Key takeaways
- Protection period: before the manufacturer's express warranty expires or 1 year after delivery to the original buyer, whichever occurs earlier.
- Repair attempts: same nonconformity subject to repair 4 or more times within the protection period and it continues to exist.
- Days out of service: cumulative total of 30 or more calendar days out of service for repairs within the protection period (extended if repairs cannot be made for reasons beyond the manufacturer's or dealer's control).
- Deadline: within 18 months after the date of original delivery of the vehicle to the buyer.
- The law is Nev. Rev. Stat. §§ 597.600 to 597.688. Read it with your repair orders and your warranty in front of you.
On this page
Nevada's lemon law is Nev. Rev. Stat. §§ 597.600 to 597.688, the Nevada Lemon Law (Repairs to Conform to Express Warranties), NRS Chapter 597. 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.
Nevada lemon law at a glance
| Statute | Nev. Rev. Stat. §§ 597.600 to 597.688 |
|---|---|
| Official name | Nevada Lemon Law (Repairs to Conform to Express Warranties), NRS Chapter 597 |
| Vehicles covered | New motor vehicles (as defined in NRS 482.075) bought for use normally for personal, family or household purposes. Excludes motor homes and off-road vehicles. |
| Protection period | Before the manufacturer's express warranty expires or 1 year after delivery to the original buyer, whichever occurs earlier. |
| Repair attempts | Same nonconformity subject to repair 4 or more times within the protection period and it continues to exist. |
| Days out of service | Cumulative total of 30 or more calendar days out of service for repairs within the protection period (extended if repairs cannot be made for reasons beyond the manufacturer's or dealer's control). |
| Notice to the manufacturer | Buyer must report the nonconformity in writing to the manufacturer within the protection period. The statute does not set a separate final-repair-opportunity procedure. |
| Dispute programs | If the manufacturer has established or designated an informal dispute procedure that substantially complies with 16 C.F.R. Part 703, the buyer must first submit the claim there before suing under NRS 597.630. No state-run program. |
| Deadline to bring a claim | Within 18 months after the date of original delivery of the vehicle to the buyer. |
| Remedies | Replacement with a comparable vehicle of the same model and features (or substantially similar if not available in a reasonable time), or refund of the full purchase price including sales taxes, license and registration fees and similar governmental charges, less a reasonable allowance for use before the first report of the nonconformity and while not out of service for repairs. |
| Attorney's fees | Not for the core lemon law claim: NRS 597.600 to 597.630 contain no fee-shifting provision. NRS 597.688 allows actual damages, costs, reasonable attorney's fees and punitive damages for violations of the Lemon Law Buyback disclosure rules (NRS 597.682 to 597.686). |
| Used vehicles | No used-car lemon law in NRS 597.600 to 597.688. A person to whom the vehicle is transferred while the manufacturer's express warranty is in effect is a 'buyer'. |
Does your vehicle qualify in Nevada?
The law covers new motor vehicles (as defined in NRS 482.075) bought for use normally for personal, family or household purposes. Excludes motor homes and off-road vehicles. The protection period is before the manufacturer's express warranty expires or 1 year after delivery to the original buyer, whichever occurs 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: Same nonconformity subject to repair 4 or more times within the protection period and it continues to exist.
- Days out of service: Cumulative total of 30 or more calendar days out of service for repairs within the protection period (extended if repairs cannot be made for reasons beyond the manufacturer's or dealer's control).
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
Buyer must report the nonconformity in writing to the manufacturer within the protection period. The statute does not set a separate final-repair-opportunity procedure.
If the manufacturer has established or designated an informal dispute procedure that substantially complies with 16 C.F.R. Part 703, the buyer must first submit the claim there before suing under NRS 597.630. No state-run program.
Deadline: Within 18 months after the date of original delivery of the vehicle to the buyer.
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
Replacement with a comparable vehicle of the same model and features (or substantially similar if not available in a reasonable time), or refund of the full purchase price including sales taxes, license and registration fees and similar governmental charges, less a reasonable allowance for use before the first report of the nonconformity and while not out of service for repairs. Not for the core lemon law claim: NRS 597.600 to 597.630 contain no fee-shifting provision. NRS 597.688 allows actual damages, costs, reasonable attorney's fees and punitive damages for violations of the Lemon Law Buyback disclosure rules (NRS 597.682 to 597.686). 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 Nevada's lemon law, for example some used vehicles sold with a warranty or a service contract.
Talk to us about your Nevada 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 Nevada?
Under Nev. Rev. Stat. §§ 597.600 to 597.688, the presumption is met when same nonconformity subject to repair 4 or more times within the protection period and it continues to exist. The law also counts time in the shop: cumulative total of 30 or more calendar days out of service for repairs within the protection period (extended if repairs cannot be made for reasons beyond the manufacturer's or dealer's control).
How long do I have to file a lemon law claim in Nevada?
Within 18 months after the date of original delivery of the vehicle to the buyer. 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 Nevada lemon law cover used cars?
No used-car lemon law in NRS 597.600 to 597.688. A person to whom the vehicle is transferred while the manufacturer's express warranty is in effect is a 'buyer'. 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.
Do I have to notify the manufacturer in Nevada?
Buyer must report the nonconformity in writing to the manufacturer within the protection period. The statute does not set a separate final-repair-opportunity procedure. Keep a copy of anything you send and proof of delivery.
Do I have to go to arbitration in Nevada?
If the manufacturer has established or designated an informal dispute procedure that substantially complies with 16 C.F.R. Part 703, the buyer must first submit the claim there before suing under NRS 597.630. No state-run program.
Can I recover attorney's fees under the Nevada lemon law?
Not for the core lemon law claim: NRS 597.600 to 597.630 contain no fee-shifting provision. NRS 597.688 allows actual damages, costs, reasonable attorney's fees and punitive damages for violations of the Lemon Law Buyback disclosure rules (NRS 597.682 to 597.686). We explain exactly how fees work in your case before you sign anything.