Vehicle Types Covered by New York Lemon Law
How New York's Lemon Law applies to used cars, leases, EVs, motorcycles, RVs, and commercial vehicles. New York has a separate Used Car Lemon Law § 198-b — unique among major states.
New York’s vehicle coverage is unusually comprehensive. The New Car Lemon Law (§ 198-a) covers new vehicles. The separate Used Car Lemon Law (§ 198-b) is a distinctive feature that no other major lemon-law state provides as comprehensively — it requires dealers to provide mileage-tiered warranties on used vehicle sales.
Topics in this section
- Used vehicles — Covered both under § 198-a (within original warranty) and § 198-b (dealer warranty by mileage tier).
- Leased vehicles — Lessees have standing; remedies include lease termination.
- Electric vehicles — Fully covered; growing share of cases.
- Motorcycles — Covered under § 198-a.
- Recreational vehicles (RVs) — Covered with chassis-vs-coach distinctions.
- Commercial vehicles — Limited coverage; § 349 may apply.
What’s distinctive about New York
| Feature | New York | California | Texas | Florida |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Used-vehicle Lemon Law | Separate § 198-b | Limited (§ 1795.5) | No | No |
| Dealer-issued statutory warranty | Yes (30/60/90 days by mileage) | No statutory | No | No |
| Coverage for motorcycles | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Coverage for RVs | Yes (limited) | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Commercial vehicle coverage | Limited | Yes (§ 1795.92) | Limited | Limited |
New York’s GBL § 198-b is the most distinctive used-vehicle protection in major-state lemon-law frameworks.
The default coverage
For New Car Lemon Law coverage:
- New motor vehicles purchased or leased in New York for personal, family, or household use.
- Demonstrators sold under new-vehicle warranties.
- Lessees have explicit standing.
Within the 2-year / 18,000-mile window.
How to know if your vehicle is covered
For most New York consumers, the answer is yes. The narrow exceptions:
- Vehicles past the 2-year / 18,000-mile window (§ 198-a closed; civil-court via § 349 and Magnuson-Moss).
- Vehicles used primarily for business that don’t meet commercial coverage limits.
- Off-road vehicles, mopeds, motorized bicycles.
For used vehicles within the New Car warranty, § 198-a applies. For dealer-sold used vehicles outside that window, § 198-b provides distinct protections.
Related
New York Lemon Law — Frequently Asked Questions
Quick answers to the most-asked questions about New York's Lemon Law: when is a car a lemon, do you need a lawyer, how much does it cost, what about used cars, and more.
Read → TopicNew York Lemon Law Cases by Manufacturer
How the New York Lemon Law and GBL § 349 apply to specific manufacturers — characteristic defect patterns, TSB histories, and settlement dynamics.
Read → TopicThe New York Lemon Law Process
Step-by-step: how a New York lemon-law case moves from documented repair attempts through written notice, the AG arbitration program or court action, and settlement.
Read → TopicNew York Lemon Law Remedies
What you can recover under New York's lemon-law framework — refund, replacement, cash-and-keep settlements, GBL § 349 damages, and statutory attorney-fee recovery under § 198-a(l).
Read → TopicQualifying Defects Under New York Lemon Law
What kinds of vehicle defects qualify for a New York Lemon Law refund — the substantial-impairment test under GBL § 198-a and common defect categories.
Read → TopicThe Law: New York Lemon Law and Consumer Protection
The statutes behind a New York lemon-law claim — GBL § 198-a (New Car), § 198-b (Used Car), § 349 (Consumer Protection Act), Magnuson-Moss, and timing rules.
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.