Maine lemon law and warranty dispute resources
Status: Official page read; key points summarized. Last checked 2026-10-18.
What the official page says
Source: 10 M.R.S. 1169, State motor vehicle dispute arbitration and mediation (Maine Legislature) (read 2026-10-18). This is a summary of the statute text posted on the official site, not legal advice. The exact wording, exclusions and deadlines are in the statute itself, and may have changed.
- The statute text says all manufacturers must submit to state-certified motor vehicle arbitration if the consumer requests it within 3 years from the date of original delivery or within the term of the express warranties, whichever comes first, and the State has accepted the application as making proper Maine Lemon Law claims.
- The statute text says arbitration is performed by neutral arbitrators selected by the Department of the Attorney General under its rules, each party may reject one proposed arbitrator, and a written finding must issue within 45 days of the Department's receipt of a properly completed written request (extendable by 5 days if the arbitrator seeks an independent vehicle evaluation).
- The statute text says that if arbitration finds the standards met and the manufacturer fails to provide the refund or replacement, the manufacturer must deliver it within 21 days of receiving the finding or appeal in Superior Court, and that an appeal by either party must be filed in the Superior Court of the county of the sale within 21 days of the finding.
- The statute text says that a dissatisfied consumer may apply to the manufacturer's informal dispute settlement procedure (if not already used) or appeal within 21 days, and that a prevailing consumer must be awarded reasonable attorney's fees and costs.
Numbers the page states
| Item | As stated on the official page |
|---|---|
| Request arbitration within | 3 years from original delivery or the express warranty term, whichever comes first |
| Arbitration finding | Within 45 days of a complete written request |
| Manufacturer to deliver refund/replacement or appeal | Within 21 days of receiving the finding |
| Appeal to Superior Court | Within 21 days of the finding |
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
- This summary uses the statute text only. Who qualifies (vehicle types and the repair-attempt standards in 10 M.R.S. 1163) was not read, so none is stated here.
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: Maine 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.