Rhode Island Lemon Law (2026): How to Qualify & Get a Refund

Rhode Island's Motor Vehicle Warranty Act under R.I. Gen. Laws Chapter 31-5.2 covers new vehicles under 10,000 pounds, and reaches a used vehicle only while the one-year or 15,000-mile term of protection measured from the original delivery is still running. A vehicle qualifies as a lemon when the same defect persists after four repair attempts or the car is out of service for 30 or more cumulative days within one year or 15,000 miles. At that point, the consumer chooses between a full refund or a comparable replacement vehicle.

Overview of Rhode Island's Lemon Law

Rhode Island's lemon law, officially titled the Consumer Enforcement of Motor Vehicle Warranties Act, is codified at R.I. Gen. Laws Chapter 31-5.2. The law protects consumers who purchase or lease new motor vehicles that turn out to have substantial defects the manufacturer cannot fix after a reasonable number of attempts.

Rhode Island also maintains a separate used car warranty statute under Chapter 31-5.4, which requires dealers to provide written warranties on used vehicles and gives buyers recourse when defects go unrepaired. Together, these two laws form a strong safety net for Rhode Island vehicle buyers.

The Rhode Island Attorney General's Office oversees lemon law enforcement and operates the Motor Vehicle Arbitration Board, which provides consumers with an accessible path to resolve disputes without needing to go to court.

What Vehicles Are Covered

Rhode Island has one of the more inclusive lemon laws in the country. The law covers a wide range of vehicles, including certain used cars still under warranty protection.

Covered Vehicle Types

• Automobiles: All passenger cars regardless of purpose
• Trucks: Vehicles with a registered gross vehicle weight of less than 10,000 pounds
• Vans: Including minivans and passenger vans under the weight limit
• Motorcycles: Street-legal motorcycles with manufacturer warranties. Motorcycles are covered by Chapter 31-5.2 only; the used car warranty statute, Chapter 31-5.4, excludes them
• Electric vehicles: EVs that meet the weight and warranty requirements are covered just like gas-powered vehicles
• Used vehicles: Only where the vehicle is transferred during the duration of an express or implied warranty and the term of protection (1 year or 15,000 miles from original delivery) has not yet run
• Leased vehicles: Vehicles leased for one year or more under a written lease agreement
• Fire department apparatus: Municipality-owned vehicles not substantially altered after purchase

Vehicles NOT Covered

• Motorized campers as defined in Rhode Island law
• Vehicles with a registered gross vehicle weight of 10,000 pounds or more
• Vehicles substantially altered in a manner that voids the manufacturer's warranty
• Vehicles sold before May 11, 1984

Used Vehicle Coverage Under Chapter 31-5.2

Rhode Island's definition of "consumer" in Section 31-5.2-1(1) includes any person to whom the vehicle is transferred during the duration of an express or implied warranty, so a used-car buyer can be a consumer under this chapter.

Coverage turns on a second gate, though. Section 31-5.2-2 requires the consumer to report the nonconformity during the term of protection, and Section 31-5.2-1(10) fixes that term at one year or 15,000 miles of use from the date of original delivery of the new motor vehicle, whichever comes first.

Remaining factory warranty is therefore not enough on its own. A used car bought at 25,000 miles with two years left on a 3-year/36,000-mile factory warranty is already past the term of protection and has no Chapter 31-5.2 buyback claim. This chapter reaches a used vehicle only where the transferee is still inside that one-year or 15,000-mile window measured from the original delivery date, not from the date of the used-car purchase.

This is separate from the used car warranty protections under Chapter 31-5.4, which are discussed in detail later in this guide.

What Qualifies as a Nonconformity

Rhode Island law defines a "nonconformity" as any specific or generic defect or malfunction, or any concurrent combination of defects or malfunctions, that substantially impairs the:

• Use of the motor vehicle
• Market value of the motor vehicle
• Safety of the motor vehicle

The defect does not need to make the vehicle undrivable. If it significantly reduces the vehicle's value or creates safety concerns, that may be enough to qualify. Common examples include persistent engine problems, transmission failures, electrical system malfunctions, brake defects, and steering issues.

