Hiring a Lemon Law Lawyer in Arkansas
The Arkansas 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 Arkansas: fee rules
| If a lawyer takes your money | Arkansas has a Client Security Fund overseen by the Arkansas Supreme Court's Client Security Fund Committee, whose members are appointed by the Court; the Administrative Office of the Courts (625 Marshall Street, Little Rock; 501-682-9400) is the listed contact. |
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Arkansas rules to know first
| Lemon law for new cars | Arkansas's lemon law covers new or previously untitled motor vehicles bought or leased by consumers (not mopeds, motorcycles, the living quarters of motor homes, or vehicles over 14,000 pounds gross vehicle weight rating other than motor homes). Defects reported during the "motor vehicle quality assurance period" (24 months or 24,000 miles from delivery, whichever is later) must be repaired. After three repair attempts for the same defect, or one attempt for a defect likely to cause death or serious injury, the consumer must notify the manufacturer by certified or registered mail and allow a final repair attempt. A reasonable number of attempts is presumed after that, or after 30 cumulative calendar days out of service, or five or more repair attempts on separate occasions for defects that together substantially impair the vehicle. If the vehicle still is not fixed, the manufacturer must within 40 days replace it or repurchase it, with a reasonable offset for use; the consumer has an unconditional right to choose a refund. If the manufacturer gave the required written disclosure, the consumer must use its informal dispute settlement procedure before suing (§ 4-90-404). Source: Ark. Code Ann. §§ 4-90-403, 4-90-405, 4-90-406, 4-90-410 (secondary source: public copy of the state code; check the official code) |
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| Used cars | The lemon law covers only new or previously untitled vehicles. The Attorney General explains that federal law requires used-car dealers to post a Buyers Guide saying whether the car is sold "as is" or with a warranty, and that if you buy a car "as is" and have problems with it, you must pay for any repairs yourself. Neither state nor federal law gives a buyer an unconditional right to cancel a car purchase. If a dealer lets you take a car before financing is final and then changes the terms (a "yo-yo" sale), you have the right to cancel without penalty. |
| How to make a lemon law claim | 1) Written notice and final repair attempt: after three repair attempts for the same defect that substantially impairs the vehicle, or one attempt for a defect likely to cause death or serious bodily injury, the consumer must notify the manufacturer in writing, by certified or registered mail, so it can make a final attempt to fix it. Within 10 days after receiving the notice, the manufacturer must offer a repair at a reasonably accessible facility, and then has 10 days after the vehicle is delivered there to fix it. If it misses either deadline, the final-attempt requirement no longer applies and a reasonable number of repair attempts is conclusively presumed. 2) Arbitration: every manufacturer doing business in Arkansas must run or take part in an informal dispute settlement proceeding located in the state that meets federal rules (16 C.F.R. Part 703). Consumers may not be charged a fee to use it, and the manufacturer must carry out an accepted decision within a set time of no more than 30 days. The consumer must use this proceeding before suing if the dealer gave the consumer, at purchase or lease, the Attorney General-prepared written statement of lemon law rights; if that disclosure was not made, the consumer may sue directly. Arkansas has no state-run arbitration program. 3) Deadline: a lawsuit must be started within two years after the consumer first reports the defect to the manufacturer, its agent or authorized dealer; if the consumer starts the informal proceeding, the two years begin when that proceeding starts. A consumer who prevails recovers costs and attorney's fees. Dispute proceeding: https://codes.findlaw.com/ar/title-4-business-and-commercial-law/ar-code-sect-4-90-414/. Deadline: https://codes.findlaw.com/ar/title-4-business-and-commercial-law/ar-code-sect-4-90-416/. Source: Ark. Code Ann. §§ 4-90-404, 4-90-406(a), 4-90-414, 4-90-415(c), 4-90-416 (secondary source: public copy of the state code; check the official code) |
| Where to file a consumer complaint | Submit a consumer complaint to the Attorney General online using the fillable form, or download a PDF form to mail in. You can also request a paper form by calling 501-682-2007. Many complaints are resolved when the office notifies the business; the office offers mediation, but cannot do so if you have hired a private attorney or the matter is in court. Your complaint will be shared with the business. |
Find and check a lawyer
| Lawyer referral service | The Arkansas Bar Association runs ArkansasFindALawyer, an online directory you can search by name, firm, city, postal code (within a set distance) or area of practice. The bar's page does not describe it as a referral service and states no consultation fee. The bar's general line is 501-375-4606. |
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| Check that the lawyer is licensed | The Arkansas Judiciary's online Attorney Search lets you look up lawyers by last name, first name, city, ZIP code or bar number; attorney rosters are also posted. The site says its information is not the official record kept by the Clerk of the Courts and directs users to the Clerk's Office at (501) 682-6849 to verify. Rosters: https://attorneyinfo.aoc.arkansas.gov/roster |
| Check discipline history or file a complaint | Complaints about Arkansas lawyers are handled by the Office of Professional Conduct of the Arkansas Supreme Court (Administrative Office of the Courts), One Capitol Mall, Suite 3D-101, Little Rock, AR 72201-1049; phone 501-376-0313 or toll-free 800-506-6631. File using the office's grievance form (printable for mailing or fillable for emailing). Disciplinary decisions are posted online, and paper copies are available from the Clerk of the Courts at $0.50 per page. |
Free legal help
| Free legal aid | Legal Aid of Arkansas is the LSC-funded legal aid organization for Arkansas and provides free civil legal help to eligible low-income people. The Arkansas Bar Association also points people to Arkansas Access to Justice (arkansasjustice.org), Arkansas Free Legal Answers (ar.freelegalanswers.org) and Arkansas Law Help (arlawhelp.org) for free legal information and help. Bar legal assistance page: https://www.arkbar.com/?pg=LegalAssistance |
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All legal help in Arkansas · 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.