The Law: New Hampshire Lemon Law and the Consumer Protection Act

New Hampshire’s lemon law — RSA 357-D — is built around a state-run arbitration program (the New Motor Vehicle Arbitration Board) that decides most disputes. Combined with the Consumer Protection Act (RSA 358-A) and federal Magnuson-Moss, it gives consumers a structured path to a refund or replacement — with treble damages available when a manufacturer defies the Board.

The three pillars

1. New Hampshire Lemon Law — RSA 357-D:1 to :12. Consumer-elects refund or replacement; a 3-attempt / 30-business-day presumption; coverage through the warranty term plus one year; broad vehicle coverage (cars, motorcycles, OHRVs, snowmobiles; mopeds excluded); and resolution through the New Motor Vehicle Arbitration Board (RSA 357-D:5).
2. New Hampshire Consumer Protection Act (CPA) — RSA 358-A. Private action under § 358-A:10: actual damages or $1,000 (whichever greater), doubled to trebled for a willful or knowing violation, plus mandatory attorney fees. A manufacturer’s failure to comply with a Board decision is a per se CPA violation (RSA 357-D).
3. Federal Magnuson-Moss Warranty Act — 15 U.S.C. § 2301 et seq. Civil court; § 2310(d)(2) attorney fees; federal-court access (D.N.H. — Concord).

New Hampshire pairs state-run arbitration with a CPA that has real multiplier teeth.

Topics in this section

• New Hampshire Lemon Law statute (RSA 357-D) — Eligibility, the warranty-plus-one-year period, the presumption, the consumer-elected remedy, and the 100,000-mile offset.
• New Hampshire Consumer Protection Act (RSA 358-A) — Treble damages, the $1,000 floor, mandatory fees, and the per se Board-noncompliance violation.
• Magnuson-Moss Warranty Act — Federal overlay and fee hook.
• Repair-attempt presumption — The 3-attempt and 30-business-day thresholds and the same-dealer rule.
• Statute of limitations — The one-year filing deadline, the fast hearing timeline, and the narrow appeal.

Why three statutes instead of one

The Lemon Law delivers refund or replacement through the Arbitration Board. The CPA adds:

• Actual damages or a $1,000 statutory floor under § 358-A:10.
• Double-to-treble damages for willful or knowing violations.
• Mandatory attorney fees and costs.
• A direct hook: ignoring a Board decision is a per se CPA violation.

Magnuson-Moss adds federal-court access (D.N.H.), § 2310(d)(2) fees, and a 4-year runway.

How they interact procedurally

1. Document repair attempts — 3 attempts or 30 business days out of service, with same-dealer repair orders.
2. New Motor Vehicle Arbitration Board — the consumer files; the manufacturer gets one final repair within 40 days; the Board holds a hearing within 40 days and decides within 30 (RSA 357-D:5).
3. Civil action — appeal a Board decision to Superior Court (narrow review), or bring a CPA / Magnuson-Moss action.

Related

Topic

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.

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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.

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The 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.

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Qualifying 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.

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Remedies 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.

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Vehicle 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.

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