Documenting Evidence for a New Hampshire Lemon Law Claim
What to keep for a New Hampshire lemon-law claim — repair orders, the 30-business-day out-of-service count, the same-dealer rule, and CPA misrepresentation evidence.
Documentation wins New Hampshire lemon-law cases. Because the presumption turns on a clean 3-attempt or 30-business-day record from the same dealer, contemporaneous records are decisive — and the Board hearing is your one real shot, since appeal is narrow.
The core record: repair orders
For every dealer visit, keep the repair order showing:
- Date in and date out — for the 30-business-day out-of-service count.
- Your description of the defect — consistent across visits.
- The diagnosis and work performed (or “no problem found”).
- Mileage at each visit — note the mileage at the first repair attempt (it drives the use offset).
- The dealer — keep attempts at the same dealer where possible.
Request a printed copy at every visit. “No problem found” visits count if you reported the defect.
Count business days — the 30-day trigger
New Hampshire’s 30-business-day out-of-service threshold is the standard. Track every business day the vehicle is in the shop for warranty repair across all attempts; parts delays and back-ordered components add up, especially in rural and White Mountains areas.
Track the same-defect count and the same-dealer rule
| Visit | Date in | Date out | Business days OOS | Defect reported | Dealer | Outcome |
|---|
Under RSA 357-D:3, VIII, keep attempts at the same authorized dealer — and if you must switch (relocation, closure, refusal to service), document the good cause.
Capture the first-repair mileage
Because New Hampshire’s use offset counts only miles driven before the first repair attempt (over a 100,000-mile denominator), the odometer reading at your first warranty visit is a key number — it caps the deduction. Note it precisely.
Evidence for the CPA
For a NH CPA claim (actual damages or $1,000, double-to-treble, mandatory fees), preserve:
- TSBs and recall notices matching your defect.
- Sales/marketing representations.
- Misrepresentation or nondisclosure evidence (prior damage, title, odometer).
- Any failure by the manufacturer to honor a Board decision — a per se CPA violation.
Build the damages record
- Purchase/lease contract — price, finance charges, and collateral charges for the refund.
- Towing / rental / alternative-transportation receipts — incidental and consequential damages are recoverable.
Bottom line
In New Hampshire, the presumption turns on a clean 3-attempt or 30-business-day record from the same dealer — and the first-repair odometer reading drives the offset. Preserve every repair order and present the full record at the Board hearing. Get a free case review.
Related
Court Action in a New Hampshire Lemon Law Case
Filing a New Hampshire lemon-law lawsuit — the narrow Superior Court appeal, the CPA and Magnuson-Moss counts, federal D.N.H., and treble damages.
Read → ArticleHow to File a New Hampshire Lemon Law Claim
The step-by-step sequence for a New Hampshire lemon-law claim — repair documentation, the same-dealer rule, the Arbitration Board, the final repair, and the one-year deadline.
Read → ArticleThe Manufacturer's Response in a New Hampshire Lemon Law Claim
How manufacturers respond to a New Hampshire lemon-law claim — the 40-day final repair, the affirmative defenses, and the CPA consequences of defying a Board decision.
Read → ArticleThe New Motor Vehicle Arbitration Board in New Hampshire
New Hampshire's state-run lemon-law arbitration — the governor-appointed New Motor Vehicle Arbitration Board, the 40-day hearing and 30-day decision, the consumer-elected remedy, and the narrow appeal.
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.