Rhode Island's Lemon Law Presumption

Under R.I. Gen. Laws Section 31-5.2-5, the law creates a rebuttable presumption that a reasonable number of repair attempts have been made when certain conditions occur within the "term of protection."

The Lemon Law Presumption Applies When

Important: Even after the term of protection expires, the manufacturer is entitled to one additional opportunity to cure the defect. This additional opportunity cannot exceed seven calendar days. It begins when the manufacturer first knows or should have known that the repair attempt limits or out-of-service limits have been met.

Extensions to the Time Periods

The term of protection, the 30-day out-of-service period, and the additional opportunity to cure may be extended during:

• War or invasion
• Fire, flood, or other natural disaster
• Strike (the manufacturer must provide a free loaner vehicle during strikes)

The manufacturer bears the burden of proving that these events directly caused the failure to cure the nonconformity.

Consumer Remedies: Refund vs. Replacement

When a vehicle qualifies as a lemon under Rhode Island law, the consumer has the right to choose between a full refund or a comparable replacement vehicle. The statute states "at the consumer's or lessee's option," making clear that this is the consumer's decision, not the manufacturer's.

Option 1: Vehicle Buyback (Refund)

Under R.I. Gen. Laws Section 31-5.2-3, the manufacturer must refund:

• Full contract price: The complete purchase price of the vehicle
• Credits and allowances: Including the value of any trade-in
• Incidental costs: Sales tax, registration fees, and finance charges
• Dealer-installed options: Cost of nonremovable options added by an authorized dealer
• Towing and rental costs: If these services were not provided free of charge during repairs

Usage Deduction: The manufacturer may deduct a reasonable allowance for use. Rhode Island calculates this deduction as follows:

Usage Deduction = Total Contract Price x (Miles Before First Report + Miles When Not Out of Service) / 100,000

The numerator is the sum of miles driven before the first report of the nonconformity plus any miles driven during periods when the vehicle was not out of service for repair. The 100,000-mile denominator is more favorable to consumers than many other states that use 120,000 miles, resulting in a smaller deduction from the refund.

Option 2: Replacement Vehicle

The manufacturer must provide:

• A comparable new motor vehicle in good working order
• Delivery within 30 calendar days of the vehicle's return
• Reimbursement for registration transfer fees and sales tax incurred due to the replacement
• Refinancing terms no less favorable than the original agreement (if financed through the manufacturer)

If no comparable vehicle is delivered within 30 days, the manufacturer must provide a full refund instead.

Consumer's Right to Retain Vehicle

Rhode Island uniquely allows consumers to retain use of the returned vehicle until a full refund or acceptable replacement is tendered. Any additional miles driven during this period are included in the reasonable allowance for use calculation.

Federal Backstop: The Magnuson-Moss Warranty Act

In addition to Rhode Island's state lemon law, consumers may also have rights under the federal Magnuson-Moss Warranty Act (15 U.S.C. 2301 et seq.). The Act applies where a written warranty accompanies a consumer product, and a vehicle sold with a factory warranty is squarely within it. If a manufacturer fails to honor its warranty after a reasonable number of attempts, you may sue for damages, equitable relief, and attorney fees. In practice most single-vehicle claims belong in state court: 15 U.S.C. 2310(d)(3)(B) bars a federal district court from hearing a Magnuson-Moss claim unless the amount in controversy is at least $50,000, exclusive of interest and costs, computed across all claims in the suit. Magnuson-Moss operates alongside Rhode Island's statute, so a consumer whose state-law claim falls just short of the presumption thresholds may still have a viable federal warranty claim.

How to File a Lemon Law Claim in Rhode Island

Rhode Island provides two main paths for resolving lemon law disputes: manufacturer informal dispute settlement procedures and the state Motor Vehicle Arbitration Board.

Step 1: Notify the Manufacturer

Before filing a claim, check your warranty or owner's manual. If required, send written notification to the manufacturer at the address indicated in the warranty or owner's manual of your intent to file a complaint under the lemon law.

