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The federal lemon law: Magnuson-Moss
There is no federal law named a lemon law. The Magnuson-Moss Warranty Act (15 U.S.C. 2301 to 2312) is the federal warranty law people call that. It covers any consumer product sold with a written warranty, used cars, motorcycles, RVs and boats included. It lets you sue a maker or dealer that does not honor its warranty, keeps the implied warranties in place when a written one is given, and lets the court make the losing warrantor pay your lawyer.
What the federal law does
- Lets you sue for a broken warranty, written or implied, in state or federal court.
- Makes the warrantor pay your lawyer if you win.
“may be allowed by the court to recover as part of the judgment a sum equal to the aggregate amount of cost and expenses (including attorneys’ fees based on actual time expended)”
Magnuson-Moss Warranty Act, 15 U.S.C. § 2310(d)(2) - Keeps the implied warranties when a seller gives a written warranty or sells a service contract.
“No supplier may disclaim or modify (except as provided in subsection (b)) any implied warranty to a consumer with respect to such consumer product if (1) such supplier makes any written warranty to the consumer”
Magnuson-Moss Warranty Act, 15 U.S.C. § 2308 - A refund or replacement under a full warranty, after a reasonable number of repair attempts.
“such warrantor must permit the consumer to elect either a refund for, or replacement without charge of, such product or part”
Magnuson-Moss Warranty Act, 15 U.S.C. § 2304
Most new car warranties are labeled "limited", not "full", so the refund rule above rarely applies to cars. That is where the state lemon laws come in: they set the refund for new cars in numbers.
Federal law and your state's lemon law
| State lemon law | Magnuson-Moss | |
|---|---|---|
| Covers | New vehicles, in some states used and leased ones | Any consumer product with a written warranty |
| When | The protection period, 12 to 36 months | As long as the warranty runs |
| What you get | A buyback or replacement, set in numbers | Damages for the broken warranty; a refund only under a full warranty |
| Lawyer fees | Most states make the maker pay | The court can make the warrantor pay |
You can often use both. In Alaska, Illinois, Kansas, North Dakota, Nevada, Texas, where the lemon law has no fee rule, the federal law is how a winning owner gets fees paid.
Dispute programs first, if the warranty says so
If the warranty sets up a dispute program that follows the FTC's rules and requires you to use it, you must try it before suing under the federal law:
“resort to such procedure before pursuing any legal remedy under this section respecting such warranty”
Magnuson-Moss Warranty Act, 15 U.S.C. § 2310(a)(3)
Its decision does not bind you. If you do not accept it, you can still go to court.
“Decisions of the Mechanism shall not be legally binding on any person.”
FTC Rule 703, 16 C.F.R. § 703.5(j)
Questions people ask
Is the lemon law a federal law?
No. Each state has its own lemon law. The federal Magnuson-Moss Warranty Act is a warranty law that works beside them, and people often call it the federal lemon law.
Does the federal lemon law cover used cars?
Yes, when the used car comes with a written warranty or a service contract: the federal law then keeps the implied warranties in place and lets you sue if the warranty is not honored. A car sold as is has no warranty to enforce.
Does Magnuson-Moss cover boats, motorcycles and RVs?
Yes, it covers any consumer product sold with a written warranty. Many state lemon laws leave these out, so the federal law is often the main route.
Who pays the lawyer in a Magnuson-Moss case?
If you win, the court can add your lawyer fees and costs to the judgment, paid by the warrantor.
Sources
- Magnuson-Moss Warranty Act, 15 U.S.C. § 2304 (law.cornell.edu)
- Magnuson-Moss Warranty Act, 15 U.S.C. § 2308 (law.cornell.edu)
- Magnuson-Moss Warranty Act, 15 U.S.C. § 2310(d)(2) (law.cornell.edu)
- FTC Rule 703, 16 C.F.R. § 703.5(d) (law.cornell.edu)
- Each state's lemon law, quoted and linked on its state guide.
Quotes are copied from the page they link to, checked October 26, 2026.
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