Colorado Lemon Law rules at a glance
The Colorado Lemon Law (C.R.S. Title 42, Article 10) is C.R.S. §§ 42-10-101 to 42-10-110 (as amended by SB 24-192).
| Rule | What Colorado law says | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Statute | C.R.S. §§ 42-10-101 to 42-10-110 (as amended by SB 24-192) | C.R.S. 42-10-101 |
| Vehicles covered | Private passenger vehicles, including pickup trucks and vans, carrying up to 10 people, sold to a consumer in Colorado for personal, family or household use; Vehicles sold or leased on or after August 7, 2024 (the SB 24-192 rules) | |
| Not covered | Motor homes; Vehicles with three or fewer wheels; Vehicles modified for commercial use; Used vehicles | |
| Protection window | The first 24,000 miles or 2 years from original delivery, whichever occurs earlier | C.R.S. 42-10-102, 42-10-103(2)(a) |
| Safety Defect Test | A safety-based nonconformity (likely to cause death or serious bodily injury, or a fire or explosion risk) was subject to 2 or more repair attempts and continues | C.R.S. 42-10-103(2)(a)(III) |
| Three Repairs Test | The same nonconformity was subject to repair 3 or more times and continues | C.R.S. 42-10-103(2)(a)(I) |
| 24 Business Days Test | Out of service for repair a cumulative total of 24 or more business days of the repairer (business days) | C.R.S. 42-10-103(2)(a)(II) |
| Written notice | Before any presumption applies, the manufacturer must receive written notification by certified mail, from you or on your behalf, stating that one or more repair attempts have been made and the defect remains. The manufacturer then has 10 business days after receipt to cure it; that attempt counts as a repair. | C.R.S. 42-10-103(2)(c) |
| Dispute program first? | If the manufacturer has an arbitration program, the time you spend in it tolls the lawsuit deadline (C.R.S. 42-10-107). | |
| Deadline | Start a lawsuit within 30 months of original delivery. The time does not run while you are in the manufacturer’s arbitration or the vehicle is unavailable because of repair | C.R.S. 42-10-107 |
| Usage deduction | total contract price × (miles before the first repair presentation + miles driven later while not out of service for repair) ÷ 100,000 | C.R.S. 42-10-103(4) |
Three repairs, two for safety or 24 business days in Colorado
For vehicles sold or leased on or after August 7, 2024, Colorado presumes a reasonable number of attempts when, within the first 24,000 miles or 2 years:
Safety Defect Test
A safety-based nonconformity (likely to cause death or serious bodily injury, or a fire or explosion risk) was subject to 2 or more repair attempts and continues.
C.R.S. 42-10-103(2)(a)(III)Three Repairs Test
The same nonconformity was subject to repair 3 or more times and continues.
C.R.S. 42-10-103(2)(a)(I)24 Business Days Test
Out of service for repair a cumulative total of 24 or more business days of the repairer.
C.R.S. 42-10-103(2)(a)(II)A defect qualifies if it substantially impairs the vehicle’s use and market value, or its safety. A safety-based defect is one likely to cause death or serious bodily injury, or that creates a risk of fire or explosion.
Notice to the manufacturer in Colorado
Before any presumption applies, the manufacturer must receive written notification by certified mail, from you or on your behalf, stating that one or more repair attempts have been made and the defect remains. The manufacturer then has 10 business days after receipt to cure it; that attempt counts as a repair.
In Colorado no presumption applies until the manufacturer receives certified-mail notice and has 10 business days to cure.
Dispute program first. If the manufacturer has an arbitration program, the time you spend in it tolls the lawsuit deadline (C.R.S. 42-10-107).
The manufacturer’s cure attempt after your letter counts as one of the repairs toward the 3-repair and 2-repair tests.
Colorado’s 30-month deadline
Start a lawsuit within 30 months of original delivery. The time does not run while you are in the manufacturer’s arbitration or the vehicle is unavailable because of repair (C.R.S. 42-10-107).
| Event | Date | Effect |
|---|---|---|
| Vehicle delivered | Mar 15, 2025 | The protection window starts |
| Protection window ends | March 15, 2027 | Repairs after this date do not count toward the tests |
| Sue by | September 15, 2027 | Start a lawsuit within 30 months of original delivery. The time does not run while you are in the manufacturer’s arbitration or the vehicle is unavailable because of repair |
The 30 months stop running while the car is unavailable because it is being repaired, so keep the repair orders that show each period.
How to file a Colorado lemon law claim
- Keep every repair orderEach one shows the date, mileage and days out of service.
- Send certified-mail noticeState that one or more repairs have been tried and the defect remains. The manufacturer then has 10 business days to cure.