Step 2: Document Everything

• Keep all repair orders and invoices
• Note the exact dates your vehicle was in the shop and when it was returned
• Document the symptoms you experienced each time
• Save all correspondence with the dealer and manufacturer
• Take photos or videos of defects when possible

Step 3: Allow Repair Attempts

Give the manufacturer or dealer the opportunity to repair the nonconformity. Report the problem to the manufacturer, its agent, or an authorized dealer during the term of protection. Keep careful records of each repair attempt.

Step 4: Choose a Dispute Resolution Path

If repairs are unsuccessful after meeting the presumption thresholds, you may:

• Use the manufacturer's informal dispute settlement procedure: If one exists and complies with federal regulations (16 C.F.R. Part 703) or is approved by the Attorney General
• Use the Motor Vehicle Arbitration Board: State-run arbitration through the Attorney General's office
• File a civil lawsuit: Take the matter directly to court

Motor Vehicle Arbitration Board

Rhode Island operates a unique state-run Motor Vehicle Arbitration Board through the Department of the Attorney General. This provides consumers with an accessible and affordable alternative to court litigation or manufacturer-sponsored arbitration.

Board Composition

The five-member board includes:

• The Attorney General or designee (serves as director)
• A member of the general public appointed by the Attorney General
• The Director of the Department of Revenue or designee
• The President of the Rhode Island Automobile Dealers' Association or designee
• The Administrator of the Division of Motor Vehicles or designee

Filing Process

You can download the Request for Lemon Law Arbitration form directly from the Attorney General's website.

How Arbitration Decisions Are Enforced

If the decision is favorable to the consumer, Section 31-5.2-7.1(g)(2) gives the manufacturer 30 days after the rendering of the decision to either comply with it, where the consumer has elected to accept it, or appeal to Superior Court. The clock runs from the rendering of the decision, not from the consumer's acceptance, and the consumer's own window to accept or reject is only 5 days. Appeals by the manufacturer require:

• A petition filed within 30 days of the decision
• A bond equal to the money award plus $2,500 for anticipated attorney fees

Additional Recovery if Manufacturer Appeal Fails

If the arbitration decision is upheld by the court, consumers may recover:

• Continuing damages: $25 per day for each day after the vehicle was returned to the manufacturer that it was out of use as a direct result of the nonconformity. The statute excludes any nonconformity issuing from owner negligence, accident, vandalism, or an attempt to repair or substantially modify the vehicle by someone other than the manufacturer, its agent, or an authorized dealer, and it applies only where the manufacturer did not make a comparable vehicle available to the consumer free of charge
• Attorney fees and costs: Reasonable fees for prevailing consumers
• Double damages: If the court finds the manufacturer had no reasonable basis for the appeal or the appeal was frivolous

Manufacturer Defenses

Under R.I. Gen. Laws Section 31-5.2-4, manufacturers have limited affirmative defenses they can raise in a lemon law dispute.

The manufacturer carries the burden of proof for these defenses. Consumers should maintain thorough records to counter any such claims.

Leased Vehicle Protections

Rhode Island provides specific protections for consumers who lease vehicles for one year or more under written lease agreements.

Refund Calculation for Leased Vehicles

When a leased vehicle qualifies as a lemon, refunds are distributed as follows:

• Lessee receives: Aggregate deposit and rental payments previously paid (the "lessee cost")
• Lessor receives: The lease price minus the lessee cost

Lease Termination

Upon payment of the refund:

• The lease agreement is automatically terminated
• No penalty for early termination may be assessed against the consumer
• The consumer owes no additional payments under the lease

Attorney Fees and Consumer Rights

Rhode Island law provides that courts hearing a complaint brought by a consumer or lessee aggrieved by a violation of the lemon law shall award reasonable attorney fees to a prevailing plaintiff. This is an important provision because it allows consumers to hire competent legal representation without worrying about whether the cost of an attorney will exceed the value of their claim.

