Rhode Island Lemon Law

Rhode Island’s lemon law — R.I. Gen. Laws § 31-5.2 — runs through a state-administered arbitration program: the Motor Vehicle Arbitration Board, established and operated by the Attorney General. The law is consumer-favorable in several ways — the consumer elects refund or replacement, the use offset runs on a 100,000-mile basis (a small deduction), and the statute carries unusual teeth: only the manufacturer may appeal an arbitration award (and must post a bond), a frivolous appeal doubles the award, and the consumer collects $25 a day for continued loss of use. The Deceptive Trade Practices Act (§ 6-13.1) is a secondary overlay.

Rhode Island is distinctive in five ways:

1. An Attorney-General-run arbitration board. Disputes go to the Motor Vehicle Arbitration Board (§ 31-5.2-7.1), established by the AG, with a decision within 90 days and a low $20 consumer filing fee. See state arbitration board.
2. Only the manufacturer can appeal — with a bond. A consumer who wins arbitration is protected: the manufacturer may appeal to Superior Court within 30 days, but only by posting a bond equal to the award plus $2,500 (§ 31-5.2-7.1(g)(2)).
3. Double damages for a frivolous appeal, plus $25/day. If the court finds the manufacturer’s appeal frivolous or without reasonable basis, it shall double the award — and the consumer recovers $25 per day for each day of continued loss of use.
4. A consumer-favorable 100,000-mile offset. The use deduction (§ 31-5.2-3(1)(e)) uses a 100,000-mile denominator and excludes time the vehicle was out of service — so a Rhode Island refund stays close to the full price.
5. Mandatory attorney fees. A prevailing plaintiff shall be awarded reasonable attorney fees (§ 31-5.2-11) — mandatory in the lemon law itself.

This page is the hub for our Rhode Island coverage. Use the topic guides for deeper reading:

• The Law — § 31-5.2, the DTPA, Magnuson-Moss, the presumption, and deadlines.
• The Process — Documented repair attempts, the Arbitration Board, and court action.
• Remedies — Refund (with the 100,000-mile offset), replacement, DTPA damages, and attorney fees.
• Qualifying Defects — Defect categories, from transmissions to EV batteries.
• Vehicle Types — Used, leased, EVs, motorcycles, RVs, commercial.
• Manufacturers — Common case patterns by brand in the Rhode Island market.
• FAQ — Common questions about Rhode Island lemon-law claims.

Who’s protected

Section 31-5.2-1(8) covers an automobile, truck, motorcycle, or van with a registered gross vehicle weight under 10,000 lbs, sold or leased in Rhode Island. Leased vehicles are covered; motorized campers are excluded.

The term of protection is one year or 15,000 miles from original delivery, whichever comes first (§ 31-5.2-1(10)) — among the shorter windows in the country.

The presumption: 4 attempts or 30 calendar days

Under § 31-5.2-5, within the term of protection:

• 4 or more repair attempts for the same nonconformity, and it persists or recurs; OR
• 30 or more cumulative calendar days out of service for warranty repairs.

Plus the manufacturer gets one additional 7-calendar-day opportunity to cure after the threshold is met (even if the term has expired). Unlike Maine or Idaho, Rhode Island has no one-attempt safety rule. See the repair-attempt presumption guide.

What you can recover

A successful Rhode Island claim typically produces:

• Refund — full contract price plus collateral charges (sales tax, registration, finance charges) and towing/rental costs, minus a use offset on a 100,000-mile basis; or replacement — the consumer elects.
• Arbitration Board decision within 90 days.
• $25/day continuing damages and a doubled award if the manufacturer’s appeal is frivolous.
• Magnuson-Moss § 2310(d)(2) fees and, where it applies, DTPA damages.

Rhode Island’s climate and market

• Coastal salt air + winter road salt — the Ocean State’s marine humidity and salting drive electrical, brake-line, and frame corrosion.
• Cold-weather stress — hard on EV range, batteries, and cold-start systems.
• Short distances — the nation’s smallest state; the 15,000-mile cap can take time to reach, so the one-year clock often controls.
• Markets: Providence (largest), Warwick, Cranston, Pawtucket, Woonsocket, and the Newport luxury market; strong Subaru/AWD demand.

What to do next

1. Document every repair attempt and day out of service — 4 attempts or 30 calendar days is the trigger. See our evidence guide.
2. Allow the 7-day final cure once the threshold is met.
3. File with the Arbitration Board within the deadline (3 years from delivery or 2 years from hitting 15,000 miles, whichever earlier).
4. Collect $25/day and a possible doubled award if the manufacturer appeals without a reasonable basis.
5. Get a free case review from a Rhode Island lemon-law attorney.

Explore Rhode Island lemon law

Topic

The Law: Rhode Island Lemon Law and the Deceptive Trade Practices Act

The statutes behind a Rhode Island lemon-law claim — the Lemon Law (R.I. Gen. Laws § 31-5.2), the AG's Motor Vehicle Arbitration Board, the Deceptive Trade Practices Act (§ 6-13.1), and Magnuson-Moss.

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The Process: Filing a Rhode Island Lemon Law Claim

Step by step through a Rhode Island lemon-law claim — documented repair attempts, the 7-day final cure, the AG's Motor Vehicle Arbitration Board, and court action.

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Remedies Under the Rhode Island Lemon Law

What you can recover in a Rhode Island lemon-law claim — consumer-elected refund or replacement, the 100,000-mile offset, $25/day damages, a doubled award, DTPA damages, and mandatory fees.

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Qualifying Defects Under the Rhode Island Lemon Law

Which defects qualify under Rhode Island's lemon law — transmission, engine, brakes, electrical, steering, infotainment, EV — under the 4-attempt / 30-calendar-day presumption, with coastal salt-air and road-salt factors.

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Vehicle Types Under the Rhode Island Lemon Law

How Rhode Island's lemon law applies across vehicle types — used, leased, EV, motorcycles, RVs, and commercial — under the 10,000-lb threshold and the motorized-camper exclusion.

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Rhode Island Lemon Law Cases by Manufacturer

How the Rhode Island Lemon Law and the Deceptive Trade Practices Act apply to specific manufacturers across the Providence, Warwick, Cranston, and Newport markets.

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Rhode Island Lemon Law FAQ

Common questions about Rhode Island lemon-law claims — qualifying, the Arbitration Board, hiring a lawyer, cost, used vehicles, denied claims, repair shops, and deadlines.

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