No Attorney’s Fees Unless We Recover · Under N.D. Cent. Code §51-07-16 to §51-07-22 North Dakota Lemon Law

North Dakota Lemon Law Attorneys

You Can Get a Cash Settlement, a Replacement Car, or a Refund with Easy Lemon

Millions Recovered for Drivers

Statute-cited approach

2022 or Newer Vehicles

Fast and Simple Process

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$30M+^**

Recovered

97%^*

Resolution Rate

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Unless We Recover

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The 60-second answer

The North Dakota Lemon Law (N.D. Cent. Code §51-07-16 to §51-07-22) requires manufacturers to repurchase or replace a new motor vehicle with a substantial defect after 4 or more repair attempts for the same defect or 30 cumulative business days out of service. The North Dakota lemon law has no attorney-fee provision of its own. You pay no attorney fees unless we recover for you. Easy Lemon represents North Dakota drivers at every stage.

How your North Dakota claim gets built

Our lemon law work is directed by Steven P. Nassi, Esq., Managing Partner, Easy Lemon by RockPoint Law P.C. A North Dakota claim gets built on two things: the North Dakota lemon law statute, and the federal Magnuson-Moss Warranty Act, which applies in all fifty states. Send the repair orders and the purchase or lease paperwork, and we can tell you which of the two fits your vehicle.

Read Steven Nassi’s full bio →

Warning Signs

Is Your Car a Lemon?

Your car may be a lemon if it keeps going back to the dealer or the mechanic for the same problem. Under North Dakota law, the defect must make the car unsafe, unreliable or worth much less. The manufacturer or dealer must also have failed to fix it after several tries.

The same noise, shaking or warning light keeps coming back.

The dealer has worked on it multiple times and the problem is still there.

Your Rights

Understanding North Dakota's Lemon Law

North Dakota's Lemon Law is found at N.D. Cent. Code §51-07-16 to §51-07-22 and sets the rules for defective new vehicles in the state.

Statute

N.D. Cent. Code §51-07-16 to §51-07-22, North Dakota Lemon Law

Eligible Vehicles

New & leased vehicles within North Dakota's eligibility period

Repair Threshold

4 repair attempts OR 30+ days out of service

Remedies

Full refund, replacement, or cash settlement

Attorney Fees

No general attorney-fee award in the state lemon law

Arbitration

Varies by state, we review what applies to your case

All within North Dakota's eligibility period (Within 6 months after the earlier of the express warranty term expiring or 18 months from original delivery). North Dakota law entitles you to a full refund, replacement vehicle, or cash settlement. No attorney fees unless we recover for you. The North Dakota lemon law has no attorney-fee provision of its own.

The Process

How North Dakota's Lemon Law Process Works

Document Your Repairs

Ask for a repair order every time you visit a North Dakota dealer, even if the technician finds nothing. Under N.D. Cent. Code §51-07-16 to §51-07-22, these papers prove your repair attempts. Keep every receipt and work order.

Contact Easy Lemon

Send us your records. We check your repair history against North Dakota's statute and tell you if your car qualifies as a lemon. The consultation is free, with no obligation.

We File Your Claim

We prepare the claim and handle the paperwork. This includes any notice to the manufacturer that N.D. Cent. Code §51-07-16 to §51-07-22 requires.

Manufacturer Response

If North Dakota law gives the manufacturer a final repair attempt, it gets one. If the defect remains, North Dakota law entitles you to relief. Most claims then move toward settlement.

Get Compensated

You receive a refund, a replacement vehicle or a cash settlement. No attorney fees unless we recover for you.

Our Edge

Why Choose Us for Lemon Law?

Past Results

We've recovered over $30 million for our clients by securing refunds, cash settlements, and replacements.

Client-Centered Approach

We receive positive feedback from clients we have represented.

Fee-Shift Representation

The North Dakota lemon law has no attorney-fee provision of its own. No fee unless we recover compensation.

Focused Results

We know the stress defective vehicles bring, so we simplify the process for you.

At Easy Lemon, your success is our mission. Let us simplify the process and get you the justice you deserve.

Actual Settlements

North Dakota Lemon Law Results

These are actual settlements obtained by the firm, shown because we do not yet have enough resolved matters in North Dakota to report state-level figures. Prior results do not guarantee or predict a similar outcome; every case is different. See our recent settlements page for more.

