Home › Massachusetts › Mass. Gen. Laws ch. 140, § 185I
Massachusetts · Mass. Gen. Laws ch. 140, § 185I
Quote checked October 14, 2026 Text match only; current legal status and enforcement not verified.
“No person shall tell fortunes for money unless a license therefor has been issued by the local licensing authority. Said license shall be granted only to applicants who have resided continuously in the city or town in which the license is sought for at least twelve months immediately preceding the date of the application.”
“the fee for each license granted under this section shall be two dollars, but in no event shall any such fee be greater than fifty dollars.”
“Whoever tells fortunes for money unless licensed under this section shall be punished by a fine of not more than one hundred dollars.”
We didn't find a history note for this section on the official page, so we don't give a year.
Our reading
Telling fortunes for money in Massachusetts takes a license from the local licensing authority, and an applicant must have lived in that city or town continuously for the twelve months before applying. The quoted fee passage specifies two dollars and a maximum of fifty dollars.
Written by Silly Rules from the quoted text above. It's a plain reading, not legal advice. We haven't researched how courts read this section or how often anyone enforces it.
Louisiana · La. R.S. 14:208
“No person or company shall take part in or cause to be publicly performed or represented for profit any unpublished or undedicated dramatic or musical composition known as an opera without the consent of its owner or proprietor,”
Michigan · MCL 750.290
“Every person within this state, who is engaged in the manufacture, sale, exchange, or offers for sale, or has in possession with intent to sell, boots or shoes in the construction of which any imitation leather is used, shall …”
South Carolina · S.C. Code § 16-11-690
“Any person being entrusted with any boat, flat or tools for gathering phosphate rock by the owner thereof for the purpose of mining or gathering phosphate rock who shall fail to return the same to the owner within two days after …”
South Carolina · S.C. Code 16-17-670
“Any person within this State dealing in crossties shall keep a book of record which shall be open to the public and in which shall be legibly written the name of the party or parties from whom crossties are purchased, the number …”
South Carolina · S.C. Code 16-17-690
“It shall be unlawful to engage in the business, trade or profession of fortunetelling, palmistry, phrenology, clairvoyance or the prediction of future events by cards or other means or to offer to tell fortunes or predict future …”
Federal · 18 U.S.C. § 336
“Whoever makes, issues, circulates, or pays out any note, check, memorandum, token, or other obligation for a less sum than $1, intended to circulate as money or to be received or used in lieu of lawful money of the United States, …”
Massachusetts · Mass. Gen. Laws ch. 2, § 61
“Ms. G of the Massachusetts Audubon Society, Inc.”
Massachusetts · Mass. Gen. Laws ch. 270, § 14
“Whoever expectorates or spits upon any public sidewalk, or upon any place used exclusively or principally by pedestrians, or, except in receptacles provided for the purpose, in or upon any part of any city or town hall, any court …”
Massachusetts · Mass. Gen. Laws ch. 272, § 86D
“On every floor of a building not equipped with an automatic sprinkler system, where horses or mules are stabled, there shall be kept in accessible locations and filled at all times, four pails of water and one pail of sand, for …”
Every quote on this site was matched against its official page on October 14, 2026. Text match only; current legal status and enforcement not verified.