Hiring a Lemon Law Lawyer in Alabama
The Alabama lemon law for new cars, the rules for used cars, where to file a complaint, how to check a lawyer's license, and free help. We do not recommend or rank lawyers.
What a lawyer costs in Alabama: fee rules
| Rules on contingency fees | Contingent fees are allowed except where Rule 1.5(d) or other law prohibits them. A contingent fee agreement must be in writing and state how the fee is figured, including the percentage(s) the lawyer gets on settlement, trial or appeal, what litigation and other expenses come out of the recovery, and whether expenses are deducted before or after the fee is calculated. At the end, the lawyer must give the client a written statement of the outcome and, if there is a recovery, how the client's share was determined. Lawyers may not charge fees in domestic relations matters contingent on securing a divorce or on the amount of alimony, support or property settlement, and may not charge a contingent fee to represent a criminal defendant. Fee factors also include whether there is a written fee agreement signed by the client. |
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| If a lawyer takes your money | The Alabama State Bar Client Security Fund may reimburse clients who lost money or property because of an Alabama lawyer's dishonest conduct while acting as a lawyer or fiduciary. Payment is discretionary ("a matter of grace and not of right"). The maximum is $75,000 per applicant and $200,000 for all applicants for one instance or course of dishonest conduct. Losses from malpractice or incompetence, insured losses, investments and consequential damages are excluded. Applications must be filed within three years after the applicant knew or should have known of the loss (tolled while a grievance is pending, but no later than six years). The fund is financed by a $25 annual assessment on lawyers. Application: https://www.alabar.org/assets/2025/01/CSF_Application-1.pdf |
Alabama rules to know first
| Lemon law for new cars | Alabama's lemon law covers new or previously untitled motor vehicles bought mainly for personal, family or household use; it does not cover motor homes or vehicles with a gross vehicle weight rating of 10,000 pounds or more. The "lemon law rights period" is the first year after delivery or 12,000 miles, whichever comes first. A defect that significantly impairs use, value or safety and is reported in that period must be repaired. The manufacturer is presumed to have had reasonable repair attempts if, within 24 months or 24,000 miles, the same defect was subject to repair three or more times plus a final repair attempt, or the vehicle was out of service for repairs a total of 30 calendar days. If the defect is not fixed, the consumer can choose a comparable new vehicle or a refund of the contract price and collateral charges, minus a reasonable allowance for use. Before suing, the consumer must give written notice by certified mail and allow a final repair attempt, and must first use the manufacturer's informal dispute program if it complies with federal rules (§ 8-20A-3). A successful consumer can also recover reasonable attorney's fees. Source: Ala. Code §§ 8-20A-1, 8-20A-2 |
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| Used cars | Alabama's lemon law applies only to new or previously untitled vehicles. Alabama has no separate used-car lemon law. Under Alabama's version of the Uniform Commercial Code, a seller can exclude implied warranties with conspicuous language, and expressions like "as is" or "with all faults" generally exclude all implied warranties. Source: Ala. Code §§ 8-20A-1(1), 7-2-316 |
| How to make a lemon law claim | 1) Written notice: before suing, the consumer must send the manufacturer notice of the defect by certified U.S. mail and demand that it be corrected or repaired. The notice is a written statement describing the vehicle, the defect and all previous attempts to fix it. 2) Final repair attempt: if, when the notice is given, the presumption of reasonable repair attempts has already arisen, the manufacturer gets a final opportunity to fix the vehicle. Within 7 calendar days of receiving the notice it must tell the consumer of a reasonably accessible repair facility, and after the consumer delivers the vehicle there it has no more than 14 calendar days to fix it. 3) Arbitration: Alabama has no state-run lemon law arbitration program. If the manufacturer has an informal dispute program that complies with federal rules, the consumer must first use up any remedy under that program before suing. 4) Deadline: any action against the manufacturer must be started within three years after the vehicle was originally delivered to the consumer. A consumer who shows the manufacturer breached its obligations can also recover reasonable attorney's fees. Time limit: https://alison.legislature.state.al.us/code-of-alabama?section=8-20A-6. The statute does not mention a fee for the manufacturer's program. |
| Where to file a consumer complaint | File a complaint online with the Attorney General's Consumer Interest Division, or call 1-800-392-5658 or 334-242-7335. Complaints are handled in the order received, and you will be notified by mail when a Consumer Specialist is assigned. Filing a complaint is not a legal action, and the division does not give legal advice. |
Find and check a lawyer
| Lawyer referral service | The Alabama State Bar Lawyer Referral Service helps people who can afford to pay a lawyer find one. A representative takes basic information and gives you the name and contact details of a participating attorney in your county, if one is available; you can also request a referral online 24/7. Participating lawyers agree to "charge no more than $50 for an initial 30 minute consultation"; other fees are negotiated with the lawyer. Phone: 1-800-392-5660 (Mon-Fri, 8:30-11:30 a.m. and 1:30-4:30 p.m.). Referrals are not made by email, and the service does not cover out-of-state matters. Also described at https://alabar.org/for-the-public/get-legal-help |
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| Check that the lawyer is licensed | The Alabama State Bar's "Find a Member" search lets anyone look up lawyers by name, city, county, state, firm or practice area. The bar notes that practice areas are self-reported and not verified, and that disciplinary history is available on the site starting from January 2018. Source: Alabama State Bar, Find a Member |
| Check discipline history or file a complaint | Complaints that a lawyer violated the Rules of Professional Conduct are investigated and prosecuted by the Disciplinary Division of the Alabama State Bar's Office of General Counsel, acting for the Alabama Supreme Court. The bar publishes a complaint brochure and form for the public. A lawyer's disciplinary history is available on written request from the bar's Disciplinary Clerk (clerk@alabar.org or P.O. Box 671, Montgomery, AL 36101). Bar phone: (334) 269-1515 or toll-free (800) 354-6154. Complaint brochure and form: https://www.alabar.org/assets/2025/04/Complaint-form_brochure-2012.pdf ; Office of General Counsel: https://www.alabar.org/office-of-general-counsel/ |
Free legal help
| Free legal aid | Legal Services Alabama, the LSC-funded legal aid program for the state, provides free civil legal help to qualifying low-income people in all 67 counties (apply at 866-456-4995 or online); it does not handle criminal cases. Volunteer lawyer programs also take civil cases for eligible people, including the Alabama State Bar Volunteer Lawyers Program at (888) 857-8571 for counties without a local program. Alabama Legal Help (alabamalegalhelp.org) offers free legal information and self-help forms. Phone numbers from https://alabar.org/for-the-public/get-legal-help |
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All legal help in Alabama · Background guide
Last verified against official sources: October 27, 2026.
How we source this page: each state-specific rule links to the statute, court rule or official government page it comes from. A rule taken from a public copy of a state code (used only where the official code is not freely readable online) is marked as a secondary source. Spot an error? Use the contact page to report it. About our sources
General legal information, not legal advice. Laws change and local rules can differ; check the linked official source or talk to a lawyer about your situation.