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Lemon Law Demand Letter — North Dakota

In North Dakota, a new vehicle is presumed a lemon if, within the earlier of the express warranty term or 1 year after original delivery, it has had four repair attempts for the same nonconformity, or the vehicle out of service a cumulative 30 or more business days. Below is a ready-to-edit lemon law demand letter with North Dakota's statute — the North Dakota Lemon Law — already cited; add your vehicle and repair history, then send it to the manufacturer.

North Dakota at a glance

  • Coverage window: the earlier of the express warranty term or 1 year after original delivery.
  • The tests: four repair attempts for the same nonconformity, or the vehicle out of service a cumulative 30 or more business days.
  • What this letter does: statutorily required — direct written notice to the manufacturer, giving it an opportunity to cure the defect, before the presumption applies.
  • Where it escalates: the manufacturer’s certified informal dispute settlement program, or a binding consumer/industry appeals or arbitration board, if it has one (required first) — then a civil lawsuit, filed within a notably short window (6 months after the earlier of the warranty term expiring or 18 months after delivery).
  • Certified mail is the recommended way to send this notice, though North Dakota’s statute doesn’t spell out a specific required mailing method.
  • North Dakota gives you an unusually short window to sue: 6 months after the earlier of the warranty term expiring or 18 months after original delivery — don’t wait to act on this notice.

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, North Dakota 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: Written notice under the North Dakota Lemon Law
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], North Dakota.

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 North Dakota Lemon Law (N.D. Cent. Code §§ 51-07-16 to 51-07-22), a manufacturer that cannot conform a new motor vehicle to its warranty after a reasonable number of repair attempts must replace it or refund the purchase price. A reasonable number of attempts is presumed where the same nonconformity has been subject to repair four or more times, or the vehicle has been out of service a cumulative 30 or more business days, within the earlier of the express warranty term or 1 year after delivery — but only once the manufacturer has received direct written notice and an opportunity to cure the defect.

This letter is my direct written notice of the nonconformity described above, giving you the opportunity to cure it. If it remains uncorrected, I intend to pursue replacement or a refund through your certified dispute settlement program or arbitration board, if you have one, or in court, 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 (North Dakota looks for four repair attempts for the same nonconformity, or the vehicle out of service a cumulative 30 or more 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 North Dakota?

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 North Dakota that is presumed within the earlier of the express warranty term or 1 year after original delivery, after four repair attempts for the same nonconformity, or the vehicle out of service a cumulative 30 or more business days. Keep every repair order; the paper trail is the claim.

Do I need to use an official form?

No official form. North Dakota’s law requires direct written notice to the manufacturer — this letter satisfies that; the presumption doesn’t apply without it.

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?

If the manufacturer has a certified dispute settlement program or a binding industry appeals/arbitration board, you generally must try that first. Either way, act quickly: North Dakota gives you only 6 months after the earlier of your warranty expiring or 18 months from delivery to file a lawsuit.

More lemon law demand letter templates for other states

Facts verified against official sources on September 3, 2026: ndlegis.gov, carlemon.com.

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.