Consumer Protection · Lemon Law
Lemon Law in Illinois
How many repair attempts and days out of service before Illinois presumes your vehicle is a lemon — and whether used cars are covered.
presumption trigger (same defect)
Do I meet the Illinois lemon presumption?
Enter your repairs and downtime. This checks the presumption — it is not a legal verdict.
This checklist is educational, not a legal verdict. Every state writes these numbers as a rebuttable presumption: hitting them shifts the burden to the manufacturer, and the manufacturer can still rebut it. Keep every repair order, send any required written notice, and consult a lawyer about your specific facts. This is legal information, not legal advice.
How the presumption works in Illinois
The prongs that shift the burden to the manufacturer.
The 30 days out of service are counted as BUSINESS days, not calendar days, so weekends and holidays do not count against the manufacturer.
Every state — Illinois included — writes these thresholds as a rebuttable presumption. Reaching them shifts the burden onto the manufacturer to prove your vehicle is not a lemon; it does not mean you automatically win. You may also qualify with fewer attempts if a "reasonable number" of repairs is shown some other way, and the manufacturer can rebut the presumption. This is legal information, not legal advice.
Used cars & leased vehicles
Which of the three coverage categories Illinois falls in.
The full picture, with the source
Every figure, and where it comes from.
| Same-defect attempts | 4 |
| Serious-safety attempts | No separate safety count |
| Days out of service | 30 business days |
| Coverage window | 1 year or 12,000 miles from delivery (whichever comes first) |
| Used cars | New vehicles only |
| Leased vehicles | Covered |
| Statute | 815 ILCS 380/3 (presumption); 380/2 (definitions) |
What Illinois car buyers get wrong
Illinois looks like a standard 4-attempt state until you reach the out-of-service count, which is measured differently than in most states. Under the New Vehicle Buyer Protection Act (815 ILCS 380/3), Illinois presumes a lemon after 4 repair attempts on the same defect or 30 business days out of service, within 1 year or 12,000 miles — a notably short window. The word "business" matters: weekends and holidays do not count, so 30 business days is roughly six calendar weeks of downtime, not four. As with every lemon law these are presumption triggers that shift the burden to the manufacturer, not automatic wins. Illinois has no smaller safety-defect count, and it covers new vehicles only — used vehicles and camping or travel trailers are expressly excluded. A consumer counts as covered if they lease the vehicle for at least one year.
Common questions
How many repair attempts is a lemon in Illinois?
Illinois presumes a lemon after 4 attempts on the same defect or 30 business days out of service, within 1 year or 12,000 miles. It is a rebuttable presumption that shifts the burden to the manufacturer.
Are the 30 days out of service business days or calendar days in Illinois?
Business days. Weekends and holidays are excluded, so 30 business days of downtime is roughly six calendar weeks — longer than a 30-calendar-day count.
Does Illinois’ lemon law cover used cars?
No. The Act covers new vehicles only, and used and camping/travel trailers are expressly excluded. Illinois has no used-car lemon law.
Are leased vehicles covered in Illinois?
Yes, if the lease runs at least one year. The definition of "consumer" includes a person who leases the vehicle for at least a year.
Not legal advicePlainStatute provides plain-language summaries of public law for general information only. This is not legal advice. Statutes change; always confirm current requirements with the official source linked above before acting.