Massachusetts · Lemon law · Updated Oct 2026
Massachusetts Lemon Law (new and leased vehicles); Used Vehicle Warranty Law (Mass. Gen. Laws ch. 90, § 7N½ (new and leased); ch. 90, § 7N¼ (used)) protects buyers of new vehicles that can't be fixed. Here is what counts as a lemon in Massachusetts, the notice you must send and what you can get back.
Within 1 year or 15,000 miles, your vehicle is presumed a lemon if the same defect has been repaired 3 or more times and still exists or comes back, or if the vehicle has been out of service for repair for a total of 15 or more business days. The manufacturer then gets one final chance to fix it, lasting no more than 7 business days, which can happen after the term of protection ends. The defect must substantially impair the vehicle's use, market value or safety; the state guide says market-value impairment means the car is worth at least 10% less because of the defect.
Period: The "term of protection": 1 year or 15,000 miles from the original delivery of the new vehicle, whichever comes first (a replacement vehicle gets a new term).
The state guide says you must give the manufacturer one final repair opportunity by letter (and email if possible) to its regional office; certified mail, return receipt requested, plus regular mail is recommended, and you may send it after the term of protection ends. The 7-business-day final chance starts when the manufacturer knows or should know the repair limits were met. You do not have to notify the manufacturer directly before applying for state arbitration.
Arbitration is optional. Manufacturers must take part in state arbitration if you apply online within 18 months of delivery (6 months for used cars); there is no application fee, but you pay a $300 arbitrator fee once a hearing is scheduled, which is added to your award if you win. A decision issues within about 45 days, and the manufacturer must pay or appeal within 21 days.
Massachusetts Lemon Law Arbitration Program (Office of Consumer Affairs and Business Regulation)
The manufacturer must take the vehicle back and refund the full contract price, including trade-in credits, plus sales tax, registration fee, finance charges, dealer-added options, and towing and rental costs caused by the defect, minus any cash settlement you accepted and a use allowance. Use allowance = contract price × miles driven before return ÷ 100,000 (÷ 25,000 for motorcycles). For a lease, you get back all lease payments made, minus the same kind of allowance. The manufacturer may offer a replacement instead, but you can always refuse it and demand a refund.
Attorney fees: Yes. A consumer who prevails after a manufacturer appeals a state arbitration award must be awarded reasonable attorney fees and costs, and violations of the lemon law are unfair practices under ch. 93A, which also allows fee awards.
Deadline: State arbitration must be requested within 18 months of delivery for new or leased vehicles (6 months for used vehicles). Section 7N½ sets no separate lawsuit deadline.
Yes. Dealers must give a written warranty on used cars (90 days/3,750 miles for under 40,000 miles; 60 days/2,500 miles for 40,000–79,999; 30 days/1,250 miles for 80,000–124,999). If the dealer cannot fix the same defect in 3 tries or the car is out of service more than 10 business days, the dealer must buy it back, minus 15 cents a mile.
Most states require you to tell the manufacturer in writing and give it a last chance to fix the car. The state guide says you must give the manufacturer one final repair opportunity by letter (and email if possible) to its regional office; certified mail, return receipt requested, plus regular mail is recommended, and you may send it after the term of protection ends. The 7-business-day final chance starts when the manufacturer knows or should know the repair limits were met. You do not have to notify the manufacturer directly before applying for state arbitration. 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
Within 1 year or 15,000 miles, your vehicle is presumed a lemon if the same defect has been repaired 3 or more times and still exists or comes back, or if the vehicle has been out of service for repair for a total of 15 or more business days. The manufacturer then gets one final chance to fix it, lasting no more than 7 business days, which can happen after the term of protection ends. The defect must substantially impair the vehicle's use, market value or safety; the state guide says market-value impairment means the car is worth at least 10% less because of the defect.
The "term of protection": 1 year or 15,000 miles from the original delivery of the new vehicle, whichever comes first (a replacement vehicle gets a new term).
The state guide says you must give the manufacturer one final repair opportunity by letter (and email if possible) to its regional office; certified mail, return receipt requested, plus regular mail is recommended, and you may send it after the term of protection ends. The 7-business-day final chance starts when the manufacturer knows or should know the repair limits were met. You do not have to notify the manufacturer directly before applying for state arbitration.
Arbitration is optional. Manufacturers must take part in state arbitration if you apply online within 18 months of delivery (6 months for used cars); there is no application fee, but you pay a $300 arbitrator fee once a hearing is scheduled, which is added to your award if you win. A decision issues within about 45 days, and the manufacturer must pay or appeal within 21 days.
The manufacturer must take the vehicle back and refund the full contract price, including trade-in credits, plus sales tax, registration fee, finance charges, dealer-added options, and towing and rental costs caused by the defect, minus any cash settlement you accepted and a use allowance. Use allowance = contract price × miles driven before return ÷ 100,000 (÷ 25,000 for motorcycles). For a lease, you get back all lease payments made, minus the same kind of allowance. The manufacturer may offer a replacement instead, but you can always refuse it and demand a refund.
State arbitration must be requested within 18 months of delivery for new or leased vehicles (6 months for used vehicles). Section 7N½ sets no separate lawsuit deadline.
Yes. Dealers must give a written warranty on used cars (90 days/3,750 miles for under 40,000 miles; 60 days/2,500 miles for 40,000–79,999; 30 days/1,250 miles for 80,000–124,999). If the dealer cannot fix the same defect in 3 tries or the car is out of service more than 10 business days, the dealer must buy it back, minus 15 cents a mile.
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.
Law: Mass. Gen. Laws ch. 90, § 7N½ (new and leased); ch. 90, § 7N¼ (used)