New Hampshire Lemon Law FAQ
Common questions about New Hampshire lemon-law claims — qualifying, the Arbitration Board, hiring a lawyer, cost, used vehicles, denied claims, repair shops, and deadlines.
Common questions about New Hampshire’s Lemon Law (RSA 357-D), the New Motor Vehicle Arbitration Board, the Consumer Protection Act, and the path to a refund or replacement.
Topics in this section
- When is a car a lemon in New Hampshire?
- Do I need a lawyer?
- How much does it cost?
- Are used vehicles covered?
- What if the manufacturer denied my claim?
- Which repair shop should I use?
- How long do I have to file?
The New Hampshire essentials
- Statute: New Hampshire Lemon Law, RSA 357-D:1 to :12.
- Thresholds: 3 same-defect repairs or 30 business days out of service (no one-attempt safety rule).
- Protected period: the express-warranty term plus one year.
- Coverage: cars/light trucks ≤11,000 lbs, plus motorcycles, OHRVs, and snowmobiles (mopeds and tractors excluded).
- Arbitration: the state-run New Motor Vehicle Arbitration Board — a hearing in 40 days, a decision in 30, consumer-majority panel.
- Remedy: refund (full price minus a small 100,000-mile use offset) or replacement — consumer elects within 30 days (no sales tax in NH).
- CPA: actual damages or $1,000, doubled to trebled for willful conduct, mandatory fees; defying a Board decision is a per se violation.
Related
New Hampshire Lemon Law Cases by Manufacturer
How the New Hampshire Lemon Law and the Consumer Protection Act apply to specific manufacturers across the Manchester, Nashua, Concord, and seacoast markets.
Read → TopicThe Process: Filing a New Hampshire Lemon Law Claim
Step by step through a New Hampshire lemon-law claim — documented repair attempts, the final repair opportunity, the New Motor Vehicle Arbitration Board, and court action.
Read → TopicQualifying Defects Under the New Hampshire Lemon Law
Which defects qualify under New Hampshire's lemon law — transmission, engine, brakes, electrical, steering, infotainment, EV — under the 3-attempt / 30-business-day presumption, with road-salt and cold-weather factors.
Read → TopicRemedies Under the New Hampshire Lemon Law
What you can recover in a New Hampshire lemon-law claim — consumer-elected refund or replacement, the 100,000-mile use offset, CPA treble damages, and mandatory attorney fees.
Read → TopicThe Law: New Hampshire Lemon Law and the Consumer Protection Act
The statutes behind a New Hampshire lemon-law claim — the Lemon Law (RSA 357-D), the New Motor Vehicle Arbitration Board, the Consumer Protection Act (RSA 358-A), and Magnuson-Moss.
Read → TopicVehicle Types Under the New Hampshire Lemon Law
How New Hampshire's lemon law applies across vehicle types — used, leased, EV, motorcycles, OHRVs, snowmobiles, RVs, and commercial — under the 11,000-lb threshold.
Read →Think you've got a lemon?
Compare your situation to your state's requirements — and connect with a vetted lemon-law attorney for a free case review.