Section 31-5.2-8 provides that any agreement entered into by a consumer or lessee for the purchase or lease of a new motor vehicle that waives, limits, or disclaims the rights set forth in the lemon law is void as contrary to public policy. Read the scope carefully: that anti-waiver rule is written for the purchase or lease of a new motor vehicle. It does not carry over to used car sales, where Chapter 31-5.4 expressly allows a dealer to disclaim the statutory used car warranty. See "When the Used Car Warranty Does Not Apply" below.

Resale Disclosure Requirements

Under R.I. Gen. Laws Section 31-5.2-9, no motor vehicle returned under the lemon law may be resold or re-leased in Rhode Island without clear and conspicuous written disclosure to the prospective buyer or lessee prior to the sale. The Attorney General prescribes the exact form and content of the required disclosure statement.

This protects future buyers from unknowingly purchasing a vehicle that was previously returned as a lemon.

Used Car Warranty Law (Chapter 31-5.4)

In addition to the main lemon law, Rhode Island has a separate statute that specifically protects buyers of used vehicles. R.I. Gen. Laws Chapter 31-5.4 requires dealers to provide written warranties on used motor vehicles and sets minimum warranty terms based on the vehicle's mileage at the time of sale. This chapter is narrower than the main lemon law in one way readers often miss: Section 31-5.4-1 defines a used motor vehicle as a passenger motor vehicle, excluding motorcycles, motor homes, and off-road vehicles. A used motorcycle has no claim under Chapter 31-5.4, though a motorcycle still inside the Chapter 31-5.2 term of protection is covered there.

Minimum Warranty Requirements

When a Used Car Qualifies as a Lemon

Under Chapter 31-5.4, a used vehicle qualifies for a refund if:

• The same malfunction or defect has been subject to repair 3 or more times by the selling dealer or agent within the warranty period, but the same defect continues to exist, OR
• The vehicle is out of service by reason of repair for a cumulative total of 15 or more days during the warranty period

Important Exceptions to the 15-Day Rule

The 15-day out-of-service period does not include days when the dealer is unable to complete the repair because of the unavailability of necessary repair parts, provided the dealer exercises due diligence in attempting to obtain those parts.

However, if a vehicle has been out of service for a cumulative total of 45 days, even if a portion of that time is attributable to the unavailability of replacement parts, the consumer is entitled to a replacement or refund.

Refund for Used Vehicles

If the dealer or agent fails to correct the defect as required by the warranty and the defect substantially impairs the value of the used vehicle, the dealer must accept the return of the vehicle and refund the full purchase price, including sales tax, minus a reasonable allowance for any damage not attributable to normal wear and a market value adjustment for any modifications.

Section 31-5.4-3(a) also lets the dealer elect to offer a comparably priced replacement vehicle instead, with any price adjustment the parties agree to. The election to offer belongs to the dealer, but the consumer is never obligated to accept a replacement and may instead elect to take the refund.

When the Used Car Warranty Does Not Apply

The Chapter 31-5.4 warranty is neither automatic nor unwaivable, and the waiver is the most common way a Rhode Island used-car buyer ends up with no statutory protection at all. Under Section 31-5.4-4, a dealer may sell without the warranty if the waiver is disclosed two ways:

• Windshield notice: a conspicuous placard at least 8.5 by 11 inches, in bold print one inch high, reading NO WARRANTY AS TO CONDITION - SOLD AS IS
• Bill of sale disclaimer: waiver language printed in a type size larger and a different color than any other type on the bill of sale, separately initialed by both the purchaser and the dealer

If you initial that line, you have given up the statutory used car warranty. Section 31-5.4-4(d) also excludes the chapter entirely for used vehicles sold for less than $1,500 and for classic cars registered under Title 31, and the minimum warranty schedule in Section 31-5.4-2 stops at 100,000 miles, so no statutory warranty term is set for a used vehicle sold above that mileage. Section 31-5.4-4(c) preserves whatever rights you have under other laws, including any separate written warranty the dealer actually gave you.

