Massachusetts Lemon Law: Do You Qualify?
Under the M.G.L. c. 90 §§ 7N½ (new) and 7N¼ (used).
Massachusetts is unusual: it has two separate lemon laws. The new-car law covers defects arising within 1 year or 15,000 miles, with a 3-attempt presumption and out-of-service time counted in business days. The used-car law is one of the strongest in the country, requiring licensed dealers to give a statutory warranty on cars sold for $700 or more with fewer than 125,000 miles, and even giving limited rescission rights on private sales. If your car keeps failing the same way, you may qualify under one of them; the free checker below applies the Massachusetts rules to your answers in minutes.
Massachusetts lemon law at a glance
- Coverage window
- New cars: 1 year from delivery or 15,000 miles, whichever comes first. Used cars (dealer-sold): tiered by mileage at sale: 90 days or 3,750 miles (under 40,000 miles), 60 days or 2,500 miles (40,000 to 79,999), 30 days or 1,250 miles (80,000 to 124,999). At 125,000 miles and above, not covered.
- Repair attempts
- New cars: 3 attempts for the same defect, or 1 attempt if the defect creates a substantial risk of fire or explosion. Used cars: 3 attempts for the same defect during the statutory warranty.
- Days out of service
- New cars: 15 BUSINESS days cumulative. Used cars: 10 or more BUSINESS days cumulative. Massachusetts counts business days, not calendar days.
- Written notice
- New cars: written notice giving the manufacturer a final repair opportunity (typically 7 business days). Used cars: written notice goes to the DEALER, who owes the statutory warranty.
- Used vehicles
- Robust coverage: dealer sales of $700 or more and under 125,000 miles carry the tiered statutory warranty above. Private sellers who knew of and failed to disclose a safety or use-impairing defect face a 30-day rescission right. Auction and out-of-state purchases are excluded.
- State program
- A state-certified arbitration program run by the Office of Consumer Affairs (OCABR) exists for both laws: consumer-elective and binding on the manufacturer if elected. New-car arbitration must be filed within 18 months of delivery; used-car arbitration within 6 months of warranty expiration.
Check your Massachusetts eligibility now
Free, anonymous, and specific to Massachusetts. Answer a few questions about your vehicle and repair history to see whether you may qualify.
Massachusetts lemon law: frequently asked questions
- Does Massachusetts have a used-car lemon law?
- Yes, one of the strongest anywhere. Licensed dealers must warranty used cars sold for $700 or more with fewer than 125,000 miles, for 90 days or 3,750 miles on lower-mileage cars down to 30 days or 1,250 miles at 80,000 to 124,999 miles. Within that warranty, 3 failed attempts for the same defect or 10 business days out of service can support a refund claim against the dealer.
- What qualifies a new car as a lemon in Massachusetts?
- A defect that substantially impairs use, market value, or safety, not fixed after 3 attempts (or a single attempt for a defect creating a substantial risk of fire or explosion), or a vehicle out of service 15 cumulative business days, all within 1 year or 15,000 miles of delivery. The manufacturer then gets a written final repair opportunity, typically 7 business days.
- Am I protected if I bought from a private seller in Massachusetts?
- To a limited extent, which is rare among states. If a private seller knew of a defect that impairs safety or substantially impairs use and did not disclose it, the buyer has a right to rescind the sale within 30 days. There is no statutory repair warranty on private sales, though.
- What are the filing deadlines in Massachusetts?
- State arbitration for a new-car claim must be filed within 18 months of the original delivery; used-car arbitration within 6 months of the statutory warranty expiring. Court actions for breach of warranty carry the 4-year UCC limitations period.
- Can I get more than my money back under Chapter 93A?
- Possibly. The Massachusetts Consumer Protection Act (Chapter 93A) allows double or treble damages plus attorney fees for willful or knowing violations, and is often pleaded alongside lemon-law claims. It requires a written demand letter 30 days before suit, a step an attorney will typically handle.
Think you qualify? Estimate your refund with the Massachusetts lemon law calculator →
Statutes cited on this page
- M.G.L. c. 90 § 7N½ (Massachusetts New Motor Vehicle Arbitration / "Lemon Law")
- M.G.L. c. 90 § 7N½(3) (statutory presumption: 3 attempts / 15 business days OOS within 1 year or 15,000 miles)
- M.G.L. c. 90 § 7N¼ (Massachusetts Used Vehicle Warranty Law)
- M.G.L. c. 90 § 7N¼ (tiered statutory warranty duration by mileage at sale)
- M.G.L. c. 90 § 7N¼ (used-car statutory presumption: 3 attempts / 10 business days OOS)
- M.G.L. c. 93A § 9 (Massachusetts Consumer Protection Act: demand letter required pre-suit)
This page summarizes the statute in plain language and is not legal advice. The linked official text controls.