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

Rhode Island’s lemon law — R.I. Gen. Laws § 31-5.2 — is built around a state-administered arbitration program (the Attorney General’s Motor Vehicle Arbitration Board). Combined with the Deceptive Trade Practices Act (§ 6-13.1) and federal Magnuson-Moss, it gives consumers a structured path to a refund or replacement — with unusual appeal-stage teeth.

The three pillars

1. Rhode Island Lemon Law — § 31-5.2-1 to -14. Consumer-elects refund or replacement; a 4-attempt / 30-calendar-day presumption; a one-year / 15,000-mile term of protection; mandatory attorney fees (§ 31-5.2-11); and resolution through the AG’s Motor Vehicle Arbitration Board (§ 31-5.2-7.1), with $25/day continuing damages and a doubled award for a frivolous manufacturer appeal.
2. Rhode Island Deceptive Trade Practices Act (DTPA) — § 6-13.1. Private action under § 6-13.1-5.2: actual damages or $500 (whichever greater), discretionary treble damages, and discretionary attorney fees. The lemon law expressly preserves DTPA remedies (§ 31-5.2-13) — though Rhode Island’s broad “regulated-activities” exemption limits how readily the DTPA reaches auto disputes.
3. Federal Magnuson-Moss Warranty Act — 15 U.S.C. § 2301 et seq. Civil court; § 2310(d)(2) attorney fees; federal-court access (D.R.I. — Providence).

Rhode Island pairs state-run arbitration with mandatory lemon-law fees and a strong appeal deterrent.

Topics in this section

• Rhode Island Lemon Law statute (§ 31-5.2) — Eligibility, the one-year/15,000-mile term, the presumption, the consumer-elected remedy, and the 100,000-mile offset.
• Rhode Island Deceptive Trade Practices Act (§ 6-13.1) — The $500 floor, discretionary treble, fees, and the regulated-activities exemption.
• Magnuson-Moss Warranty Act — Federal overlay and fee hook.
• Repair-attempt presumption — The 4-attempt and 30-calendar-day thresholds and the 7-day final cure.
• Statute of limitations — The filing deadline, the 90-day decision, and the manufacturer-only appeal.

Why three statutes instead of one

The Lemon Law delivers refund or replacement through the Arbitration Board, with mandatory fees and a strong appeal deterrent ($25/day plus a doubled award for a frivolous appeal). The DTPA adds:

• Actual damages or a $500 floor under § 6-13.1-5.2.
• Discretionary treble damages.
• Discretionary attorney fees.

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

How they interact procedurally

1. Document repair attempts — 4 attempts or 30 calendar days out of service within the term of protection.
2. Allow the 7-day final cure once the threshold is met (§ 31-5.2-5).
3. Motor Vehicle Arbitration Board — the consumer files (a $20 fee); a decision issues within 90 days (§ 31-5.2-7.1).
4. Court — only the manufacturer may appeal (with a bond); or a consumer may bring a DTPA / Magnuson-Moss action.

Related

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Rhode Island Lemon Law Cases by Manufacturer

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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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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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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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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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