District of Columbia Lemon Law: Your Rights

Last reviewed: June 28, 2026

Washington, D.C.'s lemon law, the Automobile Consumer Protection Act, covers new vehicles sold or registered in the District. It does not apply to used cars, motorcycles, motor homes, or recreational vehicles. If a substantial defect under warranty cannot be fixed after a reasonable number of attempts, the manufacturer must repurchase or replace the vehicle, refunding the full price and fees minus a reasonable use allowance.

District of Columbia lemon law at a glance

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 District of Columbia sources

Verify the current rules with these authoritative sources:

• Office of the Attorney General for the District of Columbia
• DC Code Title 50, Chapter 5 (Automobile Consumer Protection)