Florida Lemon Law Buyback Calculator

How the Florida buyback is calculated

Under the Florida Motor Vehicle Warranty Enforcement Act.

• Your refund starts with the full purchase price and adds collateral charges: sales tax, title, registration and government fees, dealer doc fees, earned finance charges, and manufacturer- or dealer-installed options.
• A single deduction applies: the "reasonable offset for use." Florida multiplies the base selling price (taxes and fees excluded) by your consumer miles, then divides by 120,000 (or 60,000 for a recreational vehicle).
• Florida is unusual: those miles are counted up to the date of your settlement or arbitration hearing, not up to your first repair attempt. The longer your case drags on, the bigger the offset and the smaller your recovery, so delay costs you money.
• Sales tax, title, and registration fees are refunded in full, but they are left out of the offset calculation. That nuance keeps more money in your pocket.
• If a manufacturer appeals an arbitration award in bad faith, a court must double, and may triple, the total award (up to 3x), plus $25 per day for every day past the 40-day compliance deadline.

Florida lemon law: frequently asked questions

How much can I recover under the Florida lemon law?

Most buybacks return close to what you paid, minus the mileage offset for use. On a $35,000 vehicle with about 12,000 of your own miles, the offset is roughly $35,000 x 12,000 / 120,000, or about $3,500, leaving an estimated $31,500 plus refunded taxes, fees, and finance charges. Your actual number depends on your mileage, price, and documented costs, so treat the calculator result as an estimate.

Why does Florida's mileage rule punish me for waiting?

Florida counts the miles you put on the car up to your settlement or arbitration hearing, whichever comes first, not up to your first repair attempt like some other states. Because every mile you drive while the case is open increases the offset, the longer you wait the more is subtracted from your refund. Filing promptly protects the size of your recovery.

What is the Florida New Motor Vehicle Arbitration Board?

It is a free, state-run board administered by the Attorney General that decides lemon law disputes using the statutory refund formula. If your manufacturer has a certified program, you generally must try it first before going to the Board. The Board does not award attorney fees in its own decision, which is one reason many consumers represent themselves there.

Do I have to pay the attorney out of my recovery?

In a Florida civil action or in confirming a Board award, a prevailing consumer can recover reasonable attorney fees and costs from the manufacturer, so the fees do not have to come out of your refund. In arbitration before the Board itself, attorney fees are not part of the award. Ask any lawyer how fees are handled before you sign.

How long does a Florida lemon law claim take?

Once a buyback is ordered, the manufacturer generally has 40 days to comply, and missing that deadline triggers $25-per-day continuing damages in court enforcement. The time to reach a decision varies with the certified-program step, the Board hearing schedule, and any manufacturer appeal. Because your mileage keeps accruing against you until settlement or hearing, moving quickly is in your interest.