Key takeaways
- Protection period: the first 18,000 miles of operation or 2 years after delivery to the original purchaser, whichever is earlier.
- Repair attempts: the same non-safety nonconformity, defect, or condition subject to repair 4 or more times after the consumer's notice within that period, and it continues to exist.
- Days out of service: out of service for repair a cumulative total of 30 days or more within that period. The statute does not say calendar or business days.
- Deadline: within 4 years of original delivery of the vehicle to the consumer.
- The law is D.C. Code §§ 50-501 to 50-510. Read it with your repair orders and your warranty in front of you.
On this page
The District of Columbia's lemon law is D.C. Code §§ 50-501 to 50-510, the Automobile Consumer Protection Act of 1984. It gives owners a remedy when the manufacturer can't fix a warranty defect after a fair chance. This page sums up the main rules as written in the statute, with links to the official text. Use it to check your dates and your repair visits, then talk to a lawyer about your own records.
District of Columbia lemon law at a glance
| Statute | D.C. Code §§ 50-501 to 50-510 |
|---|---|
| Official name | Automobile Consumer Protection Act of 1984 |
| Vehicles covered | Motor vehicles manufactured for sale, offered for sale, sold, or registered in D.C. and designed mainly to carry a driver and one or more passengers. Excludes buses sold for public transportation, motorcycles, motor homes and motorized recreational vehicles. |
| Leased vehicles | Yes, leased vehicles are covered. |
| Protection period | The first 18,000 miles of operation or 2 years after delivery to the original purchaser, whichever is earlier. |
| Repair attempts | The same non-safety nonconformity, defect, or condition subject to repair 4 or more times after the consumer's notice within that period, and it continues to exist. |
| Serious safety defects | A safety-related defect subject to repair 1 or more times after the consumer's notice within that period, and it continues to exist. |
| Days out of service | Out of service for repair a cumulative total of 30 days or more within that period. The statute does not say calendar or business days. |
| Notice to the manufacturer | The consumer must report the nonconformity to the manufacturer, its agent, or authorized dealer within the period. A dealer or agent that receives the report must forward written notice to the manufacturer by certified mail within 7 days. |
| Dispute programs | Mandatory. To seek refund or replacement, the consumer must first submit a claim to the D.C. Board of Consumer Claims Arbitration. The consumer may go to court if the Board rejects the case or the consumer rejects its decision. Decisions are due within 60 days of acceptance. |
| Deadline to bring a claim | Within 4 years of original delivery of the vehicle to the consumer. |
| Remedies | At the consumer's option, a comparable replacement vehicle or a refund of the full purchase price including sales tax and license, registration and similar fees. The use allowance may not exceed 10 cents per mile for use beyond the first 12,000 miles, plus an allowance for damage not from normal wear or the defect. |
| Attorney's fees | The arbitrator or panel may award reasonable attorneys' fees. The chapter does not expressly provide for attorney fees in a court action. |
| Used vehicles | The refund and replacement remedy applies to 'new' vehicles (first 18,000 miles or 2 years). Separately, § 50-505 requires used-vehicle dealers to disclose known material mechanical defects and certain damage, and gives buyers a right of action (Board arbitration first). |
Does your vehicle qualify in the District of Columbia?
The law covers motor vehicles manufactured for sale, offered for sale, sold, or registered in D.C. and designed mainly to carry a driver and one or more passengers. Excludes buses sold for public transportation, motorcycles, motor homes and motorized recreational vehicles. The protection period is the first 18,000 miles of operation or 2 years after delivery to the original purchaser, whichever is earlier. Inside that window, the statute presumes the manufacturer has had a fair chance to fix the problem when one of these is true:
- Repeated repairs: The same non-safety nonconformity, defect, or condition subject to repair 4 or more times after the consumer's notice within that period, and it continues to exist.
- Serious safety defect: A safety-related defect subject to repair 1 or more times after the consumer's notice within that period, and it continues to exist.
- Days out of service: Out of service for repair a cumulative total of 30 days or more within that period. The statute does not say calendar or business days.
As with most lemon laws, the defect generally has to be covered by the manufacturer's warranty and serious enough to substantially impair the vehicle's use, value or safety; check the statute's exact wording. Count only visits for the same problem, and check each repair order for your complaint, the dates in and out, and the mileage. See what counts as a repair attempt.
