Florida lemon law arbitration: what to expect (2026)

Florida doesn't send lemon cases to regular court first — they go to the Florida New Motor Vehicle Arbitration Board, run by the Attorney General's office. No attorney is required. Here's how it works, according to the Attorney General's office. Last reviewed September 30, 2026.

Which forum first: certified program or the Board?

You go to the manufacturer's state-certified program first — but only if the manufacturer had a certified program when you bought or leased and the warranty materials explained how to file with it. ("State-certified" means it meets state and federal requirements — it is not run by the state.) You move to the Arbitration Board if the manufacturer has no certified program, the program fails to decide within 40 days, or you're unsatisfied with the decision or the manufacturer's compliance. A manufacturer may not appeal its own program's decision. Lemon Law Hotline: 1-800-321-5366 (850-414-3500 outside Florida).

The AG's eligibility screening

You file a Request for Arbitration with the AG's office. The Lemon Law Arbitration Division screens every request for eligibility first. Incomplete requests get a deadline to supplement; fraudulent or out-of-scope claims are rejected with notice to both parties. The AG's materials state no consumer filing fee for arbitration.

Who decides: the 3-member panel

Hearings are decided by panels of 3 members appointed by the Attorney General — one member may have auto-mechanics knowledge. AG lawyers advise the board, but the AG represents neither party. Hearings happen on weekdays during business hours at the AG's offices (Tallahassee, Tampa, Fort Lauderdale), in a location as convenient as possible for the consumer. Hearings are open to the public and conducted in English.

The hearing: informal by design

• No technical rules of evidence — bring your documents and tell your story plainly;
• No attorney required — both sides may bring one at their own expense;
• Testimony under oath, with cross-examination allowed;
• The board may inspect and test-drive your vehicle — bring it in the condition that shows the defect;
• Bring every repair order, your certified/registered/express-mail notice proof, correspondence, and your days-out-of-service log.

The two-part hearing: lemon first, remedy second

The hearing has two parts. First, the panel decides whether the vehicle is a lemon — did the defect substantially impair use, value, or safety, and were a reasonable number of repair attempts made (the 3-attempt or 30-day tests). Only then does it decide the remedy and the amounts: purchase-price refund or replacement vehicle.

The decision — and what happens next

The decision is generally announced verbally at the close of the hearing, with a written decision mailed by the AG's office afterward. If nobody appeals, the manufacturer must comply within 40 days of receiving the written decision. An appeal goes to Circuit Court within 30 days after receipt of the written decision — and that appeal is a trial de novo (a fresh trial, not a review of the arbitration).

Important: the defect notice is not the claim

The Attorney General's office states this explicitly: filing a copy of your Motor Vehicle Defect Notification with the AG's Lemon Law Arbitration Division is NOT the equivalent of filing a claim — it's one of the steps toward becoming eligible to file. Your claim is the Request for Arbitration — the defect notice alone doesn't start it. Keep the two straight, and watch the filing deadline (60 days after the 24-month rights period, or 30 days after a certified program's final action, whichever is later).

Full Florida process: Florida lemon law arbitration guide →

Sources: FL AG — How the Florida Lemon Law Works · FL AG — Hearings Before the Arbitration Board · Fla. Stat. § 681.104 · Fla. Stat. § 681.109