Alabama Lemon Law: Your Rights
Last reviewed: June 28, 2026
Alabama's lemon law, the Motor Vehicle Lemon Law Rights Act, covers new vehicles only. If a substantial defect under the manufacturer's warranty cannot be fixed after a reasonable number of attempts, you can choose a comparable replacement vehicle or a refund of the full contract price plus collateral and finance charges, minus a reasonable allowance for your use of the car.
Alabama lemon law at a glance
| Time / mileage window | 1 year after delivery or the first 12,000 miles, whichever comes first |
|---|---|
| Repair attempts (presumption) | 3 or more for the same defect, plus a final repair opportunity |
| Days out of service | 30 or more cumulative calendar days |
| Covers new vehicles | Yes |
| Used-car lemon law | No (new vehicles only) |
What these rules mean for you
If your vehicle has a substantial defect that the manufacturer cannot fix after the repair attempts above, or it has been out of service for the listed time, you may have a lemon law claim. The remedy is usually a refund (a buyback) or a replacement vehicle. The details turn on your documentation, so keep every repair order from the first visit on. See what to document for a defect or lemon law claim.
A recall is not required for a claim, and recall repair attempts can count toward your total. For the full picture, read the pillar guide, recall vs. lemon law, and learn how many repair attempts before lemon law applies and how a buyback, replacement, or cash settlement compares.
Official Alabama sources
Verify the current rules with these authoritative sources: