Your new car shouldn't live at the dealership.
If they can't fix it after a fair number of tries, Florida law says the manufacturer takes it back. Refund or replacement. We handle the whole claim, and the statute lets a consumer who prevails recover attorney fees from the manufacturer.
If there is no recovery, you owe us no attorney fee. Court costs and expenses may apply and are explained in writing before we begin.
Chapter 681, the real statute
We work the Florida Lemon Law clause by clause.
Miami based, statewide
A Brickell office representing consumers across Florida.
Se habla español
Your case handled in English or Spanish, start to finish.
No recovery, no attorney fee
If there is no recovery, you owe us no attorney fee. Court costs and expenses may apply and are explained in writing before we begin.
Is your car a lemon?
You probably already know the answer. Here's what the law actually looks for.
Same problem, three visits or more
If the dealer's tried to fix the same defect three times and it's still there, Florida law starts working in your favor.
15 or more days in the shop
Add up every day your vehicle sat at the shop for covered problems. At 15 total days, you're in Lemon Law territory.
New or demo, bought in Florida
The law covers new and demonstrator vehicles bought or leased here, reported within 24 months of delivery.
Sound familiar? The free check takes two minutes and tells you where you stand.
Run my free check
How it works
Three steps. You handle the first one, we take it from there.
- 1
Tell us about your car
Two minutes in the portal, or one phone call. A few plain questions about your vehicle and how many times it's been in for repair.
- 2
We build the record and put the manufacturer on notice
Your repair orders and contracts go into a secure portal. We send the official defect notice by registered mail, which starts the legal clocks.
- 3
Refund or replacement
The manufacturer gets one last shot at a fix. If the defect survives, we pursue your refund or a replacement vehicle under the statute. Your pick, not theirs.
What you can get back
When a claim succeeds, the statute gives you two ways out. You choose.
A refund
- The purchase price you paid
- Collateral charges like tax, tag, and title fees
- The finance charges paid so far
- Minus a use offset for the miles driven before the first repair attempt
A replacement vehicle
A comparable new vehicle, acceptable to you, with reasonably incurred collateral charges covered. The lemon goes back where it came from.
If there is no recovery, you owe us no attorney fee. Court costs and expenses may apply and are explained in writing before we begin. Past results do not predict future outcomes.
24months
to report a defect after delivery, under the Rights Period
3attempts
at the same repair before the defect notice can go out
10+10days
on the manufacturer's clocks to respond and to fix it
80+guides
in plain English on this site, free to read
Your whole case in one place. No phone tag.
Every client gets a private portal, so you always know where your case stands and what happens next.
AI case qualification
Plain-English answers about your case strength, in minutes, not weeks.
Document vault
Every repair order, contract, and notice, organized and safe in one place.
Deadline tracking
Every statutory clock, counted down for you. Nothing slips.
Status updates from the firm
Real updates from the people working your case, right in the portal.
Rafael Recalde, Esq.
Founder, Recalde Law Firm, P.A.
- 18+ years
- Florida Bar
- DC Bar
- SEC background
- English y español
The attorney reading your repair orders
Rafael Recalde has practiced law for more than 18 years, admitted in Florida and the District of Columbia. He built his career in securities and SEC matters, where the other side always has more lawyers and more patience than you do. That's roughly what it feels like to argue with a car manufacturer about a defect.
So he treats lemon claims like litigation. Repair orders get read line by line, days out of service get counted to the day, and notices go out by registered mail with proof attached. He handles cases personally, in English or Spanish.
“A lemon claim runs on paper. Your repair orders tell the story long before anyone argues about it.”
Read up before you call anyone
80+ plain-English guides to the Florida Lemon Law. No legalese, no gatekeeping.
What Is the Florida Lemon Law? Chapter 681 in Plain English
Florida's Lemon Law, Chapter 681, can require a manufacturer to refund or replace a defective new vehicle. Here is how the law works, in plain English.
6 min
Process & RightsThe Three Repair Attempts Rule: How Florida Counts Your Trips to the Shop
Florida presumes a vehicle is a lemon after three failed repair attempts for the same defect plus a final attempt. Here is how the counting really works.
6 min
SituationsBought a Bad Used Car in Florida? Your Options Beyond the Lemon Law
Florida's Lemon Law does not cover used cars, but you are not out of options. Learn how Magnuson-Moss and FDUTPA claims can help with a defective used car.
5 min read
Get a callback
Prefer a person over a portal? Leave your details and a short note about your vehicle, and someone from the firm will call you back.
- The case check is free and carries no obligation.
- Calls are handled in English or Spanish, your choice.
- Submitting this form does not create an attorney-client relationship.
Straight answers
The four questions we hear most. There are plenty more on the FAQ page.
Does the Florida Lemon Law cover used cars?
No. Chapter 681 covers new and demonstrator vehicles only. But if your used car came with a written warranty, you may have a claim under the federal Magnuson-Moss Warranty Act instead. We evaluate that path as part of the same free case check.
I leased my vehicle. Am I covered?
Yes. Leased vehicles are covered when the lease was entered in Florida and you are the one responsible for making repairs happen. The remedies work the same way: the manufacturer takes the vehicle back and you get your payments refunded, or you get a replacement.
What does this cost me?
Florida's Lemon Law allows a consumer who prevails to recover attorney fees from the manufacturer. If there is no recovery, you owe us no attorney fee. Court costs and expenses may apply and are explained in writing before we begin.
What is the 24-month Lemon Law Rights Period?
It is the clock on your rights. You must report the defect to the manufacturer or its authorized dealer within 24 months after the day you took delivery. Report it inside that window and your rights are protected, even if the rest of the fight happens later.
Stop paying for their mistake.
Two minutes. A few questions about your vehicle and its repair history. You will know where you stand before you finish your coffee.
Se habla español.