Maryland Lemon Law: How to File a Claim

Maryland's lemon law is Md. Code, Commercial Law §§ 14-1501–14-1504. It covers new vehicles registered in Maryland. Within the warranty period (18,000 miles or 24 months): 4+ repairs of one defect, 30+ days out of service, or a braking or steering failure one repair did not fix. Claims start with certified-mail notice, then Attorney General mediation or court.

The complete, plain-English walkthrough — built from Md. Code, Commercial Law §§ 14-1501 to 14-1504 and the Maryland Attorney General's Lemon Law pages, not law-firm marketing. Last reviewed: October 2026.

Maryland lemon law at a glance

• The law: Md. Code, Commercial Law §§ 14-1501 to 14-1504 (Title 14, Subtitle 15), plus § 14-1502.1, which requires dealers to hand you a plain-language notice of your rights at sale.
• Who helps with complaints: the Consumer Protection Division (CPD) of the Attorney General's Office offers informal mediation. It is not a hearing board and does not decide cases.
• Warranty period: the earlier of the vehicle's first 18,000 miles of operation or 24 months following original delivery (§ 14-1501(e)). The defect must be reported, and the repair tests are measured, inside this period.
• The three tests: the same defect repaired 4 or more times and still present; 30 or more cumulative days out of service; or a brake or steering failure repaired at least once that still does not meet Maryland's safety inspection laws (§ 14-1502(d)).
• The notice step: written notice to the manufacturer or factory branch by certified mail, return receipt requested, during the warranty period. Corrections are due within 30 days of the manufacturer's receipt of your notice (§ 14-1502(b)).
• The remedy: at your option — a comparable replacement vehicle acceptable to you, or a refund of the full purchase price including license, registration, and similar governmental charges, less a reasonable use allowance capped at 15% of the purchase price and a reasonable allowance for non-wear damage (§ 14-1502(c)).
• The suit deadline: an action must be commenced within 3 years of original delivery (§ 14-1502(k)).
• Questions: Consumer Protection Division — main number 410-576-6300, Consumer Hotline 410-528-8662, toll-free 1-888-743-0023.

What vehicles are covered

Maryland's lemon law covers a new motor vehicle that is registered in Maryland as one of these classes (§ 14-1501(f)):

• Class A (passenger) vehicles;
• Class D (motorcycle) vehicles;
• Class E (truck) vehicles with a 3/4 ton or less manufacturer's rated capacity;
• Class M (multipurpose) vehicles.

A "consumer" is the purchaser of a new motor vehicle, other than for purposes of resale; any person the vehicle is transferred to during the warranty; or any other person entitled to enforce the warranty's obligations (§ 14-1501(b)). You do not have to be the first owner — see Used vehicles and second owners below.

• Motorcycles: covered on the same terms as cars. The subtitle states no engine-size threshold and no motorcycle-specific test — the same notice, tests, and remedies apply.
• Motor homes: not covered. The statute states that "motor vehicle" does not include a motor home (§ 14-1501(f)(2)).
• Trucks over 3/4 ton rated capacity: not within the Class E definition above.
• Fleet purchases: the subtitle does not apply to a fleet purchase of five or more motor vehicles (§ 14-1502(m)).
• Leases: the Attorney General's published position is that the Lemon Law "applies to new or leased cars, light trucks, and motorcycles registered in Maryland that are less than 24 months old and have fewer than 18,000 miles." (The statute's consumer definition is written in purchaser and transferee terms and does not itself use the word "lessee.")

What counts as a defect. The standard is a defect or condition that substantially impairs the use and market value of the vehicle to the consumer (§ 14-1502(c)(1)) — note that Maryland's wording is "use and market value," not the "use, value, or safety" formula used in some other states. It is an affirmative defense for the manufacturer that the problem does not substantially impair the use and market value of the vehicle, or that it results from abuse, neglect, or unauthorized modifications or alterations (§ 14-1502(c)(3)). Any agreement in your purchase paperwork that waives, limits, or disclaims your § 14-1502 rights is void (§ 14-1502(j)(1)).

