Iowa · Lemon law · Updated Oct 2026
Iowa Lemon Law (Defective Motor Vehicles) (Iowa Code ch. 322G (§§ 322G.1 to 322G.15)) protects buyers of new vehicles that can't be fixed. Here is what counts as a lemon in Iowa, the notice you must send and what you can get back.
Your car is presumed a lemon if, during the rights period: the same defect that substantially impairs it was examined or repaired at least 3 times, plus a final repair attempt by the manufacturer after your written notice, and it still exists; a defect likely to cause death or serious injury was examined or repaired at least once, plus a final attempt, and it still exists; or the car was out of service for repairs for a total of 30 or more calendar days (not counting routine maintenance). After 20 days out of service you can notify the manufacturer, which then has 10 more out-of-service days to fix it.
Period: The Lemon Law rights period ends when the first of these happens: the manufacturer's written warranty ends, 2 years pass from original delivery, or you drive 24,000 miles. If you reported a defect that was not fixed before the period ended, the presumption period can be extended up to 2 years/24,000 miles.
After 3 repair attempts (or 1 for a dangerous defect), send written notice to the manufacturer by certified or registered mail or overnight service so it gets a final repair attempt. The manufacturer has 10 days after receiving it to direct you to a reasonably accessible repair shop, and 10 days after you deliver the car to fix it. After 20 cumulative days out of service, send the same kind of written notice; the manufacturer then has 10 more out-of-service days. If the manufacturer has no certified dispute program, you must have sent this notice before you can sue. The Attorney General offers a Motor Vehicle Defect Notification Form.
Iowa has no state-run program. If the manufacturer has a dispute program certified by the Attorney General and told you how to file with it, you must use it before you can get a refund or replacement under the law. Certified programs are free to consumers and must decide within 60 days; you have 25 days to accept a decision, and either side can appeal to district court.
Your choice of a replacement vehicle or a refund (you have an unconditional right to choose the refund). The refund is the full purchase price, including net trade-in allowance, plus collateral charges (such as items installed by the manufacturer or its agent, earned finance charges, use taxes and title charges) and incidental charges (such as towing and alternative transportation; not loss of use, lost income or injury). The manufacturer deducts a reasonable offset for use: miles driven up to the 3rd repair attempt, the 1st repair of a dangerous defect, or the 20th day out of service (whichever comes first), times the purchase price, divided by 120,000. The manufacturer must act within 40 days, and must lend you a vehicle while a replacement is on the way. Lessees get their payments back, minus the offset, with no early-termination penalty.
Attorney fees: Yes. A consumer who wins a Lemon Law lawsuit gets reasonable attorney's fees and costs (Iowa Code § 322G.8(3)).
Deadline: If the manufacturer has no certified dispute program and you sent the final-repair notice, or a certified program misses its decision deadline, file in district court within 1 year after the Lemon Law rights period (or its extension) ends. If the manufacturer does not perform a certified program decision you accepted, sue within 6 months after the date it had to comply. To appeal a certified program decision, file within 50 days after receiving it or 25 days after you accept it, whichever comes first (Iowa Code § 322G.8).
Iowa's Lemon Law covers new or previously untitled vehicles only; there is no separate used-car lemon law.
Most states require you to tell the manufacturer in writing and give it a last chance to fix the car. After 3 repair attempts (or 1 for a dangerous defect), send written notice to the manufacturer by certified or registered mail or overnight service so it gets a final repair attempt. The manufacturer has 10 days after receiving it to direct you to a reasonably accessible repair shop, and 10 days after you deliver the car to fix it. After 20 cumulative days out of service, send the same kind of written notice; the manufacturer then has 10 more out-of-service days. If the manufacturer has no certified dispute program, you must have sent this notice before you can sue. The Attorney General offers a Motor Vehicle Defect Notification Form. 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 car is presumed a lemon if, during the rights period: the same defect that substantially impairs it was examined or repaired at least 3 times, plus a final repair attempt by the manufacturer after your written notice, and it still exists; a defect likely to cause death or serious injury was examined or repaired at least once, plus a final attempt, and it still exists; or the car was out of service for repairs for a total of 30 or more calendar days (not counting routine maintenance). After 20 days out of service you can notify the manufacturer, which then has 10 more out-of-service days to fix it.
The Lemon Law rights period ends when the first of these happens: the manufacturer's written warranty ends, 2 years pass from original delivery, or you drive 24,000 miles. If you reported a defect that was not fixed before the period ended, the presumption period can be extended up to 2 years/24,000 miles.
After 3 repair attempts (or 1 for a dangerous defect), send written notice to the manufacturer by certified or registered mail or overnight service so it gets a final repair attempt. The manufacturer has 10 days after receiving it to direct you to a reasonably accessible repair shop, and 10 days after you deliver the car to fix it. After 20 cumulative days out of service, send the same kind of written notice; the manufacturer then has 10 more out-of-service days. If the manufacturer has no certified dispute program, you must have sent this notice before you can sue. The Attorney General offers a Motor Vehicle Defect Notification Form.
Iowa has no state-run program. If the manufacturer has a dispute program certified by the Attorney General and told you how to file with it, you must use it before you can get a refund or replacement under the law. Certified programs are free to consumers and must decide within 60 days; you have 25 days to accept a decision, and either side can appeal to district court.
Your choice of a replacement vehicle or a refund (you have an unconditional right to choose the refund). The refund is the full purchase price, including net trade-in allowance, plus collateral charges (such as items installed by the manufacturer or its agent, earned finance charges, use taxes and title charges) and incidental charges (such as towing and alternative transportation; not loss of use, lost income or injury). The manufacturer deducts a reasonable offset for use: miles driven up to the 3rd repair attempt, the 1st repair of a dangerous defect, or the 20th day out of service (whichever comes first), times the purchase price, divided by 120,000. The manufacturer must act within 40 days, and must lend you a vehicle while a replacement is on the way. Lessees get their payments back, minus the offset, with no early-termination penalty.
If the manufacturer has no certified dispute program and you sent the final-repair notice, or a certified program misses its decision deadline, file in district court within 1 year after the Lemon Law rights period (or its extension) ends. If the manufacturer does not perform a certified program decision you accepted, sue within 6 months after the date it had to comply. To appeal a certified program decision, file within 50 days after receiving it or 25 days after you accept it, whichever comes first (Iowa Code § 322G.8).
Iowa's Lemon Law covers new or previously untitled vehicles only; there is no separate used-car lemon law.
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.