New Jersey Lemon Law: Do You Qualify?
Under the N.J.S.A. 56:12-29 to 56:12-49 (Motor Vehicle Warranty Act).
New Jersey gives car owners two lemon laws. The new-car law covers defects arising within 2 years or 24,000 miles of delivery, presumes a vehicle is a lemon after 3 failed repairs or 20 days out of service, and even allows a single failed repair to qualify when the defect is likely to cause death or serious bodily injury. A separate used-car law makes licensed dealers warranty most used cars under 7 model years old and 100,000 miles. If your vehicle keeps coming back unfixed, you may qualify; the free checker below applies New Jersey's rules to your answers in minutes.
New Jersey lemon law at a glance
- Coverage window
- New cars: 24 months from delivery or 24,000 miles, whichever comes first. Used cars (dealer-sold, at least $3,000, under 7 model years and 100,000 miles): 90 days or 3,000 miles (under 24,000 miles at sale), 60 days or 2,000 miles (24,000 to 59,999), 30 days or 1,000 miles (60,000 to 99,999).
- Repair attempts
- New cars: 3 attempts for the same defect, or 1 examination or repair attempt when the defect is likely to cause death or serious bodily injury if the vehicle is driven and it continues to exist. Used cars: 3 attempts for the same defect.
- Days out of service
- New cars: 20 cumulative calendar days. Used cars: 20 cumulative days during the statutory warranty period.
- Written notice
- Required: notice to the manufacturer by certified mail, return receipt requested, giving it 10 days for a final cure. The consumer may send it any time after the same defect has been in for repair twice, but the presumption itself arises at the 3rd attempt.
- Used vehicles
- Covered by a separate statute for dealer sales of $3,000 or more, less than 7 model years old and under 100,000 miles, with the tiered warranty above. Coverage is limited to statutory covered items (engine, transmission and drivetrain internally lubricated parts, and related enumerated components). Private sales and auctions are excluded.
- State program
- The NJ Division of Consumer Affairs Lemon Law Unit runs a dispute-resolution program. It is consumer-elective, not mandatory: a consumer may go directly to court.
Check your New Jersey eligibility now
Free, anonymous, and specific to New Jersey. Answer a few questions about your vehicle and repair history to see whether you may qualify.
New Jersey lemon law: frequently asked questions
- What qualifies as a lemon under the New Jersey lemon law?
- A new vehicle with a defect that substantially impairs its use, value, or safety, still unfixed after 3 repair attempts or after 20 cumulative days out of service, within 2 years or 24,000 miles of delivery. A single failed examination or repair can be enough when the defect is likely to cause death or serious bodily injury if the vehicle is driven.
- Does New Jersey have a used-car lemon law?
- Yes. Dealers must warranty used cars sold for at least $3,000 that are under 7 model years old with fewer than 100,000 miles, for 90 days or 3,000 miles down to 30 days or 1,000 miles depending on mileage at sale. Coverage is limited to statutory covered items such as the engine, transmission, and internally lubricated drivetrain parts; brakes, steering, and electrical components are not covered items.
- Do I have to send a certified-mail notice before suing?
- Yes, for the new-car law: written notice to the manufacturer by certified mail, return receipt requested, giving it a final 10-day opportunity to cure. You may send the notice any time after the second repair attempt for the same defect, though the lemon presumption itself does not arise until the third.
- What can I recover under the New Jersey lemon law?
- A qualifying consumer elects between a refund of the purchase price plus collateral charges, minus a reasonable use offset, and a replacement vehicle. Attorney fees are recoverable, and the separate Consumer Fraud Act can add treble damages for unconscionable practices.
- How long do I have to file in New Jersey?
- Civil warranty actions carry the 4-year UCC statute of limitations, accruing at tender of delivery. There is no 90-day post-warranty filing deadline anywhere in New Jersey lemon law; for the Division of Consumer Affairs program, the operative eligibility limit is the 2-year / 24,000-mile term of protection.
Think you qualify? Estimate your refund with the New Jersey lemon law calculator →
Statutes cited on this page
- N.J. Stat. Ann. § 56:12-29 et seq. (New Jersey Motor Vehicle Warranty Act / "Lemon Law")
- N.J. Stat. Ann. § 56:12-33 (Statutory presumption: three same-defect repair attempts OR 20 cumulative days out of service)
- N.J. Stat. Ann. § 56:12-33(a)(3) (Statutory presumption: ONE repair attempt for a serious-safety nonconformity likely to cause death or serious bodily injury)
- N.J. Stat. Ann. § 56:12-33(b) (Manufacturer notice requirement: certified mail, return receipt requested, with 10-day final-cure opportunity)
- N.J. Stat. Ann. § 56:8-67 et seq. (New Jersey Used Car Lemon Law)
- N.J. Stat. Ann. § 56:8-69 (Tiered statutory dealer warranty periods by mileage at sale: 90/3,000, 60/2,000, 30/1,000)
- N.J. Stat. Ann. § 56:8-67 (Used Car Lemon Law "covered item" definition: engine, transmission/transfer case, and front/rear drivetrain internally lubricated parts, plus enumerated seals/gaskets/mounts, water pump, axle and propeller shafts, CV and U-joints, and bearings; mirrored in N.J.A.C. 13:45A-26F.2)
This page summarizes the statute in plain language and is not legal advice. The linked official text controls.