$140,242

2024 Audi Rs E Tron Gt

Florida

Buyback settlement

$120,514

2024 Bmw X6

Florida

Defect: a recurring defect

$119,218

2025 Bmw 750E

Florida

Defect: electrical/ technology

$111,200

2025 Bmw X5

Florida

Defect: brake/ steering/ suspension

$110,122

2023 Gmc Hummer Ev

Texas

Defect: electrical/ technology

$103,592

2024 Mercedes Benz Truck Glc300

Result

Defect: electrical/ technology

Results may vary. Prior outcomes do not guarantee a similar result. Each case is unique and depends on its specific facts and applicable law.

What You're Entitled To

What The Manufacturer May Owe You

Refund

You get your purchase price back, including taxes and fees, minus any use deduction North Dakota law allows.

Cash Settlement

You receive a payment for the unresolved defect and keep your car.

Vehicle Replacement

You get a comparable new vehicle in place of the defective one, at no extra cost.

Meet Our Team

Meet Our Legal Team

Florida Managing Partner

Our lawyers are only permitted to practice law in the jurisdictions in which they are licensed or have been authorized to practice.

Real Results. Real Stories.

What Our Clients Say

About the North Dakota Lemon Law

Answers anchored to N.D. Cent. Code §51-07-16 to §51-07-22, the statute that governs lemon law claims in North Dakota.

What is the North Dakota lemon law? +

The North Dakota lemon law is N.D. Cent. Code §51-07-16 to §51-07-22. It's written for new motor vehicles purchased or leased in North Dakota for personal, family, or household use, so a pickup bought new in Minot is covered the same as a car leased in Fargo, and a used car is a separate question with its own answer below. When a defect covered by the warranty is still there after the repairs the law counts, you can ask for a replacement vehicle or a full refund, but the manufacturer takes a reasonable use offset off the refund. The law also requires prior direct notice to the manufacturer and a turn through its qualifying informal dispute program first.

How many repair attempts make a car a lemon in North Dakota? +

North Dakota requires more than three repair attempts, so it takes 4 or more for the same defect, while a car that has been out of service 30 cumulative business days can qualify without reaching that count. Either way the defect has to substantially impair the use, market value or safety of the vehicle, which is what the statute calls a nonconformity, and scratches and small paint flaws usually don't get there.

Have you handled a lemon law case in North Dakota? +

Yes, we handled a 2025 Toyota Tundra that our client leased brand-new from Toyota of North Dakota on April 22, 2025, with 4 miles on it. Less than a month later the check engine light came on and the parking brake malfunction light came on too, and the truck had 1,900 miles. It went in on May 20, 2025 and stayed three days. The diagnosis found a short circuit and a misfire in cylinder 6, and a faulty spark plug looked like the cause. The truck got a new plug. The misfire came back right away, and this time the check engine light had the traction control light and other warning lights with it. Toyota decided the engine needed a new short block and also new injectors, gaskets, valves and other internal parts. There were only 2 repair visits, but the truck was in the shop 135 days, more than four and a half months, and in the end it was bought back.

Does the North Dakota lemon law cover used cars? +

A used car usually falls outside the North Dakota lemon law, because the statute is written for new motor vehicles purchased or leased in North Dakota for personal, family, or household use. The federal Magnuson-Moss Warranty Act goes by the written warranty, and that is why a used car can still have a claim under it, or under another consumer statute, when the defect showed up while the manufacturer's warranty was active.

Is a leased car covered by the North Dakota lemon law? +

A new motor vehicle leased in North Dakota for personal, family, or household use is covered as well, the same as one that was purchased, and our client's Tundra was a lease.

How long do I have to file a lemon law claim in North Dakota? +

You have 6 months after the earlier of two dates, the end of the express warranty term or 18 months from original delivery. On a truck delivered in April 2025, like the Tundra, 18 months reaches October 2026. If the warranty term lasted longer than that, the 6 months run from October 2026, and if it ended sooner they run from that earlier date. There can also be notice rules and a separate statute of limitation, and waiting too long can cost you your rights.

Do I have to tell the manufacturer about the defect in North Dakota? +

The manufacturer has to get prior direct notice in North Dakota, and it also gets an opportunity to cure, meaning a chance to fix the defect itself. We write that notice and send it ourselves, with the repair orders behind it.

