Florida · Lemon law · Updated Oct 2026
Motor Vehicle Warranty Enforcement Act (Florida Lemon Law) (Fla. Stat. ch. 681 (§§ 681.10–681.118)) protects buyers of new vehicles that can't be fixed. Here is what counts as a lemon in Florida, the notice you must send and what you can get back.
Your vehicle is presumed a lemon if, during the first 24 months, (1) the same defect has been repaired at least 3 times, you then sent the manufacturer written notice, the manufacturer got one final repair attempt, and the defect is still there; or (2) the vehicle has been in the shop for repairs of one or more defects for a total of 30 or more days (60 days for an RV), and the manufacturer had at least one chance to inspect or repair it after your 15-day written notice. The defect must substantially impair the use, value or safety of the vehicle.
Period: The Lemon Law rights period is 24 months from the date the vehicle was first delivered to a consumer. There is no mileage limit. You must first report the problem within that period.
Required. After 3 repair attempts for the same defect, send written notice to the manufacturer (not the dealer) by registered or express mail. The manufacturer then has 10 days to respond and direct you to a repair shop, and 10 days after you deliver the car (45 days for an RV) to fix it. Separately, once the car has been out of service for 15 or more total days, you must notify the manufacturer in writing by registered or express mail and give it one chance to inspect or repair. The Attorney General's optional Motor Vehicle Defect Notification form can be used for both notices.
Before you can sue, you must submit your dispute to the Attorney General's office and, if it is found eligible, to the state Arbitration Board. If the manufacturer has a state-certified program, you must go there first. Request arbitration no later than 60 days after your 24-month period ends, or 30 days after a certified program's final action, whichever is later. RV buyers use a separate state-qualified RV mediation and arbitration program.
Florida New Motor Vehicle Arbitration Board (run by the Office of the Attorney General)
Your choice of a full refund or a replacement vehicle (you have an unconditional right to choose the refund). The refund covers the full purchase price, including trade-in allowance, plus collateral charges (such as sales tax, title charges, earned finance charges, and dealer-installed items) and incidental costs caused by the defect. The manufacturer deducts a reasonable offset for use: miles you drove before the settlement or hearing, times the base sale price, divided by 120,000 (60,000 for an RV). The manufacturer must repurchase or replace within 40 days. Lessees get back their deposit and lease payments and pay no early-termination penalty.
Attorney fees: Yes. If you win a lawsuit under the Lemon Law, the court must award reasonable attorney's fees and litigation costs (§ 681.112); you can also recover fees if a Board decision in your favor is upheld on appeal.
Deadline: Request state arbitration within 60 days after the 24-month Lemon Law rights period ends (or 30 days after a certified manufacturer program's final action, whichever is later) (§ 681.109(4)). A lawsuit must be filed within 1 year after the rights period ends, or within 1 year after the final action of the manufacturer program, Attorney General's office or Board (§ 681.112(2)).
Florida's Lemon Law covers only new and demonstrator vehicles; there is no separate used-car lemon law. A used vehicle may be covered only if it is transferred to you during the original owner's 24-month Lemon Law rights period.
Most states require you to tell the manufacturer in writing and give it a last chance to fix the car. Required. After 3 repair attempts for the same defect, send written notice to the manufacturer (not the dealer) by registered or express mail. The manufacturer then has 10 days to respond and direct you to a repair shop, and 10 days after you deliver the car (45 days for an RV) to fix it. Separately, once the car has been out of service for 15 or more total days, you must notify the manufacturer in writing by registered or express mail and give it one chance to inspect or repair. The Attorney General's optional Motor Vehicle Defect Notification form can be used for both notices. Fill this in, copy the letter, sign it and send it by certified mail with return receipt. Keep a copy. Nothing you type here is sent to us; the letter is made in your browser.
Official page · Official lemon law guide
Your vehicle is presumed a lemon if, during the first 24 months, (1) the same defect has been repaired at least 3 times, you then sent the manufacturer written notice, the manufacturer got one final repair attempt, and the defect is still there; or (2) the vehicle has been in the shop for repairs of one or more defects for a total of 30 or more days (60 days for an RV), and the manufacturer had at least one chance to inspect or repair it after your 15-day written notice. The defect must substantially impair the use, value or safety of the vehicle.
The Lemon Law rights period is 24 months from the date the vehicle was first delivered to a consumer. There is no mileage limit. You must first report the problem within that period.
Required. After 3 repair attempts for the same defect, send written notice to the manufacturer (not the dealer) by registered or express mail. The manufacturer then has 10 days to respond and direct you to a repair shop, and 10 days after you deliver the car (45 days for an RV) to fix it. Separately, once the car has been out of service for 15 or more total days, you must notify the manufacturer in writing by registered or express mail and give it one chance to inspect or repair. The Attorney General's optional Motor Vehicle Defect Notification form can be used for both notices.
Before you can sue, you must submit your dispute to the Attorney General's office and, if it is found eligible, to the state Arbitration Board. If the manufacturer has a state-certified program, you must go there first. Request arbitration no later than 60 days after your 24-month period ends, or 30 days after a certified program's final action, whichever is later. RV buyers use a separate state-qualified RV mediation and arbitration program.
Your choice of a full refund or a replacement vehicle (you have an unconditional right to choose the refund). The refund covers the full purchase price, including trade-in allowance, plus collateral charges (such as sales tax, title charges, earned finance charges, and dealer-installed items) and incidental costs caused by the defect. The manufacturer deducts a reasonable offset for use: miles you drove before the settlement or hearing, times the base sale price, divided by 120,000 (60,000 for an RV). The manufacturer must repurchase or replace within 40 days. Lessees get back their deposit and lease payments and pay no early-termination penalty.
Request state arbitration within 60 days after the 24-month Lemon Law rights period ends (or 30 days after a certified manufacturer program's final action, whichever is later) (§ 681.109(4)). A lawsuit must be filed within 1 year after the rights period ends, or within 1 year after the final action of the manufacturer program, Attorney General's office or Board (§ 681.112(2)).
Florida's Lemon Law covers only new and demonstrator vehicles; there is no separate used-car lemon law. A used vehicle may be covered only if it is transferred to you during the original owner's 24-month Lemon Law rights period.
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 lawLast checked: Oct 2026.