The Lemon Law path, start to finish.
Florida wrote the playbook into the statute. Here is the whole route, in plain English, with the citations so you can check our work.
- 1s. 681.102
The ground rules
This section holds the definitions that decide your case. Which vehicles count: new or demonstrator vehicles, bought or leased in Florida. What a "nonconformity" is: a defect that substantially impairs the use, value, or safety of the vehicle. And the Lemon Law Rights Period: the 24 months after delivery during which you must first report the defect. If your situation fits these definitions, every remedy on this page is open to you.
- 2s. 681.104(1)
The defect notice
After three repair attempts for the same defect, or once your vehicle has been out of service for 15 or more total days, you may send the manufacturer a written Motor Vehicle Defect Notification by registered or express mail. This is a step many owners get wrong on their own: wrong form, wrong address, wrong mail service, and the clock never starts. We draft it, send it, and keep the proof.
- 3s. 681.104(1)(a)
The final repair attempt
Once the notice lands, the manufacturer has 10 days to respond and direct you to a reasonably accessible repair facility for one last attempt. After you deliver the vehicle, it gets 10 more days to actually fix the defect. Miss either window, or fail the fix, and the duty to buy the vehicle back kicks in.
- 4s. 681.104(2)
Refund or replacement
If the defect survives the final attempt, the manufacturer must repurchase the vehicle or replace it with a comparable new one, your choice. The refund covers the full purchase price, collateral charges like tax, tag, and title, and the finance charges you paid. The only deduction is a use offset for the miles you drove before the first repair attempt.
The use offset, in plain numbers
The formula: purchase price, times the miles you drove before the first repair attempt, divided by 120,000. Example: you paid $40,000 and had driven 6,000 miles when the trouble started. The offset is $40,000 x 6,000 / 120,000 = $2,000. Everything else comes back to you.
- 5Manufacturer programs
The detour: a manufacturer dispute program
Some manufacturers run a state-certified informal dispute program, and if yours does, you must go through it before the state arbitration board. It is paperwork heavy but it moves fast. We prepare the filing, build the record, and present the case so the program sees your claim at full strength.
- 6s. 681.109
The Florida New Motor Vehicle Arbitration Board
If the manufacturer still will not do the right thing, we file a Request for Arbitration through the Florida Attorney General, who screens the case for eligibility. The board hears the dispute, usually within weeks, and there is no filing fee. If the board rules for you, the manufacturer must comply within 40 days. Appeals are limited, and an appeal filed without a good reason can cost the manufacturer even more.
- 7Resolution
Settlement and payment
Many cases resolve by settlement before a hearing, though every case is different and past results do not predict future outcomes. If the claim resolves in your favor, the remedy is a refund or a replacement vehicle, and 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.
The clocks that decide everything
The Lemon Law runs on deadlines. Miss one and a strong case dies. Hit them all and the pressure flips onto the manufacturer.
24
months
to report the defect after delivery
10
days
for the manufacturer to answer the defect notice
10
days
for the final repair attempt to succeed
40
days
for the manufacturer to comply with an award
Our portal tracks every one of these clocks for you, automatically. Start your free case check.
Past results do not predict future outcomes.
Get a callback
Questions about where you are on this path? 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. Submitting this form does not create an attorney-client relationship.
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.
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