The warranty period is the earlier of the vehicle's first 18,000 miles of operation or 24 months following the date of original delivery to the consumer (§ 14-1501(e)). That definition does not extend any manufacturer's express warranty. "Warranty" in this subtitle means the warranties defined in §§ 2-312, 2-313, 2-314, and 2-315 of the Commercial Law Article — title, express, implied warranty of merchantability, and fitness — so the Act is not limited to what is in the manufacturer's written warranty booklet. One more detail from the statute: if the manufacturer's warranty period is to include miles driven while the vehicle is in someone else's possession, the manufacturer must state that fact in 12-point boldface type in its written warranty (§ 14-1502(a)).

The three tests

It is presumed that a reasonable number of repair attempts have been made if any one of these three tests is met, with the attempts and days counted within the warranty period (§ 14-1502(d)):

1. Four-times test (same defect)

The same nonconformity, defect, or condition has been subject to repair 4 or more times by the manufacturer or factory branch, or its agents or authorized dealers, and it continues to exist. Different defects don't combine under this test.

2. 30-day test (out of service)

The vehicle is out of service by reason of repair of one or more nonconformities for a cumulative total of 30 or more days during the warranty period. The statute says "days," unqualified — it does not limit the count to business days — and the days need not be consecutive. Different defects can combine here.

3. Brake or steering failure test

A nonconformity resulting in failure of the braking or steering system has been subject to the same repair at least once within the warranty period, the manufacturer has been notified and given the opportunity to cure, and the repair does not bring the vehicle into compliance with Maryland's motor vehicle safety inspection laws.

The Attorney General states the same three tests in plain language, each tied to the "substantially impairs the use and market value" standard. Two things worth knowing while you count: first, your dealer has its own statutory duty — within 7 days of the vehicle being delivered to the same dealer for a fourth repair of the same nonconformity, or reaching 20 cumulative days out of service, the dealer must notify the manufacturer by certified mail, with a copy to the Motor Vehicle Administration. The dealer's failure to send that notice does not affect your rights (§ 14-1502(f)(1)). Second, you do not have to wait until a test is met before giving the written notice described next — the Attorney General advises writing as soon as you suspect the vehicle is a lemon.

Step 1: certified-mail notice and the 30-day cure

Maryland's process starts with a letter, and the statute prescribes exactly how it must be sent. If your vehicle does not conform to all applicable warranties during the warranty period, you shall, during that period, report the nonconformity by giving written notice to the manufacturer or factory branch by certified mail, return receipt requested (§ 14-1502(b)(1)). Notice of this procedure must be conspicuously disclosed to you in writing at the time of sale or delivery.

Write early. The Attorney General's advice is direct: if you suspect your car is a lemon — for example, the dealer has tried once or twice unsuccessfully to repair a problem you believe substantially impairs the use and market value of the vehicle — "you should write to the manufacturer immediately. You do not need to wait until the dealer has made the four repair attempts, or until the car has been out of service for 30 days." The notice matters for every route in this guide: it starts the cure clock below, and for the brake/steering test, notice plus an opportunity to cure is part of the test itself.

The Attorney General's instructions for the letter: notify the manufacturer in writing, include the year, make, model, and Vehicle Identification Number (VIN) of your car, enclose copies of repair orders from the dealer's attempts to repair the vehicle, and send the letter by certified mail, return receipt requested. The AG publishes three sample letters for this process: Sample Letter A (notifying the manufacturer of ongoing problems), Sample Letter B (first contact where the vehicle is a "lemon," requesting repurchase or replacement), and Sample Letter C (a follow-up after prior notice). Keep your certified-mail receipt and the signed return receipt — the cure clock runs from receipt, and those documents are how you prove the date. The LemonLawPath $29 packet includes a draft of this notice letter.

What the notice obliges. You must provide an opportunity for the manufacturer or factory branch, or its agent, to cure the nonconformity (§ 14-1502(b)(2)). The manufacturer or factory branch, its agent, or its authorized dealer must then correct the nonconformity at no charge to you — even if the repairs are made after the warranty period expires — and the corrections must be completed within 30 days of the manufacturer's receipt of your notification (§ 14-1502(b)(3)). The Attorney General states the same rule: a dealer or manufacturer must correct a defect within 30 days after the consumer writes to the manufacturer by certified mail.

Keep the record as you go. Every test in this guide is counted from repair orders and dates, so log each visit when it happens — date in, date out, what was attempted, what the invoice says — in the free repair log. One document you should already hold: the dealer that sold you a new vehicle in Maryland was required to give you, at the time of sale or delivery, a copy of the plain-language rights notice the Motor Vehicle Administration developed under § 14-1502.1 — keep it with your purchase paperwork.

Step 2: your routes — manufacturer procedure, AG mediation, or court

If the manufacturer cannot repair a defect that substantially impairs the use and market value of the vehicle after a reasonable number of attempts, § 14-1502(c) gives you the replacement-or-refund remedy described under Remedies below — and the choice between them is yours. Maryland has no state arbitration board for lemon law cases and no required first step: the subtitle names three routes, and none of them has to be exhausted before court.

Route 1: the manufacturer's own dispute procedure (optional)

If the manufacturer or factory branch has established an informal dispute settlement procedure that complies with the federal rule, 16 CFR Part 703, you may resort to it before § 14-1502(c) applies — the statute's word is "may," and it is your choice, never a prerequisite (§ 14-1502(i)(1)). Using it cannot cut off your other rights: a consumer who has resorted to an informal dispute settlement procedure "may not be precluded from seeking the rights or remedies available by law" (§ 14-1502(i)(2)). The Attorney General adds that manufacturer arbitration "is an optional procedure; whether or not you use it is your choice. The decision of the arbitrator is binding only on the manufacturer, not the consumer. If you are not satisfied with the arbitrator's decision, you may still file a lawsuit against the manufacturer and take your case to court." Our manufacturer dispute programs guide explains how these programs work in general.

Route 2: a Consumer Protection Division complaint (informal mediation)

If the manufacturer refuses to provide a replacement vehicle or refund, or you need help negotiating the refund price, the Attorney General says you may file a complaint with the Consumer Protection Division, which will contact the manufacturer to assist in the negotiations. The AG's process step: send a copy of your notice letter to the Consumer Protection Division with a completed complaint form. The Division accepts the "New Car Warranty (Lemon Law)" complaint form for new cars, light trucks, and motorcycles less than 24 months old with fewer than 18,000 miles; filing online through the AG's complaint portal is recommended, and complaints may also be filed by mail, fax, or email on the printable form:

• Mail: Office of the Attorney General, Consumer Protection Division, 200 St. Paul Place, 16th Floor, Baltimore, MD 21202
• Fax: 410-576-7040
• Questions: Consumer Hotline 410-528-8662 · toll-free 1-888-743-0023 · main number 410-576-6300

What mediation is — and is not. The Division "helps Maryland consumers resolve disputes with businesses through mediation." Unless you mark your complaint as for informational purposes only, the business receives a copy of it, the Division acts as an impartial mediator between you and the business, and a mediator works with both parties through phone calls and written correspondence. The Division states its limits plainly: "we cannot force a business to cooperate with our mediation efforts, and we are not authorized to provide legal advice or serve as private attorneys on individual cases." There is no CPD hearing, board, or binding decision in this process. Separately, the Division offers free, binding arbitration if both parties agree to participate — a different thing from the manufacturer's optional procedure above. One caution the Division itself prints: all complaints submitted become public records subject to disclosure requests under state law, although confidential information (financial, medical, psychological) remains protected. The Division publishes no fixed timeline for resolving a complaint — resolution time varies with case complexity and the business's responsiveness — so do not let a pending complaint run against the 3-year court deadline below.

Route 3: court

You may file a lawsuit against the manufacturer without first mediating or using a manufacturer's procedure. The Attorney General states it the same way: "You must file your case within three years from the date the car was delivered to you." The deadline itself is covered next.

