How to File a Lemon Law Claim in Massachusetts

Massachusetts is one of only four states with a separate used-car lemon law. The new-car statute at Mass. Gen. Laws ch. 90 § 7N½ sits alongside a distinct used-car statute at § 7N¼, and the two operate on different thresholds, different remedies, and different filing deadlines. Most states leave used-car protection entirely to federal Magnuson-Moss warranty law. Massachusetts gives used-car buyers a state-law claim with its own buyback machinery. Easy Lemon represents Massachusetts consumers in lemon law cases on a no-fee-unless-we-win basis. The new-car statute provides for fee-shifting on a successful manufacturer appeal of state arbitration, and the federal Magnuson-Moss claim that often runs in parallel awards reasonable attorney's fees on a prevailing claim. If your dealer cannot fix a defective vehicle, request a free case review. Our Massachusetts lemon law attorneys handle the State-Certified arbitration filing, the 7-business-day cure window, and the parallel used-car claim where it applies. This guide walks through the new-car statute, the 15-business-day day count, the separate used-car law, and the answers to the questions Massachusetts consumers ask most often.

The New-Car Statute Under Mass. Gen. Laws ch. 90 § 7N½

According to Natalie Nassi, Esq., Partner at Easy Lemon, "many vehicle owners remain unaware of the compensation or replacement options available under lemon law," a point she made when Easy Lemon announced its 2024 nationwide expansion. The Massachusetts new-car path is set by Mass. Gen. Laws ch. 90, § 7N½. The statute defines the "term of protection" as one year or 15,000 miles, whichever comes first. Inside that window, the presumption attaches two ways. The first is three failed repair attempts on the same nonconformity. The second is 15 business days at the dealer for any nonconformity. The 15-business-day count matches Maine and Mississippi as the lowest in the country. The statute covers motor vehicles sold, leased, or replaced by a dealer or manufacturer in Massachusetts, including motorcycles. Auto homes and vehicles primarily for off-road use are excluded. For excluded vehicles, the federal Magnuson-Moss Warranty Act (15 U.S.C. § 2310) is the alternate route.

The 7-Business-Day Final Repair Attempt

Massachusetts builds in a final-repair window after the consumer gives notice to the manufacturer. The manufacturer is entitled to one final repair attempt within 7 business days of receiving the notice. If the manufacturer completes a successful repair within the window, the presumption does not apply. If the manufacturer fails to repair, or fails to respond at all within the 7-business-day window, the presumption attaches and the consumer can proceed to the State-Certified New Car Arbitration Program. The 7-business-day window is shorter than the cure windows in most states, where 10 to 30 days is typical. The compressed window reflects a legislative judgment that Massachusetts manufacturers operating in a 15-business-day day-count state should not be permitted to extend the elapsed time on a final repair. The lemon law letter is the procedural hinge of the claim, and it has to clearly trigger the 7-business-day window so the manufacturer cannot argue the notice was deficient.

Massachusetts Lemon Law Thresholds at a Glance

The table below summarizes the procedural rails of a Massachusetts new-car lemon law claim. The 15-business-day day-count threshold and the separate used-car law are the entries that distinguish Massachusetts from most state statutes.

"The day count is where Massachusetts consumers most often slip in lemon law cases. Every dealer drop-off and pickup needs to be logged the same day, and business-day accounting excludes weekends and state holidays. A vehicle held over a long weekend credits one business day, not three or four calendar days."

— Natalie Nassi, Esq., Partner at Easy Lemon

The State-Certified New Car Arbitration Program

Massachusetts runs the State-Certified New Car Arbitration Program through the Office of Consumer Affairs and Business Regulation. The program assigns a hearing officer, schedules a hearing, and issues a decision binding on the manufacturer. The consumer can reject the decision and proceed to court. The manufacturer can appeal an adverse decision to court, and on a successful manufacturer appeal that the court upholds, the court awards the consumer reasonable attorney's fees and costs. The State-Certified program is one of the agency-run arbitration forums in the country (alongside Florida, Maine, and others) that gives consumers a free path to a binding decision on the manufacturer. The Office of Consumer Affairs and Business Regulation publishes consumer guidance, the program rules, and current arbitration outcome data. Filing has to occur within 18 months of original delivery, and that deadline is jurisdictional. Massachusetts arbitrators dismiss late filings without reaching the merits, so calendaring the 18-month clock from delivery is the discipline that protects the claim.

The Separate Used-Car Lemon Law at § 7N¼

Massachusetts is one of only four states with a separate used-car lemon law. The used-car statute at Mass. Gen. Laws ch. 90, § 7N¼ applies when the used vehicle cost $700 or more and has under 125,000 miles at the time of sale. The statute imposes a mandatory warranty on the dealer, with warranty length scaled to the mileage at sale. The used-car warranty terms work on a sliding scale. Lower-mileage used cars get longer warranty terms, and higher-mileage used cars get shorter ones. A used car sold with under 40,000 miles, for example, comes with a longer mandatory warranty than the same vehicle sold with 100,000 miles. The defect coverage and remedy structure under § 7N¼ is independent of the new-car statute. Used-car coverage is unusual among state lemon laws. Most states leave used-car protection entirely to federal Magnuson-Moss warranty law, which only applies to vehicles still under a manufacturer's written warranty. Massachusetts's standalone used-car statute fills the gap for vehicles whose original manufacturer warranty has expired but which were sold by a dealer under the § 7N¼ scheme. Refund, Replacement, and the 18-Month Filing Window If the new-car presumption attaches, Massachusetts gives the consumer the choice between a refund and a replacement. The refund is the full purchase price plus collateral charges, less a reasonable allowance for use computed on miles driven before the first repair attempt for the defect. The replacement is a comparable new vehicle of the same make, model, and equivalent options. The 18-month filing window is shorter than the 24-month or 36-month windows in most states. That tighter deadline pairs with the 1-year term of protection, which means consumers have at most 6 months after coverage ends to file with the State-Certified program. Missing the 18-month mark forfeits the state lemon law claim entirely, though the federal Magnuson-Moss claim remains available while the manufacturer's warranty is still active. According to Natalie Nassi, the refund-versus-replacement choice often turns on how long the vehicle has actually been on the road. Most Easy Lemon clients prefer the refund when their usage was minimal, rather than accepting another car from the same manufacturer that already sold them a defect.

