Texas Lemon Law: Your Rights
Last reviewed: June 29, 2026
Texas's lemon law is administered by the Texas DMV and covers a wide range of new vehicles, including cars, trucks, vans, motorcycles, ATVs, motor homes, and towable RVs. If a substantial defect under warranty can't be fixed after a reasonable number of attempts, you may be entitled to a repurchase, replacement, or further repair, plus reimbursement for incidental costs. You must file a complaint with TxDMV within the deadline.
Texas lemon law at a glance
| Time / mileage window | File with TxDMV within 6 months of the earliest of: warranty end, 24 months, or 24,000 miles |
|---|---|
| Repair attempts (presumption) | 4 or more for the same defect (2 in the first 12 months/12,000 miles), or 2 for a serious safety hazard |
| Days out of service | 30 or more days in the first 24 months/24,000 miles (loaner time excluded) |
| 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 Texas sources
Verify the current rules with these authoritative sources: