Indiana Lemon Law Statute of Limitations

Indiana’s timing rules are moderate — the 18-month Rights Period is among the shorter combined Rights Periods, but the 2-year IDCSA SOL plus 4-year Magnuson-Moss backstop provide reasonable runway.

The four deadlines

Statute	Deadline	Triggered by
Lemon Law Rights Period	18 months OR 18,000 miles OR end of warranty	Original delivery date
Lemon Law suit deadline	2 years from first reported nonconformity (§ 24-5-13-23)	Date defect first reported to manufacturer/dealer
IDCSA	2 years from violation	Date of deceptive act
Magnuson-Moss / UCC	4 years from delivery	Original delivery date
Common-law warranty	4 years from delivery (UCC § 2-725)	Original delivery date

18-month / 18,000-mile Rights Period

This is the eligibility window for the Indiana Lemon Law — the defect must arise AND repair attempts must occur within 18 months / 18,000 miles.

Lemon Law suit deadline — § 24-5-13-23

Separate from the Rights Period, the Lemon Law itself sets a filing deadline: a § 24-5-13 action must be commenced within 2 years following the date the buyer first reports the nonconformity to the manufacturer, its agent, or authorized dealer. This 2-year clock is tolled while a certified informal dispute settlement procedure (BBB Auto Line) is being conducted.

Compared to peers:

• Virginia: 18 months, no mileage cap
• Indiana: 18 months / 18,000 miles
• 2-year states (most others): generally more generous
• 1-year states (TN, IL, MI, WI, CO, MA): tighter

IDCSA 2-year SOL

IDCSA actions must be brought within 2 years from the violation under § 24-5-0.5-5(b). The pre-suit cure notice typically tolls the SOL during the 30-day cure window.

Magnuson-Moss 4-year backstop

Magnuson-Moss borrows Ind. Code § 26-1-2-725 UCC SOL of 4 years from delivery. This is the critical backstop.

Practical strategy

Time since delivery	Best avenues
0 – 12 months	All open; document defects + repair attempts.
12 – 18 months	Lemon Law window closing; send both notices + pursue BBB Auto Line.
18+ months / 18K+ miles	Lemon Law Rights Period closed; IDCSA + Magnuson-Moss still available.
18 – 24 months	IDCSA 2-year SOL still open; Magnuson-Moss available.
2 – 4 years	IDCSA closed; Magnuson-Moss + UCC available.
4+ years	All claims generally closed.

What if my Rights Period closes mid-repair-attempt cycle?

Indiana courts have generally held that:

• Repair attempts during the Rights Period count.
• The presumption attaches if 4 attempts (or 30 business days OOS) occur during the Period.
• A Lemon Law suit must be filed within 2 years of first reporting the defect (§ 24-5-13-23); the IDCSA 2-year SOL and Magnuson-Moss 4-year SOL provide parallel backstops.

Equitable tolling

Indiana courts apply tolling in limited cases:

• Manufacturer concealment — both Lemon Law and IDCSA SOLs may toll.
• Discovery rule for IDCSA — accrues at discovery of the deceptive practice.
• 30-day cure notice typically tolls IDCSA SOL during the cure window.

Bottom line

Indiana provides moderate timing protection: 18 months / 18K Lemon Law, 2 years IDCSA, 4 years Magnuson-Moss / UCC. The cure notice tolls IDCSA SOL during the 30-day cure window — making the notice both procedural and protective.

Related

Article

Indiana Deceptive Consumer Sales Act (IDCSA) and Cure Notice

Ind. Code § 24-5-0.5 — IDCSA treble damages or $500 minimum under § 24-5-0.5-4(a), mandatory § 24-5-0.5-4(d) attorney fees, and the distinctive pre-suit cure notice requirement.

Read → Article

Indiana Lemon Law Statute (§ 24-5-13)

Ind. Code § 24-5-13 — Indiana Motor Vehicle Protection Act. Core eligibility, 18-month / 18,000-mile Rights Period, mandatory § 24-5-13-22 attorney fees.

Read → Article

Magnuson-Moss Warranty Act in Indiana

How the federal Magnuson-Moss Warranty Act (15 U.S.C. § 2301) overlays Indiana's § 24-5-13 Lemon Law and provides federal-court access through D. Ind. divisions.

Read → Article

Indiana's Repair-Attempt Presumption (4 Attempts / 30 Business Days OOS)

How Ind. Code § 24-5-13-15 establishes 'reasonable number of attempts' — 4-attempt or 30-business-day OOS thresholds within the 18-month / 18,000-mile Rights Period.

Read →