Rhode Island Lemon Law: Your Rights

Last reviewed: June 29, 2026

Rhode Island covers both new and used vehicles under 10,000 pounds, and the Attorney General's Motor Vehicle Arbitration Board enforces the new-car law. If a substantial defect under warranty can't be fixed after a reasonable number of attempts, you can choose a full refund (including trade-in credits) or a comparable replacement, less a use allowance. Used vehicles get dealer warranties and qualify after 3 repairs or 15 days out of service.

Rhode Island 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 Rhode Island sources

Verify the current rules with these authoritative sources:

• Rhode Island Attorney General, Lemon Law
• Rhode Island General Laws Chapter 31-5.2 (Lemon Law)