Florida Lemon Law rules at a glance
Florida’s Lemon Law is the Motor Vehicle Warranty Enforcement Act, Chapter 681 of the Florida Statutes. The Office of the Attorney General (the Department of Legal Affairs) screens claims and sends eligible cases to the Florida New Motor Vehicle Arbitration Board.
| Rule | What Florida law says | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Vehicles covered | New vehicles sold in Florida for personal, family or household use, including leases of one year or more and demonstrators | § 681.102 |
| Not covered | Motorcycles, mopeds, off-road vehicles, trucks over 10,000 lbs, RV living facilities, electric bicycles | § 681.102(14) |
| Lemon Law rights period | 24 months after original delivery; no mileage limit | § 681.102(9) |
| Three Repairs Test | Same defect repaired 3 or more times, plus a final repair attempt after written notice | § 681.104(3)(a) |
| 30 Days Test | Out of service for repair 30 or more days in total (60 for RVs), with notice sent at day 15 | § 681.104(3)(b) |
| Written notice | By registered or express mail to the manufacturer | § 681.104(1) |
| Final repair attempt | Manufacturer has 10 days to respond, then 10 days to repair (45 for RVs) | § 681.104(1)(a) |
| Arbitration deadline | 60 days after the rights period ends, or 30 days after a certified program’s final action, if later | § 681.109(4) |
| Board timing | Hearing within 40 days and decision within 60 days after approval | § 681.1095(6) |
| Usage offset | Price × miles up to settlement or hearing ÷ 120,000 (60,000 for RVs) | § 681.102(19) |
| Lawsuit deadline | 1 year after the rights period, or after the final action of the program or Board | § 681.112(2) |
Does your car qualify under the Florida Lemon Law?
Your vehicle qualifies when a nonconformity, a defect that substantially impairs its use, value or safety, was first reported to the manufacturer or its dealer during the 24-month Lemon Law rights period and was not fixed after a reasonable number of attempts. A defect caused by an accident, abuse, neglect or an unauthorized modification does not count.
Section 681.104(3) presumes the number of attempts was reasonable in two cases:
Three Repairs Test
The same defect was repaired 3 or more times, you sent written notice, the manufacturer had its final repair attempt, and the defect is still there.
§ 681.104(3)(a)30 Days Out of Service
The vehicle was out of service for repair 30 or more days in total, and the manufacturer had at least one repair chance after your day-15 notice.
§ 681.104(3)(b)15 days or 30 days? Many sites mix these up. Day 15 out of service is when you must send written notice. The presumption itself needs 30 days in total. And Florida has no 24,000-mile limit: the rights period is 24 months, whatever the mileage.
Written notice and the final repair attempt
Florida requires written notice before the presumption applies. This is the step owners miss most often.
- After the third repair attempt, or once the vehicle has been out of service 15 days, send the manufacturer written notice by registered or express mail. Florida’s Motor Vehicle Defect Notification Form, usually in the Lemon Law booklet you received at delivery, is made for this. Send it to the manufacturer, not the dealer.
- Within 10 days of receiving it, the manufacturer must respond and send you to a reasonably accessible repair facility.
- Within 10 days of delivery to that facility, the manufacturer must fix the vehicle (45 days for recreational vehicles).
- If it does not respond or does not fix it, the final-attempt condition is met and you can move to arbitration.
The Attorney General also asks owners to mail a copy of the Defect Notification Form to its Lemon Law Research Unit. Read the official instructions for the notification form. Our lemon law notice letter generator helps you list your repair history.
What is the Florida Lemon Law deadline?
Your Request for Arbitration must reach the Attorney General no later than 60 days after the Lemon Law rights period ends. If you first used a state-certified manufacturer program, the deadline is 30 days after that program’s final action, if that date is later (§ 681.109(4)). Repairs after the 24 months do not extend the rights period (§ 681.103).
| Event | Date | Effect |
|---|---|---|
| Vehicle delivered | Mar 15, 2025 | Rights period starts |
| Rights period ends (24 months) | Mar 15, 2027 | Defects must be reported before this date |
| Arbitration request deadline (+60 days) | May 14, 2027 | Last day for the Attorney General to receive the request |
| Lawsuit deadline | Mar 15, 2028 | 1 year after the rights period, unless a program or Board decision came later |
Our lemon law deadline finder calculates these dates from your delivery date.
How to file a Florida Lemon Law claim
- Keep every repair orderEach one proves a repair attempt, with the date, mileage and the problem you reported.
- Send the Defect Notification FormBy registered or express mail, after the third attempt or day 15 out of service. Keep the mailing receipt.
- Allow the final repair attemptTake the vehicle where the manufacturer directs. Keep that repair order too.
- Check for a state-certified manufacturer programIf your manufacturer has one and told you about it in writing, you must use it first. The Lemon Law Hotline, 1-800-321-5366, can tell you.
- Send the Request for ArbitrationMail it to Office of the Attorney General, Lemon Law Arbitration Screening, PL-01, The Capitol, Tallahassee, FL 32399-1050. Screening takes about 20 days. See how to submit the form.
- Arbitration Board hearingThe Board hears the case within 40 days and decides within 60 days after approval. State arbitration is free to consumers.
- Decision and complianceA manufacturer that loses has 40 days to comply. Either side can appeal to circuit court within 30 days.
Refund, replacement and the Florida offset for use
The manufacturer must provide the refund or replacement within 40 days (§ 681.104(2)). You can always choose a refund instead of a replacement.
| Remedy | What it includes |
|---|---|
| Refund | Full purchase price plus collateral charges (sales tax, title charges, earned finance charges, manufacturer-installed items) and incidental charges caused by the defect, minus the offset for use |
| Replacement | A replacement vehicle acceptable to you, priced up to 105% of the original MSRP, minus the offset for use |
| Lease refund | You receive your lessee cost; the lessor receives the rest; no early-termination charge |
| Court | A consumer who wins recovers pecuniary loss, costs and reasonable attorney fees (§ 681.112) |
How the Florida offset for use is calculated
Florida counts all miles you drove up to the settlement or arbitration hearing, whichever comes first: miles × purchase price ÷ 120,000. Recreational vehicles divide by 60,000.
| Step | Math | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Purchase price | — | $36,000.00 |
| Offset for use | 12,000 × $36,000 ÷ 120,000 | −$3,600.00 |
| Refund before collateral and incidental charges | Those charges are added | $32,400.00 |
Does the Florida Lemon Law cover used cars?
Sometimes. Florida’s definition of consumer includes a person who gets the vehicle during the 24-month rights period. Selling the car does not end that period. So if you bought a used car before the 24 months from the first owner’s delivery date ran out, you can use what is left of it. After the 24 months, Florida’s Lemon Law no longer applies. The manufacturer’s remaining warranty and the federal Magnuson-Moss Warranty Act still do.
Motorcycles, mopeds and RV living quarters are outside the law, and RVs use a separate mediation and arbitration program (§§ 681.1096–681.1097). To test your own dates and repair visits, check whether your car is a lemon.
Florida Lemon Law FAQs
What qualifies a car as a lemon in Florida?
A defect that substantially impairs the vehicle’s use, value or safety, reported during the first 24 months after delivery and not fixed after a reasonable number of attempts. Florida presumes that after 3 repairs of the same defect plus a final repair attempt following your written notice, or after 30 or more days out of service.
How long do I have to file a lemon law claim in Florida?
Your Request for Arbitration must reach the Attorney General no later than 60 days after the 24-month Lemon Law rights period ends, or 30 days after a state-certified manufacturer program’s final action if that is later (§ 681.109(4)).
Is there a mileage limit on the Florida Lemon Law?
No. The Lemon Law rights period is 24 months from the original delivery date, with no mileage cap in Chapter 681. Some websites mention 24,000 miles, but that limit is not in the Florida statute.
Does the Florida lemon law apply to used cars?
Only during the 24-month rights period. A buyer who acquired the car from the first owner before those 24 months ended can use the rest of the period. After 24 months, the Lemon Law no longer applies, but the remaining manufacturer warranty does.
How much does Florida lemon law arbitration cost?
Nothing. Arbitration before the Florida New Motor Vehicle Arbitration Board is free to consumers. The Board hears the case within 40 days and decides within 60 days after the request is approved.
Does the 15th day out of service make my car a lemon in Florida?
No. Day 15 is when you must send the manufacturer written notice by registered or express mail. The presumption needs 30 or more days out of service in total, and the manufacturer must have had a chance to repair after your notice.
Sources
Checked on October 10, 2026. We re-verify Florida rules when the legislature, the courts or the agency change them. Read how we check every rule in our editorial policy.