Consumer protection guide · GA
Georgia Lemon Law
Under Georgia's lemon law, a new vehicle qualifies as a lemon after 3 unsuccessful repair attempts or 30 cumulative days out of service, entitling the buyer to a refund, replacement, or cash settlement.
Georgia Lemon Law
Codified at Ga. Code Ann. § 10-1-780 et seq. · Enacted 1990
Coverage period
24 mo
or 24,000 miles
Repair attempts
3
1 for safety defects
Days out of service
30 days
Cumulative for warranty work
Statute of limitations
1 yr
From discovery of defect
If you bought or leased a new vehicle in Georgia that keeps going back to the dealer for the same unresolved defect, you may be protected under Georgia Lemon Law (enacted 1990), codified at Ga. Code Ann. § 10-1-780 et seq.. This guide explains — in plain English — how the law works, what qualifies a vehicle as a lemon in Georgia, what remedies you can demand from the manufacturer, and how to file a claim. It is not legal advice; when a real dispute emerges you should consult a licensed Georgia consumer attorney.
What the Georgia lemon law covers
Qualifying criteria
The law covers new vehicles and leased vehicles. The defect must appear within the first 24 months of original delivery or before the odometer reaches 24,000 miles, whichever comes first. The manufacturer or its authorized dealer must have had at least 3 opportunities to fix the same defect (or just 1 attempt if the defect poses a serious safety risk). OR the vehicle must have been out of service for at least 30 cumulative days for warranty repairs during the coverage period.
Your remedies
If your vehicle qualifies, the Georgia lemon law gives you the right to demand one of these remedies from the manufacturer: refund, replacement vehicle, and cash compensation. A refund typically includes the purchase price, taxes, title and registration fees, and finance charges, minus a reasonable allowance for the miles you drove before the first repair attempt. A replacement vehicle must be a comparable model with the same features. If you prevail, Georgia law generally requires the manufacturer to also pay your reasonable attorney's fees and court costs, which is why most lemon-law attorneys take cases on contingency.
How to file a Georgia lemon law claim
Here is how a typical Georgia lemon-law claim unfolds: (1) Keep every repair order the dealer gives you — dates, mileage, the defect description, and the parts replaced. These become your evidence. (2) Send the manufacturer written notice of the defect after the third or fourth repair attempt and request a final repair opportunity. (3) 1. Participate in arbitration if the manufacturer offers it — many buyers prefer court, but arbitration is faster and free. (4) File suit in a Georgia civil court within the 1-year statute of limitations from the date you discovered the defect.
Federal backup: Magnuson-Moss Warranty Act
Whether or not your claim fits the Georgia lemon law, the federal Magnuson-Moss Warranty Act (15 U.S.C. § 2301 et seq.) provides an independent cause of action whenever a written warranty has been breached. Magnuson-Moss applies in every state, allows you to recover attorney’s fees and costs from the manufacturer when you prevail, and covers used vehicles sold with an express written warranty — filling many of the gaps that narrow state lemon laws leave open.
Georgia lemon law FAQs
Lemon laws in other states
Check a Georgia VIN for a lemon-law buyback before you buy
Vehicles repurchased by the manufacturer under a state lemon law carry a permanent “lemon” or “manufacturer buyback” brand on their title. Run the VIN through try.vin to see whether a used car has ever been bought back — in Georgia or any other state.