- Use arbitration if offeredTime in the manufacturer’s arbitration does not count against your 30 months.
- Choose your next stepIf the defect continues, the manufacturer must replace the vehicle or refund it; it chooses which.
- Sue within 30 monthsCounted from original delivery, not counting time in arbitration or in the shop.
Refund, replacement and the Colorado deduction for use
| Remedy | What it includes |
|---|---|
| Replacement | A comparable motor vehicle. The manufacturer chooses between replacement and refund. |
| Refund | The full purchase price, including sales tax, license and registration fees and similar government charges, less a reasonable allowance for use. |
How the Colorado deduction for use is calculated
total contract price × (miles before the first repair presentation + miles driven later while not out of service for repair) ÷ 100,000 (C.R.S. 42-10-103(4)).
| Step | Math | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Purchase price | — | $36,000.00 |
| Deduction for use | 15,000 miles × $36,000 ÷ 100,000 | −$5,400.00 |
| Refund before taxes, fees and other charges | Those are added under the rules above | $30,600.00 |
What changed in Colorado’s Lemon Law in 2024
| Rule | Before | Vehicles sold or leased from Aug. 7, 2024 |
|---|---|---|
| Protection window | Warranty term or 1 year, whichever earlier | 2 years or 24,000 miles, whichever earlier |
| Repair test | 4 repairs | 3 repairs |
| Safety defects | No separate test | 2 repairs |
| Days out of service | 30 business days | 24 business days |
| Cure period after notice | An opportunity to cure | 10 business days |
| Use allowance | No formula | Price × miles ÷ 100,000 |
| Time to sue | Earlier of 6 months after the warranty or 1 year from delivery | 30 months from delivery |
| Buyback disclosure | None in this article | Decal, disclosure and a branded title |
The act applies to motor vehicles sold or leased on or after its effective date, so check your contract date before relying on the new rules.
Colorado’s refund formula, worked through
Colorado now sets the use allowance in the statute: the total contract price times the miles driven before you first brought the car in for the defect, plus miles driven later while it was not in the shop, divided by 100,000 (C.R.S. 42-10-103(4)).
| Step | Amount |
|---|---|
| Total contract price | $40,000.00 |
| Use allowance: $40,000 × 15,000 ÷ 100,000 | −$6,000.00 |
| Refund before taxes and fees | $34,000.00 |
Miles driven while the car is out of service for repair do not count, so in practice the allowance is based on nearly all the miles you drove. Sales tax, license and registration fees are refunded on top.
Buying a Colorado lemon law buyback
SB 24-192 added protections for anyone who later buys a returned vehicle, new or used:
- The manufacturer or dealer must attach a “Lemon Law Buyback” decal to the driver’s door pillar, and no seller may remove it.
- Any seller who knows or should know the vehicle is a buyback must disclose it clearly before the sale.
- A dealer must either let your own inspector check the vehicle before the sale or give you a 7-day free look to return it for a refund, less shipping costs.
- From January 1, 2027, the title carries a “Lemon Law Buyback” brand.
Used cars and Colorado buybacks
A person to whom the vehicle is transferred for personal use during the manufacturer’s warranty is a consumer, but the article does not apply to a used motor vehicle (C.R.S. 42-10-110). Colorado’s Lemon Law does not apply to used motor vehicles.
Colorado’s Lemon Law does not apply to used motor vehicles or to licensed used motor vehicle dealers, but the buyback decal and disclosure rules do apply to used vehicles (C.R.S. 42-10-110).
To test your own dates and repair visits, check a Colorado repair history in our free tool.
Colorado Lemon Law FAQs
What is the new Colorado lemon law?
SB 24-192, effective August 7, 2024 for vehicles sold or leased from that date. It extended protection to 2 years or 24,000 miles, lowered the tests to 3 repairs, 2 for safety defects or 24 business days, and set a 30-month deadline.
How many repair attempts make a lemon in Colorado?
Three for the same defect, or two for a safety-based defect, within 2 years or 24,000 miles, after certified-mail notice and a 10-business-day chance to cure.
How long do I have to file a lemon law claim in Colorado?
Within 30 months of original delivery. The time is tolled while you are in the manufacturer’s arbitration or the vehicle is unavailable because of repair.
Does the Colorado lemon law cover used cars?
No. The article does not apply to used motor vehicles, though the buyback decal and disclosure rules protect used-car buyers.
How is a Colorado lemon law refund calculated?
The full purchase price, including sales tax, license and registration fees, minus the total contract price × miles driven (outside repair periods) ÷ 100,000.
Sources
Checked on October 13, 2026. We re-verify Colorado rules when the legislature, the courts or the agency change them. Read how we check every rule in our editorial policy.