Vehicles the Massachusetts Statute Excludes

Be honest about the limits before you file. The Massachusetts new-car statute does not apply to:

• Auto homes
• Vehicles primarily for off-road use
• Vehicles where the defect was caused by accident, abuse, neglect, or unauthorized modification
• Defects that do not substantially impair the use, market value, or safety of the vehicle If your vehicle falls outside the Massachusetts statute, or you bought a used vehicle that does not qualify under § 7N¼, federal Magnuson-Moss warranty law (15 U.S.C. § 2310) is your route. Easy Lemon handles those cases too, often as parallel claims when the state lemon law does not cover the vehicle.

Need Help Filing a Massachusetts Lemon Law Claim?

You can file with the State-Certified New Car Arbitration Program on your own. The procedure is meant to be accessible to consumers without counsel. What we see in our work is that manufacturers are almost always represented by counsel at the hearing, and the 7-business-day cure window combined with the 15-business-day day count makes the procedural timing one of the most actively contested factual issues at arbitration. Easy Lemon, operated by RockPoint Law P.C. (10880 Wilshire Boulevard, Suite 1290, Los Angeles, CA 90024), represents Massachusetts consumers on a no-fee-unless-we-win basis. We calendar the 15-business-day count, draft the notice that triggers the 7-business-day cure window, prepare the State-Certified filing within the 18-month window, and run a parallel § 7N¼ used-car claim where the facts support it. The firm has recovered more than $75 million for clients across thousands of cases. For a free consultation, call 855-43-LEMON or schedule online through our intake form. There is no cost to find out whether you have a case. If you do, we tell you. If you do not, we tell you that too.

Massachusetts Lemon Law: Frequently Asked Questions

The questions below come up most often when Massachusetts consumers call Natalie Nassi and the Easy Lemon team. Each answer points back to the statute provision or federal rule that controls.

Does Massachusetts have a used-car lemon law?

Yes. Massachusetts is one of only four states with a separate used-car lemon law (Mass. Gen. Laws ch. 90, § 7N¼). It applies when the used vehicle cost $700 or more and has under 125,000 miles. The warranty length is scaled to mileage at the time of sale. That coverage is unusual among states, most of which leave used-car protection to federal Magnuson-Moss law.

How does the 7-business-day cure window work?

After you give notice to the manufacturer that the qualifying repair-attempt or day-count threshold has been met, the manufacturer is entitled to one final repair attempt within 7 business days. If the manufacturer fails to repair within the window, or fails to respond at all, the presumption attaches and you can proceed to the State-Certified New Car Arbitration Program.

What is the State-Certified New Car Arbitration Program?

Massachusetts runs a state-administered arbitration program through the Office of Consumer Affairs and Business Regulation. The program issues decisions binding on the manufacturer but non-binding on the consumer, who can reject and proceed to court. Filing has to occur within 18 months of original delivery.

Why are Massachusetts day counts in business days?

The statute uses business days, which excludes weekends and state holidays. A vehicle held over a long weekend credits one business day, not three or four calendar days. The accounting reduces the credited count compared to a calendar-day rule, so 15 Massachusetts business days corresponds to roughly 21 to 25 calendar days at the dealer.

What is the term of protection in Massachusetts?

The new-car term of protection is 1 year or 15,000 miles, whichever comes first. The qualifying repair attempts or the 15-business-day count have to occur within that window. The 18-month filing deadline runs from delivery and provides up to 6 months after the term of protection ends to file with the State-Certified program. Reviewed by Natalie Nassi, Esq., Partner, Easy Lemon (RockPoint Law P.C.), 10880 Wilshire Boulevard, Suite 1290, Los Angeles, CA 90024. This article is for general information only and is not legal advice. Reading it does not create an attorney-client relationship between you and Easy Lemon or RockPoint Law P.C. Massachusetts lemon law cases turn on specific facts and on the version of the statute in effect at the time of your purchase. For advice on your specific situation, contact Easy Lemon for a free consultation. Past results discussed do not guarantee a similar outcome. Every case is different.

About The Author

Steven Nassi

Steven P. Nassi is the Founder and Managing Partner of Easy Lemon. A seasoned attorney with nearly 25 years of experience, he has handled some of the most high-profile and complex cases in the country. Steven has litigated in state and federal courts in various fields, including consumer protection, construction, insurance, engineering, finance, cyber and more. His reputation is built on skillfully navigating the legal landscape and achieving favorable outcomes for clients.

Read More about Steven Nassi