Guides
A lemon law claim on your own, step by step
The lemon laws were written so that an owner could use them without help. Pick your state to see its dispute step, then follow the steps below. This page is general information, not legal advice.
Which dispute step comes first in your state?
Florida
State-run program
| What the text says: A certified manufacturer procedure first if there is one (file within 60 days after the rights period); then the Florida New Motor Vehicle Arbitration Board (§ 681.109). | |
| Deadline: Request arbitration within 60 days after the 24-month rights period ends; a lawsuit within 1 year after the rights period or after the final arbitration action (§§ 681.109, 681.112). |
A lemon law claim follows the same steps in almost every state, and each one can be taken by the owner alone. Keep a repair order for every visit, with the dates in and out and the mileage. Count the attempts on the same defect and the days at the shop against your state’s test. Write to the manufacturer at the address in the warranty booklet, by certified mail, and give it the final repair your state requires. If the problem remains, use the dispute step your state sets: a free manufacturer program under 16 CFR Part 703, or a state program where there is one, such as those of Florida, New York, Texas or Washington. Watch the deadline throughout. Programs are designed for people without representation, and they decide on the paper record the owner brings.
State laws read by Radif Partners · Editorial policy · Method and sources
1. Build the record
The claim is the paper trail. At each visit, describe the symptom in the same words, ask for a written repair order when you drop the car off, and check the order when you pick it up: it should show your complaint, the work done or the absence of any finding, the dates and the mileage. A missing order is a missing attempt.
2. Count against your state’s test
The checker counts the attempts and the days against the figures of your state, and gives the end of the protection period. If you are one attempt short, the next visit matters: write it up carefully.
3. Send the notice
Write to the manufacturer, not only to the dealer, as soon as the defect returns. In several states, such as Florida, Iowa and Arkansas, the notice is part of the test, and the manufacturer then gets one last repair. The letter builder cites your state’s law and the federal act.
4. Use the dispute step
The tool at the top of this page shows whether your state runs its own program, requires a manufacturer program first, or leaves it to you. A program under 16 CFR Part 703 is free and must decide within 40 days. A state program may charge a small fee. Bring an organized file and a one-page summary.
5. Watch the deadline
Every step takes time, and the deadline does not wait for the program in every state. The deadline calculator gives the last day for the step your state sets. If a decision goes against you, the federal Magnuson-Moss Warranty Act and the state law usually leave the courts open afterwards.