Notice, dispute programs and deadlines
The consumer must report the nonconformity to the manufacturer, its agent, or authorized dealer within the period. A dealer or agent that receives the report must forward written notice to the manufacturer by certified mail within 7 days.
Mandatory. To seek refund or replacement, the consumer must first submit a claim to the D.C. Board of Consumer Claims Arbitration. The consumer may go to court if the Board rejects the case or the consumer rejects its decision. Decisions are due within 60 days of acceptance.
Deadline: Within 4 years of original delivery of the vehicle to the consumer.
State resource: Board of Consumer Claims Arbitration for the District of Columbia (established by D.C. Code § 50-503).
Deadlines can run out before you expect, and contacting a lawyer does not stop them. Read more about lemon law deadlines and notice to the manufacturer.
Questions about your vehicle's repair history?
Tell us what has happened with your vehicle. A member of our team will look at your dates and repair orders with you. Reaching out does not create an attorney-client relationship.
What you can recover
At the consumer's option, a comparable replacement vehicle or a refund of the full purchase price including sales tax and license, registration and similar fees. The use allowance may not exceed 10 cents per mile for use beyond the first 12,000 miles, plus an allowance for damage not from normal wear or the defect. The arbitrator or panel may award reasonable attorneys' fees. The chapter does not expressly provide for attorney fees in a court action. Many claims are also resolved by a negotiated settlement. See buyback and replacement.
Federal warranty law also applies
The federal Magnuson-Moss Warranty Act (15 U.S.C. §§ 2301–2312) applies in every state. It covers written and implied warranties on consumer products, including vehicles, and it can help when a vehicle falls outside the District of Columbia's lemon law, for example some used vehicles sold with a warranty or a service contract.
Talk to us about your District of Columbia vehicle
SkyRidge Law P.C. reviews lemon law questions from owners in every state. Lawyers may practice only where they are licensed or otherwise authorized, so before you sign anything we tell you which lawyer would handle your case and where that lawyer is licensed. Send us your repair history and we will look at your dates with you.
Frequently asked questions
How many repair attempts make a car a lemon in District of Columbia?
Under D.C. Code §§ 50-501 to 50-510, the presumption is met when the same non-safety nonconformity, defect, or condition subject to repair 4 or more times after the consumer's notice within that period, and it continues to exist. A defect likely to cause death or serious injury has its own test: A safety-related defect subject to repair 1 or more times after the consumer's notice within that period, and it continues to exist. The law also counts time in the shop: out of service for repair a cumulative total of 30 days or more within that period. The statute does not say calendar or business days.
How long do I have to file a lemon law claim in District of Columbia?
Within 4 years of original delivery of the vehicle to the consumer. Other deadlines, such as the protection period and any notice or dispute-program step, can run out first, so check your dates early. Contacting a lawyer does not stop the clock.
Does the District of Columbia lemon law cover used cars?
The refund and replacement remedy applies to 'new' vehicles (first 18,000 miles or 2 years). Separately, § 50-505 requires used-vehicle dealers to disclose known material mechanical defects and certain damage, and gives buyers a right of action (Board arbitration first). Even when the state lemon law does not apply, a used vehicle sold with a written warranty or a service contract may have rights under the federal Magnuson-Moss Warranty Act.
Does the District of Columbia lemon law cover leased vehicles?
Yes, leased vehicles are covered. Lease buybacks usually involve both you and the leasing company, so keep your lease agreement with your repair orders.
Do I have to notify the manufacturer in District of Columbia?
The consumer must report the nonconformity to the manufacturer, its agent, or authorized dealer within the period. A dealer or agent that receives the report must forward written notice to the manufacturer by certified mail within 7 days. Keep a copy of anything you send and proof of delivery.
Do I have to go to arbitration in District of Columbia?
Mandatory. To seek refund or replacement, the consumer must first submit a claim to the D.C. Board of Consumer Claims Arbitration. The consumer may go to court if the Board rejects the case or the consumer rejects its decision. Decisions are due within 60 days of acceptance.
Can I recover attorney's fees under the District of Columbia lemon law?
The arbitrator or panel may award reasonable attorneys' fees. The chapter does not expressly provide for attorney fees in a court action. We explain exactly how fees work in your case before you sign anything.