Consumer Protection · Lemon Law
Lemon Law in North Dakota
How many repair attempts and days out of service before North Dakota presumes your vehicle is a lemon, and whether used cars are covered.
presumption trigger (same defect)
Do I meet the North Dakota 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 North Dakota
The prongs that shift the burden to the manufacturer.
The statute is written as "more than three times," which means 4 or more attempts. It covers new passenger vehicles only and specifically excludes motorcycles and motor homes. A refund is reduced by a use allowance capped at 10 cents per mile driven or 10 percent of the purchase price, whichever is less.
Every state, North Dakota 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 North Dakota 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 | Earlier of warranty expiration or 1 year from delivery |
| Used cars | New vehicles only |
| Leased vehicles | Covered |
| Statute | N.D. Cent. Code §51-07-19 (presumption); §51-07-16 et seq. |
What North Dakota car buyers get wrong
North Dakota’s lemon law lives in Century Code chapter 51-07 and is administered through the Attorney General’s consumer protection office. Under §51-07-19 the state presumes a lemon after the same nonconformity has been subject to repair more than three times, which works out to 4 or more attempts, or after the vehicle is out of service for a cumulative 30 or more business days, within the earlier of the warranty term or 1 year from delivery. One requirement is easy to overlook: the presumption does not apply against a manufacturer unless it first got direct notice and a chance to cure, so notify the manufacturer and keep proof. North Dakota also draws its coverage line narrowly, protecting new passenger vehicles only and leaving out motorcycles and motor homes. If you win a refund, the manufacturer can deduct a use allowance capped at 10 cents per mile or 10 percent of the price, whichever is less. Meeting the numbers shifts the burden to the manufacturer rather than automatically settling the claim.
Common questions
How many repair attempts is a lemon in North Dakota?
The statute says "more than three times," which means 4 or more attempts on the same nonconformity, or 30 or more business days out of service, within the earlier of the warranty term or 1 year from delivery. That shifts the burden to the manufacturer.
Does North Dakota’s lemon law cover motorcycles or motor homes?
No. North Dakota covers new passenger motor vehicles only. Motorcycles, motor homes, and used cars all fall outside the law.
Do I need to notify the manufacturer first in North Dakota?
Yes. The presumption does not apply against a manufacturer unless it received prior direct notification from or on behalf of the consumer and an opportunity to cure the defect.
Will a North Dakota refund be reduced for the miles I drove?
Yes. A refund is reduced by a reasonable use allowance, but that deduction is capped at 10 cents per mile driven or 10 percent of the purchase price, whichever is less.
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.