New Hampshire lemon law: when your car is a lemon and how to claim
In New Hampshire, a new car counts as a lemon after 3 repairs for the same problem or 30 business days in the shop within the warranty term. First, send the manufacturer a written notice: the free letter below does it.
Checked against official sources: Oct 22, 2026
Your next 4 steps in New Hampshire
Keep every repair order
Get a written repair order at every visit, with the date, mileage and days in the shop. In New Hampshire, a car is presumed a lemon after 3 repairs for the same problem or 30 business days in the shop.
Send the manufacturer a written notice
The state's forms include a required notice to the manufacturer (form CPMVA-1). Write your notice letter ↓
Let the manufacturer make its final repair attempt
If the manufacturer asks for one more repair after your notice, take the car in and get a repair order.
Ask for a refund or replacement, use arbitration, or call a lawyer
To get a refund or replacement under the lemon law, you choose the New Hampshire New Motor Vehicle Arbitration Board (MVAB) or the manufacturer’s program. See the Arbitration section below.
When a car is a lemon in New Hampshire
You may qualify if, during the express warranty, a defect that substantially impairs the vehicle's use, market value or safety has not been fixed after 3 repair attempts for the same problem, or the vehicle has been out of service for repairs for a total of 30 or more business days. A repair attempt counts only with a written repair order, which the dealer must give you on request. A day counts as out of service if the car is in the shop for most of that day.
Period: The term of the manufacturer's express warranty: the repair attempts or days out of service must happen during the express warranty period.
Is your car a lemon in New Hampshire? A quick check
Notice to the manufacturer
The state's forms include a required notice to the manufacturer (form CPMVA-1). Send it to the manufacturer's zone office listed by the DMV and keep proof of mailing.
Arbitration
State board or maker program. Claims go to the state's New Motor Vehicle Arbitration Board, attached to the DMV, using the Demand for Arbitration form (CPMVA-2). If you choose the manufacturer's own dispute program instead, you can no longer use the state board. You also can't use it if you stopped making lease or loan payments because of the car's condition.
What you can get
A comparable replacement vehicle or a refund of the purchase price, plus incidental damages, minus a reasonable allowance for your use of the vehicle.
Free lemon law notice letter
Most states require you to tell the manufacturer in writing and give it a last chance to fix the car. Fill this in, download the letter, sign it and mail it to the manufacturer. Keep a copy.
Send it by certified mail with return receipt so you have proof, and keep the receipt.
Who to contact
- Office
- New Hampshire New Motor Vehicle Arbitration Board (Division of Motor Vehicles), 23 Hazen Drive, Concord, NH 03305
- Phone
- 603-227-4385
Official page · Official lemon law guide
Forms
What the law covers
- New vehicles
- Yes
- Used vehicles
- Not specified
- Leased vehicles
- Yes
- Which vehicles
- Passenger vehicles and light trucks with a gross vehicle weight of 11,000 pounds or less, motorcycles, off-highway recreational vehicles (OHRVs) and snowmobiles, bought or leased (for at least two years) in New Hampshire. Mopeds, tractors, government vehicles and vehicles over 11,000 pounds are not covered.
- Who can claim
- The owner or lessee (lease of two years or more) of a vehicle bought or leased in New Hampshire.
Used cars in New Hampshire
The law covers new vehicles bought or leased in New Hampshire. We found no separate used-car lemon law on the state's pages.
Good to know
- The law also covers motorcycles, off-highway recreational vehicles and snowmobiles.
- Email for lemon law questions: [email protected].
Questions about New Hampshire's lemon law
How many repair attempts make a car a lemon in New Hampshire?
You may qualify if, during the express warranty, a defect that substantially impairs the vehicle's use, market value or safety has not been fixed after 3 repair attempts for the same problem, or the vehicle has been out of service for repairs for a total of 30 or more business days. A repair attempt counts only with a written repair order, which the dealer must give you on request. A day counts as out of service if the car is in the shop for most of that day.
How long does New Hampshire's lemon law cover a car?
The term of the manufacturer's express warranty: the repair attempts or days out of service must happen during the express warranty period.
Do I have to notify the manufacturer in New Hampshire?
The state's forms include a required notice to the manufacturer (form CPMVA-1). Send it to the manufacturer's zone office listed by the DMV and keep proof of mailing.
Do I have to go to arbitration in New Hampshire?
Claims go to the state's New Motor Vehicle Arbitration Board, attached to the DMV, using the Demand for Arbitration form (CPMVA-2). If you choose the manufacturer's own dispute program instead, you can no longer use the state board. You also can't use it if you stopped making lease or loan payments because of the car's condition.
What can I get under New Hampshire's lemon law?
A comparable replacement vehicle or a refund of the purchase price, plus incidental damages, minus a reasonable allowance for your use of the vehicle.
Does New Hampshire's lemon law cover used cars?
The law covers new vehicles bought or leased in New Hampshire. We found no separate used-car lemon law on the state's pages.
Car not covered, or the period has passed? Federal warranty law may still help, and small claims court can handle smaller repair bills.
Federal warranty lawSources
- NH DMV: New Motor Vehicle Arbitration Board (Lemon Law)
- NH RSA chapter 357-D (table of contents)
- N.H. RSA 357-D:4 – Procedure to obtain refund or replacement
Last checked: Oct 22, 2026.
Law: New Hampshire New Motor Vehicle Arbitration Law (Lemon Law), N.H. Rev. Stat. Ann. ch. 357-D