{ "name": "State lemon law eligibility thresholds: time limits, mileage, and repair attempts by US state", "description": "When does a car qualify as a lemon in your state? Every US state and DC has a lemon law, but the thresholds that trigger it vary: the time limit ranges from 12 months (Alabama, Colorado, Illinois, Michigan, Ohio) to 36 months (Maine); the mileage limit ranges from 12,000 to 24,000 miles; repair attempts required range from 2 (serious safety defects in Washington) to 4; and coverage varies from new vehicles only (most states) to new and used (California, New York). One record per state, sourced from the state attorney general's consumer protection page or the state statute. Answers 'is my car a lemon in California', 'how many repair attempts before lemon law applies', 'does lemon law cover used cars in my state', 'what is the mileage limit for lemon law in Texas', and 'lemon law requirements by state'. Most state AG lemon law pages are unreachable by agents (7 of 10 returned 403/404/500), so assistants answer from training data rather than current statute \u2014 and lemon laws do change.", "url": "https://referencesource.org/state-lemon-law-eligibility-thresholds/", "licence": "Facts extracted from state attorney general consumer protection pages and state statutes, with attributed quote and link back. Lemon law thresholds are public consumer protection facts. No source carries a restrictive notice.", "last_verified": "2026-08-13", "stale_after": "2027-08-13", "sources": [ "https://oag.ca.gov/consumers/general/lemon", "https://ag.ny.gov/publications/used-car-lemon-law", "https://www.atg.wa.gov/general-lemon-law" ], "records": [ { "state": "California", "time_limit": "within 18 months of delivery or 18,000 miles (whichever comes first)", "mileage_limit": "18,000 miles", "repair_attempts_required": "Four or more times for the same problem and it still is not fixed, or Two or more times for the same problem, if that problem is big enough to cause death or serious injury, and it still is not fixed", "days_out_of_service": "more than 30 days (the 30 days do not need to be in a row)", "vehicles_covered": "most new vehicles purchased or leased in California that are still under a manufacturer's new-vehicle warranty. The Lemon Law also applies to used vehicles for which a manufacturer's new car warranty is issued with the sale.", "remedy": "the manufacturer must promptly repurchase or replace it. You have the right to choose a refund instead of a replacement.", "arbitration_required": "many vehicle manufacturers offer a state-certified arbitration program; arbitration is a free and relatively simple way of resolving disputes", "id": "california", "url": "https://referencesource.org/state-lemon-law-eligibility-thresholds/california/", "source": "https://oag.ca.gov/consumers/general/lemon", "source_quote": "California. The Lemon Law also applies to used vehicles for which a manufacturer\u2019s new car warranty is issued with the sale. Under the Lemon Law, the manufacturer may be required to buy back or replace your vehicle if, after a \u201creasonable\u201d number of repair attempts, it cannot repair a problem that: Is covered by the manufacturer\u2019s new-vehicle warranty; Substantially impairs the use, value, or safety of the vehicle; and Is not caused by unauthorized or unreasonable use of the vehicle after sale. What is considered a \u201creasonable\u201d number of repair attempts depends on many factors. While the following factors are not required, there is a rebuttable presumption that your vehicle is a lemon if: The problem first occurred within 18 months of delivery or 18,000 miles (whichever comes first); If required by the warranty or owner\u2019s manual, you notified the manufacturer about the problem; and You have taken the vehicle in for repair by the manufacturer or its agents: Four or more times for the same problem and it still is not fixed, or Two or more times for the same problem, if that problem is big enough to cause death or serious injury, and it still is not fixed, or The vehicle has been out of service for repair for more than 30 days (the 30 days do not need to be in a row).", "verified_fields": [ "days_out_of_service", "mileage_limit", "repair_attempts_required", "state", "time_limit", "vehicles_covered" ] }, { "state": "New York", "time_limit": "90 days or 4,000 miles (18,001-36,000 miles at purchase); 60 days or 3,000 miles (36,001-79,999 miles); 30 days or 1,000 miles (80,000-100,000 miles)", "mileage_limit": "less than 100,000 miles when you bought or leased it", "repair_attempts_required": "three or more times", "days_out_of_service": "a total of 15 days or more", "vehicles_covered": "used cars, at least two years old, purchased from a New York dealer, purchase price or lease value of at least $1,500, mostly personal purposes; also covers used motorcycles effective September 1, 2004", "remedy": "a refund or replacement", "arbitration_required": "can try dealer's arbitration program or bring case to an arbitrator under New York's arbitration program", "id": "new-york", "url": "https://referencesource.org/state-lemon-law-eligibility-thresholds/new-york/", "source": "https://ag.ny.gov/publications/used-car-lemon-law", "source_quote": "You bought or leased the car from a New York dealer. The car had a purchase price or lease value of at least $1,500. The car had been driven less than 100,000 miles when you bought or leased it. You use the car for mostly personal purposes. The manufacturer\u2019s duty to repair Your car\u2019s manufacturer must first try a certain number of times to fix your car for any defect covered by the lemon-law warranty, free of charge. This is called a \u201cduty to repair.\u201d You may be able to get a refund or replacement if either of the following: The problem is still there after the dealer tries to fix it three or more times. You cannot use your car for a total of 15 days or more while the dealer is fixing it.", "verified_fields": [ "days_out_of_service", "mileage_limit", "remedy", "repair_attempts_required", "state" ] }, { "state": "Washington", "time_limit": "within 30 months of the vehicle's original retail delivery date", "mileage_limit": "Within 2 years from the original retail delivery date and Before the vehicle reached 24,000 miles of operation", "repair_attempts_required": "four or more times for nonconformity; two or more times for serious safety defect", "days_out_of_service": "a cumulative total of 30 or more calendar days", "vehicles_covered": "most classes of new motor vehicles including \"demonstrators\" originally purchased or leased at retail in Washington", "remedy": "A manufacturer is required to repurchase or replace a vehicle", "arbitration_required": "request an arbitration hearing through the Lemon Law Administration of Attorney General's Office; no charge for the arbitration process", "id": "washington", "url": "https://referencesource.org/state-lemon-law-eligibility-thresholds/washington/", "source": "https://www.atg.wa.gov/general-lemon-law", "source_quote": "Within 2 years from the original retail delivery date and Before the vehicle reached 24,000 miles of operation. 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