New Hampshire Lemon Law (NH)

Qualifying Criteria in New Hampshire

Under New Hampshire's lemon law, your vehicle may qualify as a lemon if it meets the following criteria:

• Vehicle type: New and certain used motor vehicles purchased or leased in New Hampshire
• Defect type: A nonconformity that substantially impairs the use, market value, or safety of the vehicle and is covered under the manufacturer's warranty
• Coverage period: The defect must occur within 3 years of delivery or 36,000 miles, whichever comes first
• Repair attempts: The manufacturer or authorized dealer must have attempted to repair the same defect at least 3 times, or the vehicle must have been out of service for a cumulative total of 30 or more days

Manufacturer Obligations

Must repair the nonconformity. If unable, must replace or refund. The New Hampshire Motor Vehicle Industry Board hears disputes.

Available Remedies

If your vehicle qualifies as a lemon under New Hampshire law, you are entitled to:

• Replacement vehicle
• Full refund minus reasonable use allowance

The "reasonable use allowance" deduction is typically calculated based on the mileage you accumulated before the first repair attempt, proportional to the vehicle's expected lifetime mileage. This ensures the manufacturer is not paying for use you already received from the vehicle.

Step-by-Step Filing Process in New Hampshire

Follow these steps if you believe your vehicle qualifies as a lemon under New Hampshire law:

1. 1 Report the defect to the dealer or manufacturer and allow repair attempts
2. 2 Allow at least 3 repair attempts for the same defect or 30+ business days out of service
3. 3 Send certified written notice to the manufacturer
4. 4 File with the New Hampshire Motor Vehicle Industry Board
5. 5 Attend the hearing (decisions are binding unless appealed to superior court within 30 days)

Arbitration in New Hampshire

Consumer must file with the New Hampshire Motor Vehicle Industry Board. The Board conducts hearings and issues binding decisions.

Important: In New Hampshire, arbitration is a required step before you can file a lawsuit. This means you must exhaust the arbitration process first. The arbitration decision may or may not be binding depending on the specific program. If you are not satisfied with the outcome, you typically have the right to appeal or file a civil action in court.

Filing Deadline

Within the express warranty period or 3 years/36,000 miles, whichever is earlier.

Missing the filing deadline can forfeit your rights under the lemon law. Keep detailed records of every repair visit, including dates, mileage, descriptions of the problem, and copies of all repair orders and receipts. This documentation will be critical for your claim.

Additional Notes

New Hampshire has a generous coverage period of 3 years/36,000 miles. Also has a used car lemon law covering vehicles less than 8 years old with under 100,000 miles. The state board's decisions are binding, making the process relatively fast and effective.