Ohio Lemon Law rules at a glance
The Ohio Lemon Law (Nonconforming New Motor Vehicles) is Ohio Rev. Code §§ 1345.71–1345.78. Ohio’s Attorney General supervises the qualified informal dispute programs that manufacturers may use.
| Rule | What Ohio law says | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Statute | Ohio Rev. Code §§ 1345.71–1345.78 | § 1345.71 |
| Vehicles covered | Passenger cars and noncommercial motor vehicles; Motor homes, except the permanently installed living facilities; Vehicles leased for 30 days or more; Vehicles transferred to you while the express warranty applies | |
| Not covered | Mobile homes, recreational vehicles and manufactured homes; Defects caused by abuse, neglect or unauthorized modification | |
| Protection window | 1 year or 18,000 miles from original delivery, whichever comes first | § 1345.73(A) |
| Serious Safety Defect Test | At least 1 repair attempt for a defect likely to cause death or serious bodily injury, and the defect continues or recurs | § 1345.73(A)(4) |
| Three Repairs Test | Substantially the same defect was repaired 3 or more times and continues or recurs | § 1345.73(A)(1) |
| 30 Days Out of Service Test | The vehicle was out of service for repair 30 or more calendar days in total | § 1345.73(A)(2) |
| Eight Repairs Test | 8 or more repair attempts for any defects | § 1345.73(A)(3) |
| Written notice | Report each defect to the manufacturer, its agent or an authorized dealer inside the first year or 18,000 miles. Writing to the manufacturer keeps a clear record. | § 1345.72(A) |
| Dispute program first? | If a qualified, Attorney General–supervised dispute program exists and you were told about it in writing, you must use it before suing (§ 1345.77(B)). | |
| Deadline | A lawsuit must be started within 5 years of original delivery; time in a qualified dispute program pauses the clock | § 1345.75(C) |
| Usage deduction | Ohio’s Lemon Law refunds the full purchase price plus incidental damages. The statute sets no deduction for the miles you drove (Ohio Rev. Code § 1345.72(B), § 1345.71(F)). |
Which Ohio repair test fits your car?
Ohio law presumes the manufacturer had a reasonable number of chances when any one of these tests is met inside the protection window (1 year or 18,000 miles from original delivery, whichever comes first):
Serious Safety Defect Test
At least 1 repair attempt for a defect likely to cause death or serious bodily injury, and the defect continues or recurs.
§ 1345.73(A)(4)Three Repairs Test
Substantially the same defect was repaired 3 or more times and continues or recurs.
§ 1345.73(A)(1)30 Days Out of Service Test
The vehicle was out of service for repair 30 or more calendar days in total.
§ 1345.73(A)(2)Eight Repairs Test
8 or more repair attempts for any defects.
§ 1345.73(A)(3)Ohio is one of the few states with a one-repair safety test and an eight-repair test that counts repairs for different defects. Repairs still have to fall inside the first year or 18,000 miles.
Notice to the manufacturer in Ohio
Report each defect to the manufacturer, its agent or an authorized dealer inside the first year or 18,000 miles. Writing to the manufacturer keeps a clear record.
Dispute program first. If a qualified, Attorney General–supervised dispute program exists and you were told about it in writing, you must use it before suing (§ 1345.77(B)).
Ohio’s 5-year limit to sue
A lawsuit must be started within 5 years of original delivery; time in a qualified dispute program pauses the clock (§ 1345.75(C)). Time spent in a qualified dispute program pauses the clock.
| Event | Date | Effect |
|---|---|---|
| Vehicle delivered | Mar 15, 2025 | The protection window starts |
| Protection window ends | March 15, 2026 | Repairs after this date do not count toward the tests |
| Sue by | March 15, 2030 | A lawsuit must be started within 5 years of original delivery; time in a qualified dispute program pauses the clock |
Five years is long compared with most states, but the repairs themselves still have to fall inside the first year or 18,000 miles.
How to file an Ohio lemon law claim
- Keep every repair orderEach one proves a repair attempt, with the date, mileage and the problem you reported.
- Report the defect in timeReport it to the manufacturer or a dealer within the first year or 18,000 miles. Repairs must continue even after that period ends.
- Check for a qualified dispute programIf your warranty booklet names an Attorney General–supervised program and you were told about it in writing, use it first.
- Choose your remedyYou decide between a replacement acceptable to you and a full refund.
- Sue if neededStart a lawsuit within 5 years of original delivery. A consumer who wins recovers reasonable attorney fees and all court costs.
Refund, replacement and the Ohio deduction for use
| Remedy | What it includes |
|---|---|
| Replacement | A new motor vehicle acceptable to you, at your option. |
| Refund | The full purchase price (including dealer options, dealer preparation, finance, credit insurance, warranty and service contract charges, sales tax and registration fees) plus incidental damages such as towing, rental, meals and lodging. The statute sets no deduction for use. |
| Attorney fees | A consumer who wins in court recovers reasonable attorney fees and all court costs (§ 1345.75(A)). |
Ohio’s Lemon Law refunds the full purchase price plus incidental damages. The statute sets no deduction for the miles you drove (Ohio Rev. Code § 1345.72(B), § 1345.71(F)).
What Ohio’s full-price refund includes
Ohio defines the “full purchase price” broadly (§ 1345.71(F)). For a sale it includes:
| Item | Included? |
|---|---|
| Contract price, transportation and undercoating | Yes |
| Dealer-installed options, accessories, services and preparation | Yes |
| Finance, credit insurance, warranty and service contract charges | Yes |
| Sales tax, license and registration fees and other government charges | Yes |
| Deduction for miles driven | Not set by the statute |
On top of that, the manufacturer refunds incidental damages: lender or lessor fees for making or cancelling the loan or lease, and costs the defect caused, such as towing, rentals, meals and lodging (§ 1345.72(B)(2)). The refund is paid jointly to you and any lienholder or lessor, who deducts what is owed and sends you the balance.
Ohio’s eight-repair rule for different defects
Most states need repeated repairs of the same defect. Ohio adds a test that counts repairs of any defects: 8 or more repair attempts inside the first year or 18,000 miles create the presumption (§ 1345.73(A)(3)). A new car with a string of unrelated faults, such as an electrical fault, a leak and a sensor failure, can qualify even if no single defect was repaired three times.
Each defect still has to be covered by the warranty and, together, they must substantially impair the vehicle’s use, value or safety.
Used cars and lessees under Ohio law
Ohio covers a person to whom the vehicle is transferred while the express warranty applies, but repairs still count only inside the first year or 18,000 miles from original delivery. Ohio’s Lemon Law depends on the manufacturer’s express warranty, so a used vehicle with no warranty left is outside it.
Ohio’s definition of consumer includes a lessee for 30 days or more and anyone the warranty lets enforce it.
To test your own dates and repair visits, check your car against Ohio’s four tests.
Ohio Lemon Law FAQs
What qualifies as a lemon in Ohio?
A new vehicle with a warranty defect that substantially impairs its use, value or safety, reported in the first year or 18,000 miles, that was repaired 3 or more times, once for a defect likely to cause death or serious injury, kept out of service 30 or more days, or repaired 8 or more times for any defects.
How long do I have to file a lemon law claim in Ohio?
A lawsuit must be started within 5 years of the vehicle’s original delivery (Ohio Rev. Code § 1345.75(C)). Time in a qualified dispute program pauses that clock.
Does Ohio’s lemon law deduct miles from the refund?
The statute itself sets no deduction for use. It requires a refund of the full purchase price, including dealer options, finance charges and taxes, plus incidental damages such as towing and rentals.
Does the Ohio lemon law cover used cars?
Only if the vehicle was transferred to you while the manufacturer’s express warranty applied, and the repairs fall inside the first year or 18,000 miles from original delivery.
Does Ohio cover RVs under the lemon law?
Motor homes are covered except their permanently installed living facilities. Recreational vehicles and mobile homes are excluded.
Sources
Checked on October 13, 2026. We re-verify Ohio rules when the legislature, the courts or the agency change them. Read how we check every rule in our editorial policy.