Ohio lemon law: when your car is a lemon and how to claim

In Ohio, a new car counts as a lemon after 3 repairs for the same problem, 1 for a serious safety defect or 30 calendar days in the shop within the first 12 months or 18,000 miles. First, send the manufacturer a written notice: the free letter below does it.

Checked against official sources: Oct 22, 2026

12 mo / 18,000 milemon law period

3 triesrepairs for the same problem

30 calendar daysout of service

Maybecheck your warranty booklet for an arbitration program (e.g. BBB AUTO LINE)

5 years from deliverydeadline to sue or file

Get your letter ↓

Your next 4 steps in Ohio

Keep every repair order
Get a written repair order at every visit, with the date, mileage and days in the shop. In Ohio, a car is presumed a lemon after 3 repairs for the same problem, 1 for a serious safety defect or 30 calendar days in the shop.
Send the manufacturer a written notice
The statute does not require a specific notice before you sue. Write your notice letter ↓
No extra final repair attempt
The statute does not give the manufacturer an extra 'final repair attempt', though the Attorney General notes manufacturers often ask for one.
Ask for a refund or replacement, use arbitration, or call a lawyer
If your manufacturer has a dispute program that meets the state’s rules (check your warranty booklet), you may have to use it first. See the Arbitration section below. If you win, the court can make the manufacturer pay your lawyer (see What you can get), so many lemon law lawyers charge nothing up front.

When a car is a lemon in Ohio

Within the first year or 18,000 miles, your car is presumed a lemon if: the same defect was repaired 3 or more times and still exists or comes back; or it was out of service for repairs for a total of 30 or more calendar days; or there were 8 or more repair attempts for any defects; or one repair attempt failed to fix a defect likely to cause death or serious injury. The statute does not give the manufacturer an extra 'final repair attempt', though the Attorney General notes manufacturers often ask for one.

Period: 1 year or 18,000 miles from original delivery, whichever comes first. Repairs may continue after that if you reported the defect within the period.

Is your car a lemon in Ohio? A quick check

Notice to the manufacturer

The statute does not require a specific notice before you sue. The Attorney General advises sending the manufacturer a certified letter listing the problems, the repair attempts and your VIN, and saying whether you want a replacement or a refund; keep a copy.

Write your notice letter below.

Arbitration

Maybe — check your warranty booklet for an arbitration program (e.g. BBB AUTO LINE). Ohio has no state-run lemon law arbitration. The Attorney General qualifies manufacturer programs; if a qualified program exists and you were told about it in writing, you must use it before suing. Decisions do not bind you unless you accept them, and the time limit to sue is paused while your claim is in the program.

Deadline to sue or file in Ohio

You must sue within 5 years of the date of original delivery (Ohio Rev. Code § 1345.75(C)).

What you can get

At your choice, a new replacement vehicle acceptable to you, or a refund of the full purchase price: contract price including transportation, undercoating, dealer-installed options, dealer prep and delivery; all finance, credit insurance, warranty and service contract charges; and sales tax, license, registration and other government fees. You also get incidental damages such as loan or lease cancellation fees, towing, rental car, meals and lodging. The law does not provide a deduction for your use. For leases, the refund covers the capitalized cost reduction, security deposit, taxes, title fees, all monthly payments, the residual value and related charges.

Attorney fees: If you sue and win, you are entitled to reasonable attorney fees and all court costs (§ 1345.75(A)).

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: Ohio Attorney General, Consumer Protection Section
Phone: 800-282-0515

Official page · Official lemon law guide

What the law covers

New vehicles: Yes
Used vehicles: No
Leased vehicles: Yes
Which vehicles: New passenger cars and noncommercial motor vehicles, plus the vehicle parts of motor homes (not the living areas such as kitchen and sleeping facilities). Mobile homes, recreational vehicles and manufactured homes are excluded. The Attorney General says motorcycles are covered and that the law covers vehicles designed to carry no more than a one-ton load and used for personal purposes.
Who can claim: The buyer (not for resale), a lessee under a lease of 30 days or more, anyone the vehicle is transferred to while the warranty lasts, and anyone else entitled to enforce the warranty.

Used cars in Ohio

The lemon law does not apply to vehicles more than one year old or driven more than 18,000 miles. The Attorney General suggests checking whether a used car has a branded 'BUYBACK' title through the Ohio BMV and the National Motor Vehicle Title Information System.

Used car rules in every state

Good to know

Eight repair attempts for any mix of defects in the first year/18,000 miles also count as a lemon (§ 1345.73(A)(3)).
Bought-back lemons get a title stamped 'BUYBACK', and a vehicle returned for a defect likely to cause death or serious injury may not be sold, leased or operated in Ohio (§ 1345.76).
Dealers must give you a fully itemized repair statement each time your car comes back from service (§ 1345.74(B)).

Questions about Ohio's lemon law

How many repair attempts make a car a lemon in Ohio?

How long does Ohio's lemon law cover a car?

1 year or 18,000 miles from original delivery, whichever comes first. Repairs may continue after that if you reported the defect within the period.

Do I have to notify the manufacturer in Ohio?

Do I have to go to arbitration in Ohio?

Ohio has no state-run lemon law arbitration. The Attorney General qualifies manufacturer programs; if a qualified program exists and you were told about it in writing, you must use it before suing. Decisions do not bind you unless you accept them, and the time limit to sue is paused while your claim is in the program.

What can I get under Ohio's lemon law?

Is there a deadline to file a lemon law claim in Ohio?

You must sue within 5 years of the date of original delivery (Ohio Rev. Code § 1345.75(C)).

Does Ohio's lemon law cover used cars?

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 law

Sources

Last checked: Oct 22, 2026.

Law: Ohio Lemon Law (Nonconforming New Motor Vehicle Law), Ohio Rev. Code §§ 1345.71 to 1345.78