Key Differences Between New and Used Vehicle Protections

Statute of Limitations

Under R.I. Gen. Laws Section 31-5.2-12, any action brought under the lemon law must be commenced within the earlier of:

• Three (3) years from the date of original delivery of the motor vehicle to the consumer, OR
• Two (2) years from the date on which the mileage on the motor vehicle reached 15,000 miles

Whichever deadline arrives first controls. This means consumers should not delay in pursuing a claim once they suspect their vehicle qualifies as a lemon.

Tolling provisions: The statute of limitations is tolled (paused) during the period from initiation of an informal dispute settlement procedure until 30 days after a final decision is rendered.

Tips for Strengthening Your Rhode Island Lemon Law Claim

1. Report problems immediately. Contact the dealer or manufacturer as soon as you notice a defect, and always do so in writing.
2. Keep a repair log. Track every visit, including dates dropped off and picked up, what was reported, and what work was done.
3. Request copies of all repair orders. These documents are your primary evidence in any lemon law claim.
4. Do not attempt DIY repairs. Unauthorized repairs can undermine your claim and give the manufacturer a defense.
5. Follow the warranty procedures. Use authorized dealers for all warranty work and follow any notice requirements in your owner's manual.
6. Act within the time limits. Remember that the term of protection is just 1 year or 15,000 miles, and the statute of limitations can expire as early as 2 years after reaching 15,000 miles.

More Rhode Island Laws

• Rhode Island Car Accident Laws

Frequently Asked Questions

Does Rhode Island's lemon law cover used vehicles?

Yes, but the two paths are narrower than they look. Under the main lemon law (Chapter 31-5.2), a used vehicle is covered only if it was transferred while a manufacturer warranty was still in force and the defect is reported during the term of protection, which runs one year or 15,000 miles from the original delivery of the new vehicle. Remaining factory warranty alone is not enough once that window has closed. Separately, Chapter 31-5.4 requires dealers to provide a written warranty on used passenger vehicles and allows buyers to seek a refund if the dealer cannot fix a substantial defect, but it excludes motorcycles, motor homes, and off-road vehicles, and a dealer can disclaim it with a posted SOLD AS IS notice and a separately initialed disclaimer on the bill of sale.

How many repair attempts are required before a vehicle is considered a lemon in Rhode Island?

For new vehicles under Chapter 31-5.2, the law presumes a reasonable number of attempts have been made if the same defect has been subject to repair 4 or more times and continues to exist, or if the vehicle has been out of service for 30 or more cumulative calendar days. These conditions must occur within 1 year or 15,000 miles, whichever comes first. For used vehicles under Chapter 31-5.4, the thresholds are 3 repair attempts or 15 days out of service.

What is the Rhode Island Motor Vehicle Arbitration Board?

The Motor Vehicle Arbitration Board is a state-run dispute resolution body operated by the Attorney General's office. It provides an alternative to manufacturer-sponsored arbitration and court litigation for new vehicle lemon law claims. Consumers pay a $20 filing fee to use the service. The board must issue a decision within 90 days. Decisions are binding on manufacturers if the consumer accepts, but may be appealed to Superior Court.

Can I keep driving my vehicle while waiting for a refund or replacement?

Yes. Rhode Island law specifically allows consumers to retain use of the returned vehicle until a full refund or acceptable replacement is provided. Any additional miles driven during this period will be factored into the reasonable allowance for use deduction from the refund.

What is the statute of limitations for filing a Rhode Island lemon law claim?

Under R.I. Gen. Laws Section 31-5.2-12, you must file your action within 3 years of the original delivery date or within 2 years of the date the vehicle reached 15,000 miles, whichever deadline arrives first. The statute of limitations is paused during any informal dispute settlement procedure until 30 days after a final decision is rendered.

Does Rhode Island's lemon law cover electric vehicles?

Yes. Rhode Island's lemon law covers any automobile, truck, motorcycle, or van with a registered gross vehicle weight of less than 10,000 pounds. The law does not distinguish between power sources. Electric vehicles, plug-in hybrids, and hydrogen fuel cell vehicles all qualify for lemon law protection as long as they meet the weight requirement and have a manufacturer warranty.