Will I need to go to court in North Dakota? +

Probably not, because most of the cases we handle settle with the manufacturer before anyone sues. North Dakota does add a step, and it sits in front of the refund or replacement. That remedy is unavailable to a consumer who hasn't first used the manufacturer's qualifying informal dispute program, so we prepare that filing.

What can I get if my car is a lemon in North Dakota? +

A replacement vehicle or a full refund, minus a reasonable use offset, is what the statute gives you. A cash settlement comes from negotiating instead, and then you keep the car and get paid for the defect. With a buyback, like the Tundra's, or with a replacement, the car goes back to the manufacturer.

Who pays the attorney's fees in a North Dakota lemon law case? +

The North Dakota lemon law has no attorney-fee provision of its own, but the federal Magnuson-Moss Warranty Act (15 U.S.C. §2310(d)) has a fee rule when a written warranty is breached. With us there's nothing to pay upfront and no attorney's fee unless we recover for you. Some costs of a case can still come up. The written fee agreement says how they're handled, and it's one page, which we go through with you on the first call.

How experienced is Easy Lemon? +

Easy Lemon opened in 2024 as a consumer brand of RockPoint Law P.C. Our attorneys bring 25+ years of combined experience. Ron Kaniuk, our Florida managing partner, has practiced law since 1997. We have represented 1,500+ clients in vehicle warranty disputes. Our North Dakota Tundra case is published on easylemon.com with its repair history.

Frequently Asked Questions

How do I start a lemon law claim in North Dakota? +

It starts with a call to 855-435-3666 or the free case review form at easylemon.com, and once we've heard what happened we ask for the repair orders. A Connecticut client sent us four of them for a 2025 Audi Q5. The fuel filler cap was replaced and kept popping off. The same Audi service action was done twice. After a remote software update the check engine light came back, and later the car lost power and got towed in. With a North Dakota car we hold orders like those up against the four attempts and the 30 cumulative business days out of service. If they meet one, the manufacturer gets a formal claim and we negotiate, mostly by phone and email.

Do days in the shop count as much as repair visits? +

Days can count as much as visits, because 30 cumulative business days out of service is a route of its own in North Dakota, apart from the four repair attempts. Our client's Tundra had only 2 visits, but it spent 135 days in the shop. A 2024 Audi Q8 e-tron in Texas went in 3 times and was out of service 166 days. Its rear motor leaked coolant into the housing, so the motor was replaced. Then the cruise control, the turn signals and the rear light bar started failing. We count the 30 days off the dealer's repair orders, which is why it helps to get one on every visit.

What if the dealer says it can't find the problem? +

It still helps to get a repair order, because it records your complaint even when the technician finds nothing. A couple in South Florida took their Kia Telluride back four times for a noise from the rear. Nobody could find where the noise came from. It had been out of service more than 40 days when they called us, and Kia bought it back. An intermittent defect can still qualify under North Dakota law if it substantially impairs the vehicle, and we prove it with the repair records, your testimony and sometimes technical experts.

How long does a lemon law case take in North Dakota? +

Some North Dakota claims settle within weeks. Others take months, especially if the manufacturer wants its own inspection, but most of the cases we handle settle at the written-demand stage and never become a lawsuit. While that goes on, you get a copy of every letter we send and a note each time the manufacturer answers.

Can I get a full refund for my car in North Dakota? +

You can get close to a full refund. In a buyback the manufacturer pays back the purchase price and certain fees, and it takes off a reasonable use offset for the miles you drove, often your mileage divided by a useful life of 100,000 to 120,000 miles, times the price. If it picks 100,000 instead of 120,000 the deduction gets bigger, so we check the math before you sign. Registration, taxes and finance charges usually come back to you, towing and rental costs can too, and attorney fees are paid apart from the buyback.

What is a cash settlement, and do I have to give back my car? +

With a cash settlement you keep the car and the manufacturer pays you for the defect. A buyback or a replacement means the car goes back, as our client's 2025 Toyota Tundra leased in North Dakota did when it was bought back for $53,364.14. The owner of a 2025 Audi Q5 in Connecticut got a $43,451.81 buyback, and the firm-wide results higher on this page run from $103,592 to $140,242. Past results do not guarantee a similar outcome.

