Vermont lemon law and warranty dispute resources
Status: Official page read; key points summarized. Last checked 2026-10-20.
What the official page says
Source: Lemon Law (Vermont Department of Motor Vehicles, Motor Vehicle Arbitration Board) (read 2026-10-20). 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 page says the Arbitration program, established in 1984, gives consumers a forum to resolve warranty problems with motor vehicles under 9 V.S.A. sections 4170-4181, and that a consumer may file a Demand for Arbitration after demonstrating reasonable repair, which is usually three unsuccessful attempts or thirty cumulative calendar days out of service within the manufacturer's express warranty.
- The FAQ page says minimum eligibility includes: the vehicle was purchased or leased in Vermont or is registered in Vermont; at least the first repair attempt for a 'three-times-out' claim was covered by the express warranty; a truck's GVWR cannot exceed 12,000 pounds; a business may have a maximum of two registered or leased vehicles; government vehicles are not covered; the vehicle finance account must be current as of the hearing date; and a claim must be filed within one year after the manufacturer's express warranty expires.
- The FAQ page says that if the manufacturer's dispute settlement mechanism is elected, a consumer is precluded from filing through the State of Vermont process, and that used vehicles are covered if the first repair occurred within the manufacturer's express warranty and other eligibility requirements are met.
- The page says the Board has authority to order a pro-rated refund based on a statutory formula, a comparable new replacement vehicle, a dismissal in favor of the manufacturer, or a continuance, and lists a Demand for Arbitration form (VN-219) and repair history forms.
- The statute text (9 V.S.A. 4172) says the presumption needs the same nonconformity to have been subject to repair at least three times, with at least the first repair attempt within the express warranty term, or the vehicle to have been out of service a cumulative total of 30 or more calendar days during the warranty term, and that each repair attempt must be shown by a written examination or repair order.
- The statute text (4173 and 4179) says arbitration through the manufacturer's mechanism or the Board must be held within 45 days of receipt of the consumer's notice, unless extended for good cause by up to 30 more days, and that proceedings must be commenced within one year after the express warranty term expires.
Numbers the page states
| Item | As stated on the official page |
|---|---|
| Repair attempts | Usually three unsuccessful attempts |
| Days out of service | Thirty cumulative calendar days |
| Filing deadline | Within one year after the manufacturer's express warranty expires |
| Truck weight limit | GVWR cannot exceed 12,000 pounds |
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
- Compared with 9 V.S.A. chapter 115 on 2026-10-20: the statute's numbers match the DMV pages (three attempts, 30 calendar days, one year after the warranty expires, 12,000-pound truck limit). The FAQ entry itself is dated May 3, 2022.
Other official pages used
- Lemon Law FAQs (Vermont DMV)
- Consumer Assistance Program (Vermont Attorney General)
- 9 V.S.A. chapter 115, Motor Vehicle Arbitration (Vermont General Assembly)
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: Vermont lemon law summary (link checked 2026-10-20). 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.