Washington · Lemon law · Updated Oct 2026
Motor Vehicle Warranties Act (Washington Lemon Law) (RCW ch. 19.118) protects buyers of new vehicles that can't be fixed. Here is what counts as a lemon in Washington, the notice you must send and what you can get back.
Within the eligibility period, your vehicle qualifies if the same defect has been subject to diagnosis or repair 4 or more times, a serious safety defect 2 or more times, two or more different serious safety defects each once within 12 months, or the vehicle has been out of service a total of 30 calendar days (at least 15 during the warranty). At least one attempt must fall within the warranty, and the problem must still exist. You must then send the manufacturer a written request to repurchase or replace, and it has 40 days to do so. Motor homes have different rules, including a final repair attempt and a 60-day test.
Period: Eligibility period: 2 years from original delivery or the first 24,000 miles, whichever comes first. At least one repair attempt (or 15 of the 30 days) must fall within the manufacturer's written warranty. You must request arbitration within 30 months of original delivery.
Send the manufacturer a written request to repurchase or replace the vehicle at its corporate, dispute resolution, zone or regional office address (the owner's manual lists these). The manufacturer has 40 calendar days to respond before you can win in arbitration.
You must use the state arbitration board, or a qualifying manufacturer program, before going to court (RCW 19.118.080(3)). You file a Request for Arbitration with the Attorney General within 30 months of delivery; a hearing is held within 45 days after your case is assigned and a decision follows within 60 days. You have 60 days to accept or reject the decision; the manufacturer must comply with an accepted decision within 40 days or appeal within 30 days.
Replacement with an identical or reasonably equivalent vehicle, or repurchase: refund of the purchase price, all collateral charges (sales and use tax, unused license, registration and title fees, finance charges, insurance, transportation, dealer prep, service contracts, options) and incidental costs such as towing and alternative transportation, minus a use offset. The offset is miles you drove before the first repair attempt × purchase price ÷ 120,000 (÷ 90,000 for motor homes, ÷ 25,000 for motorcycles). Lessees get back all lease payments, trade-in or inception payment and deposit, minus the offset.
Attorney fees: Yes. The board awards reasonable costs and attorney fees when you win and the manufacturer used a lawyer, and you recover attorney fees and costs if you win in superior court after an appeal.
Deadline: Request arbitration within 30 months of the vehicle's original retail delivery (RCW 19.118.090(3)). If you reject the decision, you have 120 days to appeal to superior court (RCW 19.118.090(8)).
Later owners can use the lemon law if they bought or leased the vehicle within 2 years and 24,000 miles of the original delivery and request arbitration within 30 months, according to the Attorney General.
Most states require you to tell the manufacturer in writing and give it a last chance to fix the car. Send the manufacturer a written request to repurchase or replace the vehicle at its corporate, dispute resolution, zone or regional office address (the owner's manual lists these). The manufacturer has 40 calendar days to respond before you can win in 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 the eligibility period, your vehicle qualifies if the same defect has been subject to diagnosis or repair 4 or more times, a serious safety defect 2 or more times, two or more different serious safety defects each once within 12 months, or the vehicle has been out of service a total of 30 calendar days (at least 15 during the warranty). At least one attempt must fall within the warranty, and the problem must still exist. You must then send the manufacturer a written request to repurchase or replace, and it has 40 days to do so. Motor homes have different rules, including a final repair attempt and a 60-day test.
Eligibility period: 2 years from original delivery or the first 24,000 miles, whichever comes first. At least one repair attempt (or 15 of the 30 days) must fall within the manufacturer's written warranty. You must request arbitration within 30 months of original delivery.
Send the manufacturer a written request to repurchase or replace the vehicle at its corporate, dispute resolution, zone or regional office address (the owner's manual lists these). The manufacturer has 40 calendar days to respond before you can win in arbitration.
You must use the state arbitration board, or a qualifying manufacturer program, before going to court (RCW 19.118.080(3)). You file a Request for Arbitration with the Attorney General within 30 months of delivery; a hearing is held within 45 days after your case is assigned and a decision follows within 60 days. You have 60 days to accept or reject the decision; the manufacturer must comply with an accepted decision within 40 days or appeal within 30 days.
Replacement with an identical or reasonably equivalent vehicle, or repurchase: refund of the purchase price, all collateral charges (sales and use tax, unused license, registration and title fees, finance charges, insurance, transportation, dealer prep, service contracts, options) and incidental costs such as towing and alternative transportation, minus a use offset. The offset is miles you drove before the first repair attempt × purchase price ÷ 120,000 (÷ 90,000 for motor homes, ÷ 25,000 for motorcycles). Lessees get back all lease payments, trade-in or inception payment and deposit, minus the offset.
Request arbitration within 30 months of the vehicle's original retail delivery (RCW 19.118.090(3)). If you reject the decision, you have 120 days to appeal to superior court (RCW 19.118.090(8)).
Later owners can use the lemon law if they bought or leased the vehicle within 2 years and 24,000 miles of the original delivery and request arbitration within 30 months, according to the Attorney General.
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: RCW ch. 19.118