What if my car doesn't meet the North Dakota repair count? +

Other laws may still reach the defect. Breach of warranty claims, the Magnuson-Moss Warranty Act and North Dakota unfair trade practices and consumer protection statutes can each apply to a defect that falls short of four attempts or 30 cumulative business days out of service. There are the UCC implied warranties too. Merchantability under UCC §2-314 covers sales of goods by merchants, used vehicles included, and it's a lower bar than the lemon law's substantial impairment. UCC §2-315 only comes in when the buyer relied on the seller's advice for a particular use, like towing.

Do you take cases against every manufacturer? +

We take cases against domestic and foreign brands, and our published results include Tesla, Audi, GMC, Chevrolet, Toyota, Kia and Jeep in several states, among them the 2023 GMC Hummer EV from Texas in the results above. A 2024 Tesla Cybertruck in New York had 15 miles on it at delivery and then started losing brake pressure, and Tesla tried four times to fix the brakes before it was bought back. A 2022 Jeep Wrangler we handled in South Carolina pulled right with vibration at 186 miles and later developed the "death wobble". When a manufacturer won't cooperate, our attorneys negotiate first and litigate when they have to.

Can I still bring a claim after my warranty expires? +

You may still have a claim, because a defect reported while the warranty was active can still support one after the coverage ends. So the first repair order for the defect matters to us, and its date gets checked against the North Dakota filing deadline, 6 months after whichever came first, the end of the express warranty term or 18 months from delivery.

What if my case is not successful? Are there hidden fees? +

If the case doesn't succeed, you owe us no attorney's fee, and there are no hidden fees. We pay case costs such as filing fees and expert fees up front, and your written fee agreement sets out which costs, if any, you may be responsible for. When claims fail, it's usually because the defect was first reported after the North Dakota deadline, or because the repair orders never mention it.

Should I hire a lemon lawyer for my North Dakota claim? +

You can bring the claim yourself, but the manufacturer will have its own legal team. A lemon lawyer knows what North Dakota law requires and how the informal dispute program, the negotiation and the litigation work. The North Dakota lemon law itself has no attorney-fee provision. Whether to hire one is your decision.

Do I need to visit an office to hire a North Dakota lemon law attorney? +

Office visits are rarely necessary for North Dakota clients, because we work by phone, email and e-signature from Manhasset NY, Newark NJ, Miami FL and Dallas TX. Someone in Grand Forks or Jamestown uploads the repair orders, the lease or purchase contract and the warranty booklet, and one assigned attorney with a direct line takes it from there. Nothing in the North Dakota statute requires you to appear anywhere to open a claim. Our lawyers practice only in the jurisdictions where they are licensed or have been authorized to practice.

Still Have Questions?

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Arbitration Board

North Dakota Lemon Law Arbitration

North Dakota puts the manufacturer's informal dispute program in front of the statutory remedy, since the refund or replacement is not available until the consumer has first used the manufacturer's qualifying program. Federal law requires arbitration before a lawsuit only if the written warranty makes you use a program that meets FTC rules, but a North Dakota refund or replacement still waits on that program, so the first thing we check is which program the manufacturer runs. General questions about these programs are in our lemon law FAQ.

A program takes the case once the repair history gets to 4 or more repair attempts for the same defect or 30 cumulative business days out of service, and after any written notice to the manufacturer that the statute makes a prerequisite. The program sets the timing, and it varies from one program to the next. We do the filing and send the repair orders with it, along with the purchase or lease contract, because the contract has the delivery date on it.

Decision

Does the program's decision bind me?

The decision is often binding on the manufacturer, while the consumer generally keeps the right to appeal to civil court. Appeal deadlines vary, so we'd rather have a copy of the decision the day it arrives. If arbitration doesn't resolve the case, either side can file a civil suit, and the courts for Cass, Burleigh, Ward and three other counties are listed in the Statute-Cited Answers below.

State vs Federal

North Dakota Lemon Law vs Federal Magnuson-Moss

Most North Dakota cases benefit from invoking both statutes, so we review every case under N.D. Cent. Code §51-07-16 to §51-07-22 and under the federal Magnuson-Moss Warranty Act (15 U.S.C. §2301) and use the stronger one. The state law gives you the repair presumption and the buyback remedy. Magnuson-Moss adds a federal fee provision, 15 U.S.C. §2310(d)(2), which the North Dakota lemon law does not have.

