Vehicle Types Covered by Washington Lemon Law

Washington’s Lemon Law (RCW 19.118) covers new motor vehicles up to 19,000 lbs GVWR sold or leased in Washington for personal, family, or household use — including the self-propelled chassis portion of motor homes.

Topics in this section

• Used vehicles
• Leased vehicles
• Electric vehicles
• Motorcycles
• Recreational vehicles (RVs)
• Commercial vehicles

What’s distinctive about Washington

• Washington’s 19,000 lbs GVWR threshold is higher than most states (typically 10,000 lbs) — covering larger trucks and motor homes that are excluded elsewhere.
• Motorcycles are covered only if they have an engine displacement of at least 750cc (RCW 19.118.021) — the same displacement floor as Virginia. Smaller-displacement motorcycles fall outside the Lemon Law.
• Motor homes are partially covered — only the self-propelled chassis portion, not the living-quarters portion. This is the same approach used in Florida and most other states.
• Electric vehicles receive strong coverage given Washington’s heavy Tesla/Rivian/Lucid market share in the Puget Sound region.

How to know if your vehicle is covered

For most Washington consumers, the answer is yes within the 24-month / 24,000-mile window (with the 30-month arbitration filing deadline). Exceptions:

• Vehicles past the 24-month / 24,000-mile window (WCPA + Magnuson-Moss only).
• Vehicles past the 30-month arbitration deadline (court action only — Lemon Law, WCPA, Magnuson-Moss).
• Mopeds.
• Vehicles over 19,000 lbs GVWR.
• Primarily commercial use.

The “consumer” definition

RCW 19.118.021 defines “consumer” to include:

• The original purchaser of the vehicle.
• A lessee.
• Any subsequent transferee during the manufacturer’s warranty period.
• Any other person entitled by the warranty to enforce its obligations.

This means leases and warranty assumptions both qualify.

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Washington Lemon Law — Frequently Asked Questions

Quick answers to the most-asked questions about Washington's Lemon Law and Consumer Protection Act.

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The Washington Lemon Law Process

Step-by-step: how a Washington lemon-law case moves through repair attempts, written notice, AG Lemon Law Arbitration, court action, and settlement.

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Washington Lemon Law Cases by Manufacturer

How the Washington Lemon Law and WCPA apply to specific manufacturers.

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Washington Lemon Law Remedies

What you can recover under Washington's lemon-law framework — refund, replacement, cash-and-keep, WCPA treble damages (capped at $25K per violation), and § 19.118.150 / RCW 19.86.090 attorney-fee recovery.

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Qualifying Defects Under Washington Lemon Law

What kinds of vehicle defects qualify for a Washington Lemon Law refund — the substantial-impairment test under RCW 19.118.021.

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The Law: Washington Lemon Law and WCPA

The statutes behind a Washington lemon-law claim — the Motor Vehicle 'Lemon Law' (RCW 19.118), the Washington Consumer Protection Act (RCW 19.86), Magnuson-Moss, and timing rules.

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