Key takeaways
- Protection period: one year or 15,000 miles from original delivery, whichever comes first.
- Repair attempts: same nonconformity subject to repair four or more times within the term of protection and it continues to exist or recurs.
- Days out of service: cumulative total of 30 or more calendar days during the term of protection.
- Deadline: within three years of original delivery or two years of the date the vehicle reached 15,000 miles, whichever is earlier. Tolled while a dispute settlement procedure is pending, until 30 days after the final decision.
- The law is R.I. Gen. Laws §§ 31-5.2-1 to 31-5.2-14. Read it with your repair orders and your warranty in front of you.
On this page
Rhode Island's lemon law is R.I. Gen. Laws §§ 31-5.2-1 to 31-5.2-14, the Consumer Enforcement of Motor Vehicle Warranties (Rhode Island lemon law). 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.
Rhode Island lemon law at a glance
| Statute | R.I. Gen. Laws §§ 31-5.2-1 to 31-5.2-14 |
|---|---|
| Official name | Consumer Enforcement of Motor Vehicle Warranties (Rhode Island lemon law) |
| Vehicles covered | Automobiles, trucks, motorcycles and vans with a registered gross vehicle weight under 10,000 pounds, sold, leased or replaced by a dealer or manufacturer. Motorized campers are excluded. Municipal fire department apparatus is also covered. |
| Leased vehicles | Yes, leased vehicles are covered. |
| Protection period | One year or 15,000 miles from original delivery, whichever comes first. |
| Repair attempts | Same nonconformity subject to repair four or more times within the term of protection and it continues to exist or recurs. |
| Days out of service | Cumulative total of 30 or more calendar days during the term of protection. |
| Notice to the manufacturer | The consumer must report the nonconformity to the manufacturer, its agent, dealer or lessor during the term of protection. Once a threshold is met, the manufacturer gets one additional opportunity to cure, not to exceed seven calendar days. |
| Dispute programs | If the manufacturer has a 16 CFR Part 703 (or FTC- or attorney general-approved) dispute program and gave written notice of it at delivery, the consumer must first use that program or the attorney general's Motor Vehicle Arbitration Board before getting refund or replacement. The state board charges the consumer a $20 nonrefundable filing fee. Using a program does not bar a later lawsuit. |
| Deadline to bring a claim | Within three years of original delivery or two years of the date the vehicle reached 15,000 miles, whichever is earlier. Tolled while a dispute settlement procedure is pending, until 30 days after the final decision. |
| Remedies | At the consumer's option, refund of the full contract or lease price (including trade-in credits) or a comparable new vehicle. Refunds also cover sales tax, registration, finance charges, nonremovable dealer options, and towing and rental costs. Use offset is total contract price times miles driven before the first report (plus miles while not out of service), divided by 100,000. |
| Attorney's fees | Yes. The court shall award reasonable attorney's fees to a prevailing plaintiff. |
| Used vehicles | Rights pass to a person who receives the vehicle during any express or implied warranty. Separately, R.I. Gen. Laws ch. 31-5.4 requires dealers to give a written warranty on used passenger vehicles (excluding motorcycles, motor homes and off-road vehicles) with up to 100,000 miles, with a refund remedy if the dealer fails to correct a covered defect. |
Does your vehicle qualify in Rhode Island?
The law covers automobiles, trucks, motorcycles and vans with a registered gross vehicle weight under 10,000 pounds, sold, leased or replaced by a dealer or manufacturer. Motorized campers are excluded. Municipal fire department apparatus is also covered. The protection period is one year or 15,000 miles from original delivery, whichever comes first. 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 four or more times within the term of protection and it continues to exist or recurs.
- Days out of service: Cumulative total of 30 or more calendar days during the term of protection.
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, dealer or lessor during the term of protection. Once a threshold is met, the manufacturer gets one additional opportunity to cure, not to exceed seven calendar days.
If the manufacturer has a 16 CFR Part 703 (or FTC- or attorney general-approved) dispute program and gave written notice of it at delivery, the consumer must first use that program or the attorney general's Motor Vehicle Arbitration Board before getting refund or replacement. The state board charges the consumer a $20 nonrefundable filing fee. Using a program does not bar a later lawsuit.
Deadline: Within three years of original delivery or two years of the date the vehicle reached 15,000 miles, whichever is earlier. Tolled while a dispute settlement procedure is pending, until 30 days after the final decision.
State resource: Rhode Island Department of the Attorney General, Motor Vehicle Arbitration Board (Consumer Protection Unit).
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, refund of the full contract or lease price (including trade-in credits) or a comparable new vehicle. Refunds also cover sales tax, registration, finance charges, nonremovable dealer options, and towing and rental costs. Use offset is total contract price times miles driven before the first report (plus miles while not out of service), divided by 100,000. Yes. The court shall award reasonable attorney's fees to a prevailing plaintiff. 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 Rhode Island's lemon law, for example some used vehicles sold with a warranty or a service contract.
Talk to us about your Rhode Island 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 Rhode Island?
Under R.I. Gen. Laws §§ 31-5.2-1 to 31-5.2-14, the presumption is met when same nonconformity subject to repair four or more times within the term of protection and it continues to exist or recurs. The law also counts time in the shop: cumulative total of 30 or more calendar days during the term of protection.
How long do I have to file a lemon law claim in Rhode Island?
Within three years of original delivery or two years of the date the vehicle reached 15,000 miles, whichever is earlier. Tolled while a dispute settlement procedure is pending, until 30 days after the final decision. 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 Rhode Island lemon law cover used cars?
Rights pass to a person who receives the vehicle during any express or implied warranty. Separately, R.I. Gen. Laws ch. 31-5.4 requires dealers to give a written warranty on used passenger vehicles (excluding motorcycles, motor homes and off-road vehicles) with up to 100,000 miles, with a refund remedy if the dealer fails to correct a covered defect. 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 Rhode Island 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 Rhode Island?
The consumer must report the nonconformity to the manufacturer, its agent, dealer or lessor during the term of protection. Once a threshold is met, the manufacturer gets one additional opportunity to cure, not to exceed seven calendar days. Keep a copy of anything you send and proof of delivery.
Do I have to go to arbitration in Rhode Island?
If the manufacturer has a 16 CFR Part 703 (or FTC- or attorney general-approved) dispute program and gave written notice of it at delivery, the consumer must first use that program or the attorney general's Motor Vehicle Arbitration Board before getting refund or replacement. The state board charges the consumer a $20 nonrefundable filing fee. Using a program does not bar a later lawsuit.
Can I recover attorney's fees under the Rhode Island lemon law?
Yes. The court shall award reasonable attorney's fees to a prevailing plaintiff. We explain exactly how fees work in your case before you sign anything.