North Dakota sets a count. It requires 4 or more repair attempts for the same defect, or 30 cumulative business days out of service. Our client's Tundra had 2 visits and 135 days in the shop. Magnuson-Moss sets no count at all and just asks for a "reasonable number" of repair attempts, so what's reasonable depends on the facts of the car.

Time works differently as well. A North Dakota claim has to be filed within 6 months after the earlier of the express warranty term expiring or 18 months from original delivery, but the federal time limit runs as long as the express warranty does, and so the act can reach defects outside the North Dakota lemon law period.

Vehicle coverage is another gap. The state statute is written for new motor vehicles purchased or leased in North Dakota for personal, family, or household use, but Magnuson-Moss applies to products sold with a written warranty, and that is why used cars often qualify.

Before a refund or replacement under North Dakota law, the consumer has to have used the manufacturer's qualifying informal dispute program first, while federal law requires arbitration before a lawsuit only if the written warranty makes you use a program that meets FTC rules. A case under either law can go to state or federal court.

Practitioner Answers

North Dakota Lemon Law: Statute-Cited Answers

Which North Dakota court hears a lemon law case, from Fargo to Dickinson?

A North Dakota lemon law suit usually goes to the state's court of general jurisdiction, in the county where you live or where the car was sold. Fargo is in Cass County, whose general civil trial court is the District Court, Cass County, in the East Central Judicial District, and Bismarck is in Burleigh County, where it is the District Court, Burleigh County, in the South Central Judicial District. Grand Forks is in Grand Forks County, with the District Court, Grand Forks County, in the Northeast Central Judicial District. Minot is in Ward County, with the District Court, Ward County, in the North Central Judicial District, and Dickinson is in Stark County, with the District Court, Stark County, in the Southwest Judicial District. Valley City is in Barnes County, with the District Court, Barnes County, in the Southeast Judicial District. A Magnuson-Moss claim can also go to Federal District Court (15 U.S.C. §2310(d)(1)) when damages exceed $50,000 or party diversity permits it. In the end, which court hears a particular case still depends on its facts, the warranty issues involved and the law it is brought under.

What do North Dakota lemon law attorneys need from you?

Every repair order comes first, including the ones from visits where the technician found nothing.

the purchase or lease contract, which shows the delivery date the 18 months count from
the warranty booklet, which shows the express warranty term
emails, texts and letters with the dealer or manufacturer
receipts for towing, rentals and lodging, since those costs are often recoverable

It helps to write down the date, the mileage and the symptom each time the problem comes back. You can also look up your VIN for recall notices at nhtsa.gov/recalls.

Which defects count as a nonconformity in North Dakota?

Under N.D. Cent. Code §51-07-16 to §51-07-22 a defect counts when it substantially impairs the use, market value or safety of the vehicle. Engine stalling and misfires are among the defects we see most, and our client's Tundra had a cylinder 6 misfire, code P030600, that a new spark plug didn't fix. Toyota traced it to bearing failure in the output carrier assembly, which had damaged the planetary set. Transmission shudder or failure, electrical faults that leave warning lights on, brake and steering problems and driver-assistance (ADAS) systems that brake or drift on their own come up often too.

Statewide Coverage

Serving Drivers Across All of North Dakota

Easy Lemon represents North Dakota consumers from Fargo to the Badlands. We handle N.D. Cent. Code §51-07-16 to §51-07-22 cases remotely, regardless of city or county.

Fargo Bismarck Grand Forks MinotWest FargoWillistonMandanDickinsonJamestownWahpetonAll areas →

Reviewed by Steven P. Nassi, Esq. · Managing Partner, Easy Lemon by RockPoint Law P.C. · Last updated August 6, 2026 Sources: North Dakota Statutes, N.D. Cent. Code §51-07-16 to §51-07-22, North Dakota Attorney General, FTC Magnuson-Moss, NHTSA Recall Lookup, FTC Lemon Law Guide, Cornell Law, 15 USC Ch. 50, State Attorneys General (USA.gov). ATTORNEY ADVERTISING under North Dakota professional rules. Past results do not guarantee future outcomes.

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