The deadlines that matter

Maryland runs three separate clocks, and mixing them up is the most common timing mistake:

• The warranty period (for reporting and the tests): the earlier of the vehicle's first 18,000 miles of operation or 24 months following original delivery (§ 14-1501(e)). Your certified-mail notice must be given during this period, and the repair attempts and out-of-service days the tests count fall inside it.
• The 30-day cure: once the manufacturer receives your certified-mail notice, corrections must be completed within 30 days of receipt (§ 14-1502(b)(3)) — the clock runs from the manufacturer's receipt, not from the day you mailed the letter.
• The suit deadline: any action under § 14-1502 must be commenced within 3 years of the date of original delivery of the vehicle to the consumer (§ 14-1502(k)). It runs from delivery — not from the last repair, your notice letter, or a failed mediation — and § 14-1502 states no tolling rule that would pause it while a CPD complaint or a manufacturer's procedure is pending.

One extension exists: the term of any warranty, the warranty period, and the 30-day out-of-service period are extended by any time during which repair services are not available to you by reason of war, invasion, strike, or fire, flood, or other natural disaster (§ 14-1502(e)).

Check your Maryland lemon law deadlines →

Remedies: replacement or refund

If the manufacturer is unable to repair or correct a defect that substantially impairs the use and market value of the vehicle after a reasonable number of attempts, then at the option of the consumer — your choice, not the manufacturer's — the manufacturer shall (§ 14-1502(c)(1)):

• Replace the vehicle with a comparable motor vehicle acceptable to you; or
• Accept return of the vehicle and refund the full purchase price, including all license fees, registration fees, and any similar governmental charges, less only the two allowances below.

The Attorney General confirms the choice is yours: "The manufacturer can replace your vehicle with a comparable one that is acceptable to you, or buy it back, whichever you prefer."

The two deductions — and why this site computes no offset number for Maryland

• Use allowance: "a reasonable allowance for the consumer's use of the vehicle not to exceed 15 percent of the purchase price." Maryland states no mileage formula, no divisor, and no per-mile rate — 15% is a statutory maximum on a negotiated or decided amount, not a number anyone can compute from your odometer. Our worksheet shows the ceiling as a labeled maximum only; it never presents it as your deduction or nets it into an expected refund.
• Damage allowance: a reasonable allowance for damage not attributable to normal wear — and it may not include damage resulting from the nonconformity, defect, or condition itself.

The Attorney General states the same structure: the repurchase price "should cover the full purchase price including license fees, registration fees and other similar governmental charges. The manufacturer can subtract up to 15 percent of the purchase price for your use of the vehicle, and a reasonable allowance for damage not attributed to normal wear and tear." Refunds are made to you and your lienholder, if any, as your interests appear on the Motor Vehicle Administration's records of ownership (§ 14-1502(c)(2)).

Excise tax: a separate recovery from the MVA

Excise tax is not part of the manufacturer's refund. The Attorney General: "Excise taxes are not refunded by the manufacturer. The Motor Vehicle Administration will return those to you or apply them against your next vehicle." Under § 14-1503, if a dealer, manufacturer, factory branch, or distributor is required under a judgment, decree, arbitration award, or settlement agreement to accept — or by voluntary agreement accepts — return of the vehicle, you are entitled to recover from the MVA the excise taxes originally paid. The recoverable amount is calculated on the amount of the purchase price, or the portion of it, that is refunded to you (§ 14-1503(b)) — the statute states no fixed dollar amount. On a replacement, the MVA instead allows a credit against the replacement vehicle's excise tax in the amount originally paid; if the replacement's tax is higher, the dealer collects only the difference, and if the returned vehicle's tax is higher, you recover the excess from the MVA. The party accepting the return must notify you in writing that you are entitled to recover the excise taxes from the MVA (§ 14-1503(c)). For excise-tax questions, the MVA's customer service line is 800-950-1MVA.

