Lemon law in Idaho

At a glance

Who qualifies

Which vehicles

New vehicles bought or licensed in Idaho that weigh 12,000 pounds or less and are used mainly for personal, family, household, or personal business purposes. Motorcycles, farm tractors, trailers, and ATVs are not covered.

“The lemon law does not apply to motorcycles, farm tractors, trailers or ATVs.”

ag.idaho.gov

Repair attempts

The car is presumed a lemon if the same defect has been repaired four or more times within the protection period and still exists.

“The manufacturer has made four or more attempts to repair the same defect, but is unsuccessful.”

ag.idaho.gov

Serious safety defects

If a defect causes a complete failure of the brakes or steering and is likely to cause death or serious injury, one failed repair attempt is enough for the presumption.

“One unsuccessful repair attempt results in the complete failure of the steering or braking system”

ag.idaho.gov

Days out of service

The car is presumed a lemon if repairs keep it out of service for a total of 30 or more business days during the protection period.

“Repairs have made the vehicle unavailable for 30 or more business days.”

ag.idaho.gov

Used vehicles

This law covers new vehicles. A person to whom a new vehicle is transferred while the manufacturer's warranty still applies counts as a consumer.

“or a person to whom the new motor vehicle is transferred for the same purposes during the duration of an express warranty applicable to the motor vehicle.”

legislature.idaho.gov

Leased vehicles

Yes. People who lease a new vehicle have the same rights, but they get a refund instead of a replacement vehicle.

“If you lease the vehicle, you are not entitled to a replacement vehicle.”

ag.idaho.gov

Deadlines

Protection period

The defect must be reported within the warranty term, 2 years after delivery, or 24,000 miles, whichever comes first.

“Immediately report any defect to the manufacturer or authorized dealer because the lemon law only covers your vehicle until one of three events occurs.”

ag.idaho.gov

Time limit to file

A lawsuit must be filed within 3 years after the vehicle was delivered. If the owner used arbitration first, an appeal of the decision must be filed within 3 months of the decision.

“However, you must file it within three years of the vehicle's delivery date.”

ag.idaho.gov

Steps

1. Keep every repair order. Each visit to the dealer should give you a work order with the date, the mileage, what you reported and what they did. Ask for one every time, even when they find nothing. These papers are your case.
2. Check the dates. The defect must be reported within the warranty term, 2 years after delivery, or 24,000 miles, whichever comes first. A lawsuit must be filed within 3 years after the vehicle was delivered. If the owner used arbitration first, an appeal of the decision must be filed within 3 months of the decision.
3. Tell the manufacturer in writing. The law asks for written notice. See written notice below.
4. Use the dispute program if one is required. See arbitration below for whether you must go there before court.
5. Ask for a refund or a replacement, or file. Send the letter, then file before the time limit if the manufacturer will not buy the vehicle back or replace it.

Written notice

Yes. The owner must notify the manufacturer or dealer in writing at least once and give the manufacturer one chance to fix the defect. The Attorney General suggests certified mail with return receipt.

“You must first notify the manufacturer or authorized dealer, in writing, of the problem.”

ag.idaho.gov

Arbitration

Manufacturers must offer an arbitration program located in Idaho, and if the manufacturer requires it, the owner must use it before suing. The decision is not binding unless both sides agree. Idaho has no state-run arbitration program.

“If the manufacturer requires it, consumers must arbitrate their disputes before they file a lawsuit.”

ag.idaho.gov

What you get

The manufacturer must replace the car or refund the price paid, up to 105% of the sticker price, plus sales tax, license and registration fees, and towing and rental costs, minus a use allowance based on miles driven. The owner may choose a refund instead of a replacement.

“the full purchase price of the vehicle, not to exceed 105% of the manufacturer's suggested retail price;”

ag.idaho.gov

Do it yourself

You can bring a lemon law claim without a lawyer. It takes letters, records and patience. The usual route:

1. Put your repair orders in date order and count the attempts and the days out of service.
2. Send the manufacturer the letter below, by a tracked method, to the address in your owner's manual or warranty booklet.
3. If it offers a final repair, let it try within the time the law gives it.
4. If it refuses or does not answer, file with the manufacturer's dispute program or the state program (Idaho Office of the Attorney General, Consumer Protection Division), then court if you need to.
5. Do not sell or trade in the vehicle while the claim is open.

[Your name]
[Your address]
[Date]

[Manufacturer name]
[Address from your owner's manual or warranty booklet]

Re: Lemon law claim, [year make model], VIN [VIN]

I bought (or leased) this vehicle on [date] from [dealer], in Idaho. It has a defect that the dealer has not been able to fix: [describe it in one or two sentences].

It has been in for repair of this defect [number] times, on [dates], and out of service for a total of [number] days. Copies of the repair orders are enclosed.

Under New Motor Vehicle Warranties: Manufacturer's Duty to Repair, Refund or Replace (Idaho Lemon Law) (Idaho Code §§ 48-901 to 48-913), I ask you to repurchase or replace the vehicle. Please reply in writing within 15 days. I can bring the vehicle in for a final repair attempt if the law gives you one.

[Your name]
[Phone and email]

What a buyback pays in Idaho

The law asks for a reasonable allowance for your use without a fixed formula. Makers and courts often use the one several states write into law: the price times the miles driven before the first repair visit for the defect, divided by 120,000. For a $40,000 car with 6,000 miles at the first repair and 15,000 now, that is about $2,000.

Estimate your buyback

Questions people ask about Idaho's lemon law

Find a Idaho lemon law lawyer

An owner who sues under this law can recover court costs and reasonable attorney fees for the lawsuit, but not attorney fees spent on arbitration.

“Any consumer injured by a violation of this chapter may bring a civil action to enforce this chapter and recover costs and disbursements, including reasonable attorney's fees incurred in the civil action.”

legislature.idaho.gov

Because the manufacturer usually pays the lawyer's fees when you win, most lemon law lawyers charge you nothing up front. A lawyer also knows what the manufacturer offers in cases like yours and what the use deduction should be.

Send the free case check below and we find a lemon law firm that takes Idaho cases like yours. The firm contacts you, and you decide whether to hire them.

Sources

• Idaho Code §§ 48-901 to 48-913, New Motor Vehicle Warranties: Manufacturer's Duty to Repair, Refund or Replace (Idaho Lemon Law)
• Idaho Office of the Attorney General, Consumer Protection Division
• Magnuson-Moss Warranty Act, 15 U.S.C. § 2310, the federal warranty law that also lets owners recover attorney fees.

Each quote above is copied from the page it links to, checked 2026-10-26. If a page has moved, the citation still finds the law.