duty to inform — the legal terms you keep running into, each explained in a sentence or two of plain English.
What's Changing July 1, 2026: New State Laws by Category
Notable US state laws slated for July 1, 2026 — firearms (Virginia SB 749, now court-blocked; California), alcohol (Illinois cocktails-to-go) and gas taxes (Missouri, Virginia) — each sourced and linked to its live state page.
Concealed Carry Reciprocity, Explained (2026)
What 'reciprocity' actually means, why a permit valid at home may not be valid one state over, and how to check before you travel.
Driving Across State Lines? How the Law Changes the Moment You Cross (2026)
Cannabis, alcohol, gambling, and firearms rules flip at the border. A plain-English framing of the travel risks and how to plan around them.
Fireworks Laws by State (2026)
Where consumer fireworks are legal, limited, or banned — plus a live, dated status for all 50 states. Check before you buy or light.
July 4, 2026: Fireworks Laws & Live Burn Bans by State
Fire season doesn't end on July 4 — burn bans and fire restrictions keep moving all summer, and an active ban can make legal fireworks illegal where you stand. The live, dated, officially-sourced status for all 50 states.
Legal at Home, a Crime Abroad: Laws That Catch Travelers Off Guard (2026)
Prescriptions, CBD, vapes and cash that are legal in the US can mean arrest the moment you land. A sourced guide across 80+ countries, each with its official government source.
What's Legal in Your State? Cannabis, Firearms, Alcohol & Gambling by State (2026)
The law flips the moment you cross a state line. A live, state-by-state map of where cannabis, firearms, alcohol and gambling are permitted, conditional, or restricted.
Where Is Sports Betting Legal? A State-by-State Guide (2026)
Where sports betting is legal online and retail, limited to in-person/tribal venues, or not legal at all — a live, state-by-state map (50 states + DC), each linked to its sourced detail.
Where Is Marijuana Legal? Recreational & Medical by State (2026)
Where cannabis is broadly legal for adults, limited to medical/decriminalized, or mostly illegal — a live, state-by-state map (50 states + DC), with the federal caveat and each state's sourced detail.
Driving Laws by State (2026): Radar Detectors, Phone Use, Cameras & Studded Tires
Radar detectors, handheld phone use, speed/red-light cameras and studded tires — a live, state-by-state map of the driving rules that vary most.
Hunting Laws by State (2026): Sunday Hunting, Blaze Orange & License Rules
Where Sunday hunting is allowed, limited, or banned, where blaze orange is required, and license rules — a live, state-by-state map for traveling hunters.
Fishing License by State (2026): Who Needs One & at What Age
A freshwater fishing license is required in all 50 states — but the age it kicks in ranges from 9 (Hawaii) to 18. A live, state-by-state map with each state's agency.
Boating Under the Influence (BUI): BAC Limits & Boating Laws by State (2026)
BUI is a crime in every state and enforced like a DUI — most at 0.08%, Utah stricter at 0.05%. Plus who must wear a life jacket and where you need a boater-education card. A live, state-by-state map.
Are Switchblades Legal? Automatic Knife Laws by State (2026)
Where switchblades and automatic knives are legal, limited or banned, where carrying a knife concealed is restricted, and — the traveler's trap — whether a city can add rules the state doesn't. A live, state-by-state map.
Are Drones Legal? Drone Laws by State (2026)
Where filming people or property with a drone is a crime, where you can't use one to hunt or scout game, and where flying near prisons or critical infrastructure is banned — the state rules that sit on top of the FAA's. A live, state-by-state map.