Oregon Lemon Law Statute of Limitations

Oregon’s timing rules feature a generous 24-month / 24,000-mile Rights Period but a dangerously short 1-year UTPA SOL that creates a serious deadline trap for deceptive-practice claims.

The four deadlines

Statute	Deadline	Triggered by
Lemon Law Rights Period (eligibility)	24 months OR 24,000 miles OR end of warranty	Original delivery date
Lemon Law action filing (§ 646A.416)	1 year after the rights period expires	End of the 24-month / 24,000-mile rights period
UTPA	1 year from discovery	Discovery of deceptive practice
Magnuson-Moss / UCC	4 years from delivery	Original delivery date
Common-law warranty	4 years from delivery (UCC § 2-725)	Original delivery date

24-month / 24,000-mile Rights Period — plus a 1-year filing window

This is the eligibility window for the Oregon Lemon Law — the defect must arise AND repair attempts must occur within 24 months / 24,000 miles.

Separately, § 646A.416 sets the action filing deadline: a consumer must commence a Lemon Law action within one year after the expiration of the 24-month / 24,000-mile rights period (whichever ends first, plus any extension under § 646A.406). So the claim is not foreclosed the instant the rights period closes — there is a one-year window to file afterward.

UTPA 1-year SOL — danger zone

UTPA actions must be brought within 1 year of discovery of the unlawful practice. Among the shortest UDAP SOLs in the country (joins Tennessee TCPA and Arizona CFA at the shortest tier).

For comparison:

• Indiana IDCSA: 2 years.
• Maryland CPA: 3 years.
• Connecticut CUTPA: 3 years.
• Colorado CCPA: 3 years.
• Missouri MMPA: 5 years.
• Pennsylvania UTPCPL: 6 years.
• Minnesota Private AG Statute: 6 years.

Magnuson-Moss / UCC 4-year backstop

Magnuson-Moss borrows Or. Rev. Stat. § 72.7250 UCC SOL of 4 years from delivery. This is the critical backstop — four times longer than UTPA.

Practical strategy

Time since delivery	Best avenues
0 – 18 months	All open; document defects + repair attempts. Identify 3rd attempt or 30 OOS days.
18 – 24 months / 0–24K mi	Lemon Law window closing; pursue BBB Auto Line.
24+ months / 24K+ mi	Eligibility window closed, but the § 646A.416 filing window runs for 1 year after the rights period expires; UTPA may still be available (depending on discovery); Magnuson-Moss available.
Past 1 year from discovery	UTPA generally closed; Magnuson-Moss + UCC still available (4-year).
4+ years	All claims generally closed.

Equitable tolling considerations

Oregon courts apply tolling in limited cases:

• Manufacturer concealment — both Lemon Law and UTPA SOLs may toll where manufacturer concealed the defect.
• Discovery rule for UTPA — accrues at discovery of the deceptive practice.
• Ongoing violations — UTPA SOL may accrue separately for each occurrence.

Bottom line

Oregon has a generous 24/24K Lemon Law window but a dangerously short 1-year UTPA SOL. Magnuson-Moss / UCC provides a 4-year backstop. File Lemon Law + UTPA claims aggressively within their windows; pursue Magnuson-Moss as the longer-running federal claim. Act quickly on UTPA — 1 year is unforgiving.

Related

Article

Magnuson-Moss Warranty Act in Oregon

How the federal Magnuson-Moss Warranty Act (15 U.S.C. § 2301) overlays Oregon's § 646A.400 Lemon Law and provides federal-court access through D. Or.

Read → Article

Oregon Lemon Law Statute (§ 646A.400)

Or. Rev. Stat. § 646A.400 et seq. — Oregon Lemon Law. Core eligibility, 24-month / 24,000-mile Rights Period, mandatory § 646A.404 attorney fees.

Read → Article

Oregon's Repair-Attempt Presumption (3 Attempts / 30 Calendar Days OOS / 1 Safety)

How Or. Rev. Stat. § 646A.406 establishes 'reasonable number of attempts' — 3 attempts, 30 calendar days OOS, or 1 attempt on a serious-injury defect, within the 24-month / 24,000-mile Rights Period.

Read → Article

Oregon Unlawful Trade Practices Act (UTPA)

Or. Rev. Stat. § 646.605 et seq. — UTPA discretionary punitive damages under § 646.638(8), mandatory § 646.638(3) attorney fees, and the DANGEROUSLY SHORT 1-year SOL.

Read →