Maryland Lemon Law Buyback Calculator

In Maryland, a lemon law buyback (repurchase) refunds what you paid for the vehicle minus an allowance for the use you got from it. Maryland Commercial Law section 14-1502(c) caps the allowance for your use at 15% of the purchase price; a separate allowance may be deducted for damage beyond normal wear that the defect did not cause. The statute sets no mileage divisor, so our calculator's allowance is only an estimate: it divides the mileage you enter for when the defect first appeared by 120,000, the figure California's and Florida's lemon statutes use, and multiplies by the price. A licensed attorney can confirm how the allowance applies to your purchase or lease.

Maryland recognizes a "lemon presumption" that shifts the burden to the manufacturer once your repair history crosses set thresholds. If the dealer cannot fix the same substantial, warranty-covered defect after 4 repair attempts, or if the vehicle is out of service for a cumulative 30 days, the vehicle is presumed to be a lemon. This presumption generally applies within the first 24 months or 18,000 miles of ownership.

Maryland's state lemon law generally covers new vehicles purchased with a manufacturer's warranty. If your vehicle is used or falls outside the state statute, you may still have a claim under the federal Magnuson-Moss Warranty Act, which applies to written warranties nationwide.

You generally have 3 years to bring a lemon law claim in Maryland, in line with the national average of 2.4 years. Acting before the warranty expires and while repair records are fresh protects your claim. When a vehicle qualifies, Maryland requires the manufacturer to repurchase or replace it rather than keep attempting repairs. Maryland's lemon law lets the court award attorney fees to a consumer who wins (Maryland Commercial Law Code 14-1502(l)); whether to award them is up to the court.