Ohio Lemon Law: Do You Qualify?
Under the Ohio Rev. Code §§ 1345.71-1345.78 (Ohio Lemon Law).
Ohio's lemon law covers new vehicles purchased or leased in Ohio, with some of the most consumer-friendly triggers in the country: a single failed repair attempt is enough for a defect likely to cause death or serious bodily injury, and 8 total repair attempts across any combination of problems also qualify. The presumption window is the first year or 18,000 miles, and Ohio's 5-year deadline to sue is among the longest anywhere. If your car keeps coming back from the shop unfixed, you may qualify; the free checker below applies Ohio's rules to your answers in minutes.
Ohio lemon law at a glance
- Coverage window
- 1 year from delivery or 18,000 miles, whichever comes first (or the express warranty period if it ends earlier).
- Repair attempts
- 3 attempts for the same defect, or just 1 attempt for a defect likely to cause death or serious bodily injury, or 8 total attempts for any combination of defects.
- Days out of service
- 30 cumulative calendar days out of service.
- Written notice
- Written notification to the manufacturer is required after the repair-attempt threshold, before filing suit or invoking the presumption. Certified mail is best practice.
- Used vehicles
- Not covered by the lemon law. Used-car protections come through the Consumer Sales Practices Act and the federal Magnuson-Moss Warranty Act. Out-of-state purchases are also generally excluded.
Check your Ohio eligibility now
Free, anonymous, and specific to Ohio. Answer a few questions about your vehicle and repair history to see whether you may qualify.
Ohio lemon law: frequently asked questions
- How many repair attempts does the Ohio lemon law require?
- Three for the same defect within the first year or 18,000 miles. Ohio also has two unusual extra triggers: a single attempt suffices when the defect is likely to cause death or serious bodily injury, and 8 total attempts across any combination of defects also create the presumption.
- How long do I have to sue under the Ohio lemon law?
- Five years from the original delivery of the vehicle, one of the longest lemon-law limitation periods in the country. The 1-year / 18,000-mile figures define the presumption window, not the filing deadline.
- Does the Ohio lemon law cover used or out-of-state vehicles?
- No. The lemon law covers new vehicles purchased or leased in Ohio; used vehicles fall outside it, and out-of-state purchases are generally not covered even if the car is later registered in Ohio. The Consumer Sales Practices Act and Magnuson-Moss are the usual backstops.
- What can I recover if my car qualifies in Ohio?
- A qualifying consumer elects between a refund of the full purchase price plus collateral and incidental costs, minus a reasonable use offset, and a replacement vehicle. A prevailing consumer can recover attorney fees, and knowing violations of the Consumer Sales Practices Act can add treble damages.
Think you qualify? Estimate your refund with the Ohio lemon law calculator →
Statutes cited on this page
- Ohio Rev. Code § 1345.72 (Duty of manufacturer to repair nonconformity)
- ORC 1345.73 (eligibility window: "the period of one year following the date of original delivery or during the first eighteen thousand miles of operation, whichever is earlier")
- Ohio Rev. Code § 1345.73 (Reasonable number of repair attempts presumption)
- Ohio Rev. Code § 1302.98 (Ohio UCC § 2-725 statute of limitations for breach of warranty)
This page summarizes the statute in plain language and is not legal advice. The linked official text controls.