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Lemon Law Demand Letter — Massachusetts

In Massachusetts, a new vehicle is presumed a lemon if, within the first year after delivery or 15,000 miles, whichever comes first, it has had three repair attempts for the same defect, or the vehicle out of service for repair a cumulative 15 business days. Below is a ready-to-edit lemon law demand letter with Massachusetts's statute — the Massachusetts Lemon Law — already cited; add your vehicle and repair history, then send it to the manufacturer.

Massachusetts at a glance

  • Coverage window: the first year after delivery or 15,000 miles, whichever comes first.
  • The tests: three repair attempts for the same defect, or the vehicle out of service for repair a cumulative 15 business days.
  • What this letter does: not a precondition to arbitration — Massachusetts law says you cannot be required to notify the manufacturer directly before using the state’s arbitration program — but sending it still matters two ways: it documents the "last chance" repair opportunity that helps establish the reasonable-attempts presumption, and it can double as a Chapter 93A demand letter, which entitles you to multiple damages if the manufacturer’s response is unreasonable.
  • Where it escalates: the free, state-run New Car Arbitration Program administered by the Office of Consumer Affairs and Business Regulation (OCABR), or a Chapter 93A claim in court, where multiple damages are available for a bad-faith refusal.
  • Certified mail with return receipt is the standard way to send a Chapter 93A demand letter — it starts the 30-day clock the manufacturer has to make a reasonable settlement offer before you can seek multiple damages in court.
  • Massachusetts has the shortest mileage threshold of any state in this batch — 15,000 miles — and does not require you to notify the manufacturer before arbitration, unlike most other states.

Lemon Law Demand Letter

Copy the letter below into the editor, replace the text in [brackets] with your details, and PostPal will print and mail it for you.

Subject: Lemon Law Notice — Demand for Repurchase or Replacement
[Your Name]
[Your Address]
[City, Massachusetts ZIP Code]
[Your Phone Number]
[Your Email]

[Date]

[Manufacturer Name] — Customer Relations / Owner Relations
[Manufacturer Address — listed in your warranty booklet or owner's manual]

RE: Lemon law demand for refund or replacement — Massachusetts Lemon Law and Chapter 93A demand letter
Vehicle: [Year] [Make] [Model], VIN [VIN]

Dear [Manufacturer Name] Owner Relations,

I am the [owner / lessee] of a [Year] [Make] [Model], VIN [VIN], purchased [or leased] new on [Purchase Date] from [Dealer Name] in [City], Massachusetts.

Since delivery, the vehicle has exhibited the following defect: [describe the defect and how it impairs the vehicle's use, value, or safety]. The vehicle has been presented to your authorized dealer for repair of this defect on the following occasions:

• [Date] — [Repair order #] — [What was done]
• [Date] — [Repair order #] — [What was done]
• [Date] — [Repair order #] — [What was done]

In total, the defect has been subject to [number] repair attempts, and the vehicle has been out of service for [number] days. The defect remains uncorrected.

Under the Massachusetts Lemon Law (Mass. Gen. Laws ch. 90, § 7N¼), a manufacturer that cannot conform a new motor vehicle to its warranty after a reasonable number of repair attempts must, at the consumer’s option, replace the vehicle or refund the purchase price. A reasonable number of attempts is presumed where the same defect has been subject to repair three or more times, or the vehicle has been out of service for repair a cumulative 15 business days, within the first year or 15,000 miles.

This letter is my written demand that you replace the vehicle with a comparable new vehicle or refund the full purchase price, and serves as my demand for relief under Chapter 93A of the Massachusetts General Laws. Under Chapter 93A, you have 30 days from receipt of this letter to make a reasonable settlement offer. If you do not, or if the defect is not corrected, I intend to pursue the free state arbitration program through the Office of Consumer Affairs and Business Regulation, a Chapter 93A claim in court, or both, without further notice to you.

Copies of my repair orders are available on request. Please respond in writing to the address above.

Sincerely,
[Your Signature]
[Your Printed Name]

What your lemon law demand letter must include

  • Your full name, address, and contact details
  • The vehicle’s year, make, model, and VIN, plus the purchase/lease date and selling dealer
  • A clear description of the defect and how it impairs the vehicle’s use, value, or safety
  • The full repair history: dates, repair-order numbers, and days out of service (Massachusetts looks for three repair attempts for the same defect, or the vehicle out of service for repair a cumulative 15 business days)
  • What you are demanding — a repurchase (refund) or a comparable replacement vehicle
  • A deadline for the manufacturer to respond, and where to send its response

Frequently asked questions

When does a car qualify as a lemon in Massachusetts?

The defect must substantially impair the vehicle's use, value, or safety, and the manufacturer must have had a reasonable chance to fix it — in Massachusetts that is presumed within the first year after delivery or 15,000 miles, whichever comes first, after three repair attempts for the same defect, or the vehicle out of service for repair a cumulative 15 business days. Keep every repair order; the paper trail is the claim.

Do I need to use an official form?

No form is required, and Massachusetts law is unusual here — you cannot be required to send the manufacturer written notice before using the state’s arbitration program. Sending this letter is still worthwhile: it documents your "last chance" repair opportunity and, sent by certified mail, starts the 30-day clock on a Chapter 93A demand for a reasonable settlement offer.

Who do I send the letter to — the dealer or the manufacturer?

The manufacturer. Lemon law obligations run against the vehicle manufacturer, not the selling dealer — send it to the manufacturer’s customer/owner relations address listed in your warranty booklet or owner’s manual (PostPal’s where-to-mail directory also lists head-office addresses for major automakers like Ford, General Motors, and Tesla). Keep dealing with the dealer for the repairs themselves.

What happens after I send it?

You have two paths, and can use both. First, the free New Car Arbitration Program run by the Office of Consumer Affairs and Business Regulation — no direct manufacturer notice required. Second, a Chapter 93A claim: if the manufacturer doesn’t make a reasonable settlement offer within 30 days of receiving this letter, you can sue for multiple damages and attorney’s fees.

More lemon law demand letter templates for other states

Facts verified against official sources on September 3, 2026: malegislature.gov, mass.gov.

This template is provided for convenience only. It is not legal advice and does not create a lawyer-client relationship. Court limits and rules change — confirm anything time-sensitive on the official page, and consult a qualified legal professional for advice specific to your situation.