Virginia Lemon Laws

Created by FindLaw's team of legal writers and editors | Last reviewed June 20, 2016

Remember that incredible feeling you had driving your new car off the lot? And then that awful feeling of calling a tow truck for your new car? You just got this great automobile, and it’s already breaking down? Fortunately for you, Virginia is one of many states that have laws on the books that can protect new car owners. Here is a quick summary of these “lemon laws” in Virginia.

State Lemon Laws

The term "lemon" is used to describe a new automobile with recurring problems that is either inoperable or otherwise cannot be adequately fixed. Therefore, state lemon laws are intended to foster more trust among consumers when they purchase an automobile. Virginia lemon laws are codified in the Virginia Motor Vehicle Warranty Enforcement Act, which requires a full refund of replacement if a new vehicle has problems significantly affecting its use, safety, or market value that cannot be fixed within the first 18 months.

Lemon Laws in Virginia

Learn more about Virginia's lemon laws below.

Code Section	59.1-207.9, et seq.
Title of Act	Virginia Motor Vehicle Warranty Enforcement Act
Definition of Defects	Nonconformity to all warranties which significantly affects the use, safety, or market value of vehicle
Time Limit for Manufacturer Repair	Manufacturer's warranty period or lemon law rights period ending 18 months after date of original delivery to consumer of new motor vehicle
Remedies	Replace with comparable vehicle acceptable to consumer or accept return and refund full purchase price, including all collateral charges, and incidental damages, less a reasonable allowance for consumer's use of vehicle up to first notice of nonconformity given

For you car to qualify under Virginia’s lemon law,

The manufacturer, its agents, or its authorized dealers, must have tried to repair the same defect three or more times and the same defect continues to exist;
The defect must be a serious safety concern and has been subject to one or more attempts at repair by the manufacturer, its agent, or its authorized dealer and the same defect continues to exist; or
The motor vehicle is out of service due to repair for a thirty (30) calendar days.

It is always a good practice to be familiar with terms of your particular warranty and how lemon laws can help you generally.