Lemon law in Washington

At a glance

Who qualifies

Which vehicles

New cars, trucks, and motorcycles bought or leased from a dealer in Washington are covered, plus the driving part of a motor home. Trucks with a gross vehicle weight rating of 19,000 pounds or more and business fleets of 10 or more vehicles are not covered.

“The term "new motor vehicle" does not include trucks with nineteen thousand pounds or more gross vehicle weight rating.”

app.leg.wa.gov

Repair attempts

The same defect has been in for diagnosis or repair four or more times, at least once during the manufacturer's written warranty, and it is still there.

“the same nonconformity has been subject to diagnosis or repair four or more times, at least one of which is during the period of coverage of the applicable manufacturer's written warranty, and the nonconformity continues to exist”

app.leg.wa.gov

Serious safety defects

For a serious safety defect, two or more repair attempts are enough, at least one during the written warranty. Two different serious safety defects each repaired at least once within 12 months also qualify.

“The same serious safety defect has been subject to diagnosis or repair two or more times, at least one of which is during the period of coverage of the applicable manufacturer's written warranty, and the serious safety defect continues to exist”

app.leg.wa.gov

Days out of service

The car has been out of service for repairs a total of 30 calendar days, with at least 15 of them during the manufacturer's written warranty. Motor homes have a separate 60 day rule.

“the vehicle is out of service by reason of diagnosis or repair of one or more nonconformities for a cumulative total of thirty calendar days, at least fifteen of them during the period of the applicable manufacturer's written warranty”

app.leg.wa.gov

Used vehicles

Washington has no separate used car lemon law. A later owner who gets the vehicle within the eligibility period, still under the manufacturer's warranty, keeps the same rights.

“"Subsequent transferee" means a consumer who acquires a motor vehicle, within the eligibility period, as defined in this section, with an applicable manufacturer's written warranty”

app.leg.wa.gov

Leased vehicles

Yes. Leased new vehicles are covered, and a buyback of a leased vehicle refunds the lease payments and related charges.

“"Consumer" means any person who has entered into an agreement or contract for the transfer, lease, or purchase of a new motor vehicle, other than for purposes of resale or sublease”

app.leg.wa.gov

Deadlines

Protection period

Two years after the original delivery or the first 24,000 miles, whichever comes first.

“"Eligibility period" means the period ending two years after the date of the original delivery to the consumer of a new motor vehicle, or the first twenty-four thousand miles of operation, whichever occurs first.”

app.leg.wa.gov

Time limit to file

You must request state arbitration within 30 months of the date the vehicle was first delivered to you.

“Manufacturers shall submit to arbitration if such arbitration is requested by the consumer within thirty months from the date of the original delivery of the new motor vehicle to a consumer at retail”

app.leg.wa.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. Two years after the original delivery or the first 24,000 miles, whichever comes first. You must request state arbitration within 30 months of the date the vehicle was first delivered to you.
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

You must send a written request for a buyback or replacement to the manufacturer, which then has 40 calendar days to act. Motor home owners must also give written notice that allows the manufacturers a final repair attempt.

“the manufacturer, within forty calendar days of a consumer's written request to the manufacturer's corporate, dispute resolution, zone, or regional office address shall, at the option of the consumer, replace or repurchase the new motor vehicle.”

app.leg.wa.gov

Arbitration

The Attorney General's Office runs a free state arbitration program. Using a manufacturer's own dispute program first is optional, and either side can ask for a new trial in superior court after the arbitration decision.

“The law allows the owner to request an arbitration hearing through the Attorney General's Office. There will be no charge for the arbitration process.”

atg.wa.gov

What you get

You choose a replacement or a buyback. A buyback refunds the purchase price, collateral charges, and incidental costs, minus a use offset based on the miles driven before the first repair attempt (purchase price times miles, divided by 120,000 for most vehicles).

“When repurchasing the new motor vehicle, the manufacturer shall refund to the consumer the purchase price, all collateral charges, and incidental costs, less a reasonable offset for use.”

app.leg.wa.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 (Washington State Office of the Attorney General, Lemon Law Administration), 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 Washington. 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 Motor Vehicle Warranties Act (Lemon Law) (Wash. Rev. Code ch. 19.118 (RCW 19.118.021 through 19.118.170)), 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 Washington

The refund is reduced for your use of the car: 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 Washington's lemon law

Find a Washington lemon law lawyer

Yes. If you win when the arbitration decision goes to superior court, you recover attorney fees and costs. The arbitration board also awards attorney fees in some cases where the manufacturer used a lawyer.

“If the consumer prevails, recovery shall include the monetary value of the award, attorneys' fees and costs incurred in the superior court action”

app.leg.wa.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 Washington cases like yours. The firm contacts you, and you decide whether to hire them.

Sources

• Wash. Rev. Code ch. 19.118 (RCW 19.118.021 through 19.118.170), Motor Vehicle Warranties Act (Lemon Law)
• Washington State Office of the Attorney General, Lemon Law Administration
• 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.