Lemon Law Statute of Limitations: Deadlines by State

Lemon law deadlines in Texas, California and Florida

Each state sets its own deadline, and each counts from a different event. Here are the rules in the three states we have verified most fully.

Lemon law deadlines
State	Deadline	Source
Texas	6 months after the earliest of warranty end, 24 months or 24,000 miles	Tex. Occ. Code § 2301.606(d)
California	Opt-in manufacturers: 1 year after the express warranty ends, never more than 6 years from delivery (repair time and up to 60 notice days added); others: courts have generally applied 4 years	Code Civ. Proc. § 871.21
Florida	Arbitration: 60 days after the 24-month rights period (or 30 days after a certified program’s final action, if later); lawsuit: 1 year after the rights period	Fla. Stat. §§ 681.109(4), 681.112(2)

Example: one car, three filing deadlines

Dates are easier to understand with an example. Here is one vehicle, delivered on the same day, under three sets of rules.

Deadline examples for a vehicle delivered on March 1, 2025
State and facts	Window ends	Deadline
Texas, 15,000 miles a year (24 months comes first)	March 1, 2027	September 1, 2027
Texas, 24,000 miles a year (24,000 miles reached first)	About March 1, 2026	About September 1, 2026
Florida, any mileage	March 1, 2027	April 30, 2027 (arbitration)

California depends on the manufacturer and the warranty length, so check the DCA’s opt-in list, then see the California lemon law deadline guide.

Lemon law deadlines in other states

Deadlines elsewhere can be longer or shorter. These are the ones we verified for five more states.

Lemon law filing deadlines outside TX, CA and FL
State	Deadline	Source
Georgia	State arbitration application within 12 months after the 24-month / 24,000-mile rights period ends	Georgia Consumer Protection Division
Washington	Request state arbitration within 30 months of the original retail delivery date	Washington Attorney General
Massachusetts	New or leased car: arbitration application received within 18 months of delivery to require the manufacturer’s participation	Mass.gov
New York (used cars)	Arbitration must be started within 4 years of original delivery	New York Attorney General
Virginia	18-month rights period; enforced only by the consumer’s own lawsuit	Virginia Attorney General

Is there a 30-day return period for cars?

People often confuse lemon law deadlines with return periods. No federal law gives a right to return a car, and the FTC confirms there is no federal three-day cancellation right for used cars. A few narrow state rules exist: in Massachusetts, a private-party buyer can cancel within 30 days if the seller knew about a safety or serious defect and did not disclose it, and a car that fails inspection within 7 days may qualify for a refund when repairs would exceed 10% of the price. Florida’s “30 days” refers to days out of service, not a return window.

What is the deadline under federal law?

The Magnuson-Moss Warranty Act does not contain its own limitation period. Courts usually borrow the state’s period for breach of warranty, which is why a federal warranty claim can sometimes survive after a state lemon law deadline has passed. Ask an attorney if you are close to or past your state deadline.

Deadline mistakes that cost owners their claim

Most missed deadlines come from one of these mistakes.

Counting from the purchase date of a used car. Most windows start at the first owner’s delivery.
Ignoring the mileage limit. High-mileage drivers reach it first, which moves the Texas deadline earlier.
Waiting for one more repair. File as soon as you qualify.
Assuming arbitration stops the clock. Florida extends the deadline after a certified program’s final action; check your state’s rule.

To find out if you also meet a test, check your lemon law eligibility and deadline.

Frequently asked questions

How long do I have to file a lemon law claim?

It depends on the state: 6 months after the window closes in Texas, 60 days after the 24-month rights period for Florida arbitration, and in California it depends on whether the manufacturer opted in to AB 1755.

When does the lemon law clock start?

Usually on the date the vehicle was first delivered to a consumer, not the date the defect appeared or the date a later owner bought it.

What is the Texas lemon law time limit?

You must file within 6 months after the earliest of the warranty’s end, 24 months or 24,000 miles from delivery (Tex. Occ. Code § 2301.606(d)).

What is the California lemon law time limit?

For manufacturers that opted in to AB 1755, 1 year after the express warranty ends and never more than 6 years from delivery. For other manufacturers, courts have generally applied 4 years.

Is it too late to file a lemon law claim?

Possibly not. Check your state’s exact rule with the deadline calculator, and ask an attorney about federal warranty claims, which can follow a different time limit.

Is there a 30-day lemon law in Florida?

Not as a return period. Florida’s 30 days is a repair test: a vehicle out of service for 30 or more days inside the 24-month rights period, with written notice sent once it reaches 15 days.

How long can you return a used car if it has problems?

Usually there is no automatic return period. Federal law gives no cooling-off right for car purchases. Check your contract and your state: Massachusetts, for example, has a 30-day cancellation right for hidden defects in private sales.

What happens if I miss the lemon law deadline?

The state lemon law claim may be lost, but other claims can remain, such as a breach of warranty claim under the federal Magnuson-Moss Act, which follows a different time limit. Ask an attorney quickly.

Does the lemon law clock pause while my car is being repaired?

Sometimes. California’s rule for manufacturers that opted in to AB 1755 adds repair time and up to 60 days after a pre-suit notice to the deadline. Other states do not pause it, so file on time.

Sources

Checked on October 12, 2026. Read how we verify every rule in our editorial policy.

Lemon Law Statute of Limitations: Filing Deadlines by State