After the vehicle goes back

A manufacturer or factory branch that takes a vehicle back — under the subtitle, or by judgment, decree, arbitration award, or voluntary agreement — must notify the MVA in writing within 15 days of the return (§ 14-1502(f)(2)). Before a returned vehicle is transferred to a Maryland dealer, the manufacturer must disclose the return to the dealer in writing — that the vehicle was returned, the nature of the defect, and the vehicle's condition — and a seller offering the vehicle for resale must give the buyer a copy of that disclosure before the sale (§ 14-1502(g)).

Used vehicles and second owners

Maryland has no separate used-car lemon law. Subtitle 15 is a new-vehicle law, and the Attorney General routes a complaint involving the purchase of a used car to its General Complaint form, not the Lemon Law form. There are still two things a used-car buyer should know:

1. You may hold the original buyer's lemon law rights

A "consumer" under § 14-1501(b) includes any person to whom a new motor vehicle is transferred during the duration of the warranty applicable to the vehicle, and the rights available under § 14-1502 inure to a subsequent transferee for the duration of the applicable warranties (§ 14-1502(j)(2)). The Attorney General's used-car guide, A Consumer Guide to Buying a Used Car, puts it this way: "Although intended for new vehicle purchases, this law is applicable to you if your car was purchased by the original owner less than 24 months ago and has less than 18,000 original miles." If that is you, the process in this guide — certified-mail notice, the three tests, the same remedies — is the one that applies. The LemonLawPath Maryland packet is built on this new-vehicle law.

2. A Maryland dealer usually cannot sell you a car "as is"

Outside Subtitle 15, Maryland's UCC rule at § 2-316.1 provides that the disclaimer provisions of § 2-316 do not apply to sales of consumer goods, and that any language by a seller of consumer goods that attempts to exclude or modify the implied warranties of merchantability or fitness for a particular purpose — or your remedies for their breach — is unenforceable. The rule stops applying to a motor vehicle only if all three of these hold: the vehicle is required to be titled; it is over 6 model years old and has been driven more than 60,000 miles; and at the time of sale the seller gives you notice of the section's inapplicability on the form prescribed under § 13-119 of the Transportation Article. Where a disclaimer is attempted, an exclusion of the implied warranty of merchantability must be in writing, mention merchantability, be conspicuous, and be separately acknowledged by your signature. The Attorney General's used-car guide states the rule in plain language: "A used car dealer in Maryland may only sell a car 'as is' if it is more than six years old and has more than 60,000 miles. All other used cars sold by the dealer come with an implied warranty... If it doesn't [function], you may be able to make the dealer pay for repairs if you can prove that the defect existed at the time of the sale."

This section is information only: § 2-316.1 is an anti-disclaimer rule, not a lemon law — it has no repair-attempt tests, no notice-and-cure procedure, and no refund or replacement remedy of its own, so there is no used-car packet track for Maryland.

When to talk to a lawyer instead

Maryland's notice-and-mediation path is designed for consumers to use without a lawyer. Use LemonLawPath to get organized, then talk to a licensed Maryland attorney — especially if:

• Your defect is a brake or steering failure or another serious safety hazard;
• The manufacturer denied your claim or disputes that the defect substantially impairs the use and market value of the vehicle;
• Your 3-year deadline from original delivery is close, or the warranty period is about to close with no notice sent;
• Mediation has stalled and court is on the table.

Two provisions matter once a case reaches court. A court may award reasonable attorney's fees to a prevailing plaintiff under § 14-1502 (§ 14-1502(l)(1)) — and the fee rule runs both ways: if an action is brought in bad faith or is frivolous, the court may order the offending party to pay the other party's reasonable attorney's fees (§ 14-1502(l)(2)). Separately, a violation of the subtitle is an unfair or deceptive trade practice under the Consumer Protection Act (Title 13), and if a manufacturer, factory branch, or distributor is found to have acted in bad faith, the court may award damages of up to $10,000 in addition to any other remedies under the subtitle (§ 14-1504). Finally, § 14-1502 does not limit any rights or remedies otherwise available to you under any other law, including implied warranties (§ 14-1502(h)) — an attorney can tell you how those fit together in your case.

Sources: Md. Code, Commercial Law § 14-1502 · Maryland Attorney General — Lemon Law · Attorney General — Consumer Complaints & Mediation