Maine Lemon Law: Your Rights
Last reviewed: June 28, 2026
Maine's lemon law is unusually broad: it covers any new or used car, motorcycle, van, truck, or RV bought or leased in Maine that is still under its original express warranty. If a substantial defect isn't fixed after a reasonable number of attempts, you may be entitled to a replacement or a refund (the full contract price less a use deduction), enforced through the Attorney General's free State Lemon Law Arbitration Program.
Maine lemon law at a glance
| Time / mileage window | 3 years after delivery or 18,000 miles, whichever comes first |
|---|---|
| Repair attempts (presumption) | 3 or more for the same defect, or 1 for a serious braking or steering failure |
| Days out of service | 15 or more business days |
| Covers new vehicles | Yes |
| Used-car lemon law | Covered while under the original express warranty |
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 Maine sources
Verify the current rules with these authoritative sources: