Hiring a Lemon Law Lawyer in Connecticut
The Connecticut 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 Connecticut: fee rules
| Rules on contingency fees | Connecticut law caps contingency fees in claims for personal injury, wrongful death or property damage at 33 1/3% of the first $300,000, 25% of the next $300,000, 20% of the next $300,000, 15% of the next $300,000, and 10% of any amount over $1,200,000. A client may waive these limits only in a case that is substantially complex, unique or different, after the lawyer explains the limits and the right to seek another lawyer, and only through a written, signed and notarized agreement with a bold-type acknowledgment; even then the total fee cannot exceed 33 1/3% of the amount awarded or received. Source: Conn. Gen. Stat. Sec. 52-251c |
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| If you disagree with a lawyer's bill | The Connecticut Bar Association offers low-cost fee mediation or arbitration, but only if both the client and the lawyer agree to use it. The Statewide Grievance Committee can also order a lawyer to take part in fee arbitration. |
| If a lawyer takes your money | Connecticut's Client Security Fund may reimburse losses from an attorney's theft, embezzlement or wrongful taking of money or property in the course of an attorney-client relationship or related fiduciary role; in limited circumstances it may cover an attorney's refusal to refund unearned fees paid in advance. Negligence, malpractice and investment losses are not covered. Apply on form JD-GC-15, signed under oath before a notary, with copies of proof of the loss, mailed to the Client Security Fund Committee, 999 Asylum Avenue, Fifth Floor, Hartford, CT 06105. Pamphlet referenced on the form: http://www.jud.ct.gov/Publications/GC016.pdf |
Connecticut rules to know first
| Lemon law for new cars | Connecticut's lemon law covers new passenger and commercial-passenger motor vehicles and motorcycles sold or leased in Connecticut. Defects reported within two years or the first 24,000 miles, whichever ends first, must be repaired. If the manufacturer cannot fix a defect that substantially impairs use, safety or value after a reasonable number of attempts, it must replace the vehicle with one acceptable to the consumer, or take it back and refund the full contract price, collateral charges (such as sales tax and registration), certain finance charges and incidental damages, minus a reasonable allowance for use. A reasonable number of attempts is presumed after four or more repairs of the same defect, or 30 or more calendar days out of service, in that period; for a defect that is a serious safety hazard, two repair attempts within the warranty term or one year is enough. The consumer must give the manufacturer written notice only if the manufacturer clearly disclosed that requirement in the warranty or owner's manual. Source: Conn. Gen. Stat. § 42-179 |
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| Used cars | A dealer selling a used car with a cash price of $3,000 or more may not disclaim implied warranties. Cars priced $3,000 to under $5,000 must come with a written warranty covering full parts and labor for at least 30 days or 1,500 miles; cars priced $5,000 or more, at least 60 days or 3,000 miles, whichever comes first. Phrases like "50-50" or "drive train only" cannot limit these warranties. The rules do not apply to cars under $3,000, sales between dealers, or vehicles seven model years old or older. A buyer may waive the warranty only for a specific defect the dealer discloses, in a conspicuous written waiver signed before the sale. Source: Conn. Gen. Stat. § 42-221 |
| How to make a lemon law claim | 1) Written notice: under the statute, a consumer has to notify the manufacturer in writing only if the manufacturer clearly disclosed in the warranty or owner's manual that written notice is required, and gave a name and address for it. The Department of Consumer Protection (DCP) separately asks applicants to notify the manufacturer by mail or email of their intent to file under the lemon law and to upload a copy of that letter with the application. Lessees must send a certified or registered letter to the leasing company. 2) Final repair attempt: no separate final-repair step is described. 3) Arbitration: DCP runs a state arbitration program for consumers whose manufacturer does not have an Attorney General-certified dispute program. Applications are accepted online only, through the state eLicense portal. The consumer pays a $50 filing fee, refunded if DCP finds the complaint does not allege a lemon law violation; the manufacturer pays $250. The arbitrator is to decide within 60 days, and the decision is final and binding, subject only to court review. If the manufacturer does have a certified program, the consumer must use it first before the refund/replacement remedy applies, and can ask for a new DCP arbitration if that program did not follow the required procedures. 4) Deadline: the repair-reporting period is 2 years or 24,000 miles from original delivery, whichever ends first; the statute sections reviewed do not state a separate deadline to file for arbitration or to sue. DCP application steps and notice letter: https://portal.ct.gov/dcp/knowledge-base/articles/lemon-law/lemon-law-application-materials and https://portal.ct.gov/dcp/knowledge-base/articles/lemon-law/how-to-apply-for-ct-lemon-law-program. Questions: DCP.lemonlaw@ct.gov, (860) 713-6120 or (800) 538-2277. |
| Where to file a consumer complaint | Try first to resolve the problem with the business. If that fails, file a complaint with the Department of Consumer Protection's Complaint Center, which helps resolve disputes between consumers and businesses and enforces consumer and licensing laws, though it does not represent individuals. The Attorney General's office also takes complaints and may offer informal mediation, but represents the public interest rather than individuals and cannot give legal advice. Attorney General complaint page: https://portal.ct.gov/ag/common/complaint-form-landing-page |
Find and check a lawyer
| Lawyer referral service | The Connecticut Bar Association offers Find a Lawyer CT, an online search of lawyers by location and area of practice; the CBA's public page lists no consultation fee or referral phone line. CBA Member Service Center: (860) 223-4400. |
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| Check that the lawyer is licensed | The Connecticut Judicial Branch's Attorney/Firm Look-up, compiled from records of the Superior Court clerk for the Hartford Judicial District and the Statewide Grievance Committee, lets you search by juris number, attorney last name or firm name, and town. Results show whether the license is active, whether it was ever inactive and why, and whether the attorney has been disciplined. The Judicial Branch does not guarantee it is a complete history; for an official licensing and disciplinary history, contact the Statewide Grievance Committee at (860) 296-3848. |
| Check discipline history or file a complaint | Grievance complaints against Connecticut lawyers are reviewed, investigated and decided through the Statewide Grievance Committee (21 members, including 7 non-lawyers) with Statewide Bar Counsel. Use form JD-GC-6, filling out a separate form for each complainant and each attorney (do not name a law firm), and mail the original plus 6 identical copies, with copies of supporting documents, to Statewide Bar Counsel, Statewide Grievance Committee, 999 Asylum Avenue, Fifth Floor, Hartford, CT 06105. It is free to file. Filing does not itself get you reimbursed, though the committee can order restitution in some cases. A lawyer's disciplinary record appears in the Judicial Branch attorney look-up. Complaint form and instructions: https://www.jud.ct.gov/webforms/forms/gc006.pdf |
Free legal help
| Free legal aid | Statewide Legal Services of Connecticut is the LSC-funded legal aid organization for the state and provides free civil legal help to eligible low-income people. CT Free Legal Answers, run by the Connecticut Bar Association and the ABA, lets low-income residents submit a civil legal question online and get brief advice from a volunteer lawyer. CBA public page: https://www.ctbar.org/public |
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All legal help in Connecticut · 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.