Delaware lemon law and warranty dispute resources
Status: Official page read; key points summarized. Last checked 2026-10-18.
What the official page says
Source: Delaware Lemon Law (Delaware Department of Justice, Consumer Protection Unit) (read 2026-10-18). This is a summary of that page, not the statute. Exact tests, exclusions and deadlines are on the official page and in the statute, and may have changed.
- The page says that when a new car does not conform to the manufacturer's express warranty and the consumer reports the issue during the warranty term, the manufacturer (or its dealer or agent) should make the necessary repairs within a reasonable time.
- The page says that if the vehicle cannot be repaired after four or more attempts, the manufacturer must replace or repurchase the vehicle and refund the full purchase price, and that the Delaware Lemon Law applies only to new vehicles.
- The page says manufacturers with an informal dispute settlement procedure must register with the Consumer Protection Unit (CPU) for an annual certificate; if a manufacturer's procedure has no certificate, a consumer may seek the Chapter 50 (Title 6) remedies immediately and directly. It also says consumers are encouraged to file a complaint with the CPU at any point.
- The page lists the CPU consumer protection hotline as (800) 220-5424.
- The statute text on the Delaware Code site (6 Del. C. 5004) says a reasonable number of attempts is presumed if, within the warranty term or one year after delivery (whichever is earlier), the same nonconformity was subject to repair four or more times and still exists, or the car was out of service for a cumulative total of more than 30 calendar days; and that the presumption does not apply unless the manufacturer received prior direct written notification and had an opportunity to repair.
Numbers the page states
| Item | As stated on the official page |
|---|---|
| Repair attempts | Four or more attempts (page); presumption window is the warranty term or 1 year after delivery, whichever is earlier (6 Del. C. 5004) |
| Days out of service | More than 30 calendar days (6 Del. C. 5004) |
| CPU hotline | (800) 220-5424 |
Counting rules differ (calendar days vs. business days, what counts as a repair attempt). Use the repair log tool to organize dates, then confirm how your state counts.
Not covered or not confirmed in this summary
- The page lists registered manufacturers; that list changes and is not summarized here.
Other official pages used
Industry arbitration program summary (not a government source)
BBB National Programs, which runs the BBB AUTO LINE dispute program, publishes a state summary: BBB AUTO LINE: Delaware lemon law summary (link checked 2026-10-18). It is published by an industry-linked program, so treat it as a starting point and confirm against the state's own page or statute.
What to do first
- Keep every repair order and receipt. See the records checklist.
- Write down dates and mileage for each repair visit with the repair log tool (nothing is saved or sent).
- Read the federal warranty basics and arbitration pages.
- Consider speaking with a licensed attorney in your state about deadlines. Many have free consultations, but we do not recommend any specific one.