Lemon laws by state
How long each state's lemon law lasts and how many repair attempts or days in the shop make a car a lemon. Click a state for the details and sources.
How to read the table: numbers are repair attempts for the same problem. “Safety defect” is the lower number some states set for a serious safety defect; “No separate rule” means a safety defect counts like any other problem. Days in shop: business, working or calendar days as each state counts them.
| State | Period | Same problem | Safety defect | Days in shop | Arbitration | Used cars |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Alabama | 12 mo / 12,000 mi | 3 | No separate rule | 30 (calendar) | Maybe: check your warranty | No |
| Alaska | 12 months | 3 | No separate rule | 30 (business) | Maybe: check your warranty | No |
| Arizona | 24 mo / 24,000 mi | 4 | No separate rule | 30 (calendar) | Maybe: check your warranty | Yes |
| Arkansas | 24 mo / 24,000 mi | 3 | 1 | 30 (calendar) | Required | No |
| California | 18 mo / 18,000 mi | 4 | 2 | Over 30 (calendar) | Maybe: check your warranty | Not specified |
| Colorado | 24 mo / 24,000 mi | 3 | 2 | 24 (business) | Maybe: check your warranty | No |
| Connecticut | 24 mo / 24,000 mi | 4 | 2 | 30 (calendar) | Maybe: check your warranty | No |
| Delaware | 12 months | 4 | No separate rule | Over 30 (calendar) | Maybe: check your warranty | No |
| District of Columbia | 24 mo / 18,000 mi | 4 | 1 | 30 | Required | Yes |
| Florida | 24 months | 3 | No separate rule | 30 | Required | No |
| Georgia | 24 mo / 24,000 mi | 3 | 1 | 30 | Required | No |
| Hawaii | 24 mo / 24,000 mi | 3 | 1 | 30 (business) | Optional | No |
| Idaho | 24 mo / 24,000 mi | 4 | 1 | 30 (business) | Required | No |
| Illinois | 12 mo / 12,000 mi | 4 | No separate rule | 30 (business) | Maybe: check your warranty | No |
| Indiana | 18 mo / 18,000 mi | 4 | No separate rule | 30 (business) | Maybe: check your warranty | No |
| Iowa | 24 mo / 24,000 mi | 3 | 1 | 30 (calendar) | Maybe: check your warranty | No |
| Kansas | 12 months | 4 | No separate rule | 30 (calendar) | Maybe: check your warranty | No |
| Kentucky | 12 mo / 12,000 mi | 4 | No separate rule | 30 (calendar) | Required | No |
| Louisiana | 12 months | 4 | No separate rule | 45 (calendar) | Maybe: check your warranty | No |
| Maine | 36 mo / 18,000 mi | 3 | 1 | 15 (business) | Maybe: check your warranty | Yes |
| Maryland | 24 mo / 18,000 mi | 4 | 1 | 30 | Optional | No |
| Massachusetts | 12 mo / 15,000 mi | 3 | No separate rule | 15 (business) | Optional | Yes |
| Michigan | 12 months | 4 | No separate rule | 30 | Maybe: check your warranty | No |
| Minnesota | 24 months | 4 | 1 | 30 (business) | Required | Yes |
| Mississippi | 12 months | 3 | No separate rule | 15 (working) | Maybe: check your warranty | No |
| Missouri | 12 months | 4 | No separate rule | 30 (working) | Maybe: check your warranty | No |
| Montana | 24 mo / 18,000 mi | 4 | No separate rule | 30 (business) | Maybe: check your warranty | No |
| Nebraska | 12 months | 4 | No separate rule | 40 | Maybe: check your warranty | No |
| Nevada | 12 months | 4 | No separate rule | 30 (calendar) | Maybe: check your warranty | No |
| New Hampshire | Warranty term | 3 | No separate rule | 30 (business) | State board or maker program | Not specified |
| New Jersey | 24 mo / 24,000 mi | 3 | 1 | 20 (calendar) | Optional | Yes |
| New Mexico | 12 months | 4 | No separate rule | 30 (business) | Maybe: check your warranty | Yes |
| New York | 24 mo / 18,000 mi | 4 | No separate rule | 30 (calendar) | Maybe: check your warranty | Yes |
| North Carolina | 24 mo / 24,000 mi | 4 | No separate rule | 20 (business) | Maybe: check your warranty | No |
| North Dakota | 12 months | 4 | No separate rule | 30 (business) | Maybe: check your warranty | No |
| Ohio | 12 mo / 18,000 mi | 3 | 1 | 30 (calendar) | Maybe: check your warranty | No |
| Oklahoma | 12 months | 4 | No separate rule | 30 (business) | Maybe: check your warranty | No |
| Oregon | 24 mo / 24,000 mi | 3 | 1 | 30 (calendar) | Maybe: check your warranty | No |
| Pennsylvania | 12 mo / 12,000 mi | 3 | No separate rule | 30 (calendar) | Maybe: check your warranty | No |
| Rhode Island | 12 mo / 15,000 mi | 4 | No separate rule | 30 (calendar) | Maybe: check your warranty | No |
| South Carolina | 12 mo / 12,000 mi | 3 | No separate rule | 30 (calendar) | Maybe: check your warranty | No |
| South Dakota | 12 mo / 12,000 mi | 4 | No separate rule | 30 (calendar) | Maybe: check your warranty | No |
| Tennessee | See law | 3 | No separate rule | 30 | Check your warranty | No |
| Texas | 24 mo / 24,000 mi | 4 | 2 | 30 | State process (TxDMV) | Yes |
| Utah | 12 months | 4 | No separate rule | 30 (business) | Maybe: check your warranty | No |
| Vermont | Warranty term | 3 | No separate rule | 30 (calendar) | State board or maker program | Yes |
| Virginia | 18 months | 3 | 1 | 30 (calendar) | Optional | Yes |
| Washington | 24 mo / 24,000 mi | 4 | 2 | 30 (calendar) | Required | Yes |
| West Virginia | 12 months | 3 | 1 | 30 (calendar) | Maybe: check your warranty | Yes |
| Wisconsin | 12 months | 4 | No separate rule | 30 | Maybe: check your warranty | No |
| Wyoming | 12 months | 4 | No separate rule | 30 (business) | Maybe: check your warranty | Yes |
Numbers are repair attempts, except days in shop (business, working or calendar days as the state's law counts them; "Over 30" means more than 30). Arbitration: "Required" means you must use arbitration or a state process before suing; "Maybe: check your warranty" means you must use the manufacturer's qualifying program (such as BBB AUTO LINE) first only if it has one; your warranty booklet says.