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Lemon Law Demand Letter — Vermont

In Vermont, a new vehicle is presumed a lemon if, within the manufacturer’s express warranty term, it has had three repair attempts, or the vehicle out of service a cumulative 30 or more calendar days. Below is a ready-to-edit lemon law demand letter with Vermont's statute — the Vermont Lemon Law — already cited; add your vehicle and repair history, then send it to the manufacturer.

Vermont at a glance

  • Coverage window: the manufacturer’s express warranty term.
  • The tests: three repair attempts, or the vehicle out of service a cumulative 30 or more calendar days.
  • What this letter does: after a reasonable repair attempt (or the qualifying days out of service), you must notify the manufacturer and lessor in writing of the nonconformity and your election to proceed under this chapter.
  • Where it escalates: Vermont’s own Motor Vehicle Arbitration Board (a hearing scheduled within 45 days of a completed Demand for Arbitration) — unless you elect the manufacturer’s own dispute settlement program instead, in which case you can’t also use the state board.
  • Certified mail is the recommended way to send this notice, though Vermont’s statute requires written notice without specifying certified mail by name.
  • Vermont’s process is either/or: if you elect the manufacturer’s own dispute settlement program, you give up the right to also use the state’s arbitration board.

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, Vermont 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 and election under the Vermont Lemon Law (9 V.S.A. § 4170 et seq.)
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], Vermont.

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 Vermont Lemon Law (9 V.S.A. §§ 4170 to 4181), a manufacturer that cannot conform a new motor vehicle to its warranty after a reasonable repair attempt must replace it or refund the purchase price. A reasonable repair attempt is generally three unsuccessful attempts, or the vehicle out of service a cumulative 30 or more calendar days, within the manufacturer’s express warranty term. After that, you must notify the manufacturer and lessor in writing of the nonconformity and your election to proceed under this chapter.

This letter is my written notice of the nonconformity described above, and my election to proceed under Vermont’s Lemon Law for a comparable replacement vehicle or a refund of the full purchase price. If this is not resolved, I intend to file a Demand for Arbitration with Vermont’s Motor Vehicle Arbitration Board, 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 (Vermont looks for three repair attempts, or the vehicle out of service a cumulative 30 or more calendar 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 Vermont?

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 Vermont that is presumed within the manufacturer’s express warranty term, after three repair attempts, or the vehicle out of service a cumulative 30 or more calendar days. Keep every repair order; the paper trail is the claim.

Do I need to use an official form?

No official form for this notice letter, though Vermont’s DMV does provide a separate Demand for Arbitration form for the next step. This letter is your written notice and election to proceed under the Lemon Law.

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?

File a Demand for Arbitration with Vermont’s Motor Vehicle Arbitration Board — a hearing is typically scheduled within 45 days. Note that electing the manufacturer’s own dispute settlement program instead means giving up your right to use the state board.

More lemon law demand letter templates for other states

Facts verified against official sources on September 3, 2026: dmv.vermont.gov, dmv.vermont.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.