Guides
Is there a lemon law for used cars?
Pick a state to see what its law says about used cars. Most state lemon laws cover new cars only, but a used car is rarely without any protection.
Does your state’s lemon law reach used cars?
New York, used cars
See the rule
| Rule: New York has a separate used-car lemon law (§ 198-b). | |
| Federal floor: Warranty claims under Magnuson-Moss |
Most state lemon laws protect only new cars, and a used car bought from a dealer or a private seller falls outside them. A handful of states have written separate rules: New York requires dealers to give a written warranty on most used cars and allows a refund when repeated repairs fail; Massachusetts gives a used car warranty that depends on the mileage at sale; New Jersey and Rhode Island have used car lemon laws of their own. Elsewhere, two protections remain. A late-model car often still carries the rest of the manufacturer’s warranty, which follows the car to its new owner and stays enforceable under the federal Magnuson-Moss Warranty Act. And every dealer must post the FTC Buyers Guide on a used car, saying whether it is sold with a warranty or as is. The tool above shows the rule of each state, as read on November 1, 2026.
State laws read by Radif Partners · Editorial policy · Method and sources
States with a rule on used cars
| State | Used cars |
|---|---|
| Alabama | No lemon law protection for used cars (Alabama Attorney General). |
| Alaska | Not covered (Department of Law). |
| Arizona | Separate used-vehicle rule in § 44-1267 (not covered by this tool). |
| California | Used cars sold with a manufacturer’s new-car warranty can fall under Song-Beverly (not modeled here). |
| Colorado | The article does not apply to used vehicles (§ 42-10-110), but a repurchased vehicle resold follows §§ 42-10-108 and 42-10-109. |
| Connecticut | Separate used-car warranty rules (§ 42-221), not covered by this tool. |
| District of Columbia | Used cars, motorcycles, motor homes and recreational vehicles are excluded (Office of the Attorney General). |
| Hawaii | Only a later buyer during the warranty, as a consumer under the chapter. |
| Illinois | Used cars, motorcycles and boats are not covered. |
| Indiana | Not named in the chapter, whose term runs from the original delivery. |
| Kentucky | No used-car lemon law (Kentucky Attorney General). |
| Maine | Covered while still under the express warranty: the Attorney General says the law applies to new or used vehicles. |
| Massachusetts | Massachusetts also has a used-vehicle warranty law (§ 7N¼). |
| Michigan | Only used vehicles still under the manufacturer’s express warranty. |
| Mississippi | Only a buyer to whom the car is transferred during the warranty. |
| Nebraska | Only a later owner during the warranty. |
| Nevada | Only a buyer to whom the car is transferred during the warranty. |
| New Hampshire | Any vehicle still under the express warranty, including when transferred. |
| New Jersey | New Jersey has a used-car lemon law (rules in N.J.A.C. 13:45A-26F, not read). |
| New York | New York has a separate used-car lemon law (§ 198-b). |
| Ohio | Only within the first year or 18,000 miles (Attorney General). |
| Rhode Island | Used vehicles: 3 attempts or 15 days within the dealer warranty (Attorney General). |
| Tennessee | The state’s pages differ: one says a new vehicle or one still under warranty, another says only vehicles bought new. |
| Texas | Used vehicles: warranty-performance complaint only, no refund or replacement. |
| Wisconsin | Not considered a lemon by the Department of Transportation; a buyer to whom the car passes before the warranty ends is a consumer under the section. |
The remaining factory warranty
A car that is two years old with 25,000 miles often has a year or more of its bumper-to-bumper warranty left, and more on the powertrain. That warranty is a written warranty under the federal act, and the manufacturer must honor it for the new owner. In states whose lemon law counts the protection period from the first delivery, as most do, a used car bought early in its life may still be inside that period.
The Buyers Guide and implied warranties
The FTC Used Car Rule, 16 CFR Part 455, requires dealers to display a Buyers Guide on each used car, stating whether it comes with a dealer warranty, with implied warranties only, or as is. A dealer that gives a written warranty, or sells a service contract within 90 days of the sale, cannot disclaim the implied warranty that the car is fit for ordinary driving. The FTC’s advice on buying a used car from a dealer explains how to read the guide.
Before you buy
Check the vehicle history for a lemon law buyback. Several states require a title notation when a manufacturer repurchases a car, Connecticut among them, and a dealer must disclose it. A car with that notation can still be a good buy, but the price should reflect it, and the remaining warranty matters even more.