Hiring a Lemon Law Lawyer in Georgia
The Georgia 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 Georgia: fee rules
| If you disagree with a lawyer's bill | The State Bar of Georgia's Fee Arbitration Program handles fee disputes between lawyers and clients (and between lawyers). It is free to clients and lawyers in attorney/client disputes. Participation is a choice, but the program offers only binding arbitration, so both sides agree to be bound by the award. Most hearings use a panel of two lawyers and one non-lawyer. Start with a Petition for Fee Arbitration. Phone: 404-527-8750. |
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| If a lawyer takes your money | The State Bar of Georgia Clients' Security Fund, created in 1968, can reimburse eligible clients who lost money through a Georgia lawyer's dishonest conduct in a lawyer-client relationship. The lawyer must have been disbarred, indefinitely suspended or voluntarily surrendered the license (unless deceased). Malpractice and insured or bonded losses are excluded. There is no fixed cap on the page: the Board of Trustees sets amounts based on available funds, number of claims and work the lawyer actually did, and claims are typically not paid in full. Apply no later than two years after the Supreme Court of Georgia's final disciplinary action; no filing fee is listed. |
Georgia rules to know first
| Lemon law for new cars | Georgia's lemon law covers new motor vehicles bought or leased for personal, family or household use, or as one of 10 or fewer vehicles a business buys or leases each year; it does not cover motorcycles, mopeds, ATVs, boats, trucks over 12,000 pounds or the living quarters of motor homes. The "lemon law rights period" is the first 24 months or 24,000 miles after delivery, whichever comes first. A reasonable number of repair attempts is deemed to have been made if, during that period, a serious safety defect was repaired once and not fixed, the same defect was repaired three times and not fixed, or the vehicle was out of service for repairs a total of 30 days. The consumer must then notify the manufacturer by certified mail or overnight delivery, and the manufacturer has 28 days for a final repair attempt. If the vehicle is a lemon, the manufacturer must replace or repurchase it. The Consumer Protection Division administers the Lemon Law program and offers free State-Operated Arbitration; the application must be filed within 12 months after the rights period ends. |
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| Used cars | Georgia's Lemon Law covers only motor vehicles purchased or leased new. The Attorney General notes there is no lemon law for used cars and no three-day right to cancel new or used car purchases, and advises having a used car checked by a mechanic before buying. |
| How to make a lemon law claim | 1) Repair attempts: the reasonable number of repair attempts (generally three for the same defect, one for a serious safety defect, or 30 total days out of service) must happen within the Lemon Law rights period: two years or the first 24,000 miles after original delivery, whichever comes first. 2) Final repair attempt: after three failed repairs of the same defect (or one for a serious safety defect), the consumer must notify the manufacturer, by overnight delivery or certified mail, return receipt requested, at the address in the owner's manual, so it can make a final repair attempt; the Attorney General's office provides a Final Repair Opportunity Notice form. By the close of business on the 7th day after receiving the notice, the manufacturer must name a reasonably accessible repair facility (generally within 60 miles). 3) Request for repurchase or replacement: the consumer then sends the manufacturer a written request, again by overnight delivery or certified mail. 4) Arbitration: a state-operated arbitration panel, run by the Attorney General's Consumer Protection Division, hears lemon law disputes; the AG's office says the certified manufacturer program step is currently not applicable. The consumer calls 404-458-3827 for an original application form and must submit it within one year after the Lemon Law rights period ends (or within 60 days after a certified manufacturer program ends, whichever is later). A hearing is scheduled within 40 days after the dispute is found eligible. The decision is final unless a party appeals to superior court within 30 days; a manufacturer that does not appeal must comply within 40 days. Step-by-step process from the Georgia Attorney General's Consumer Protection Division. Appeal and compliance deadlines are in O.C.G.A. § 10-1-787 (read on FindLaw mirror: https://codes.findlaw.com/ga/title-10-commerce-and-trade/ga-code-sect-10-1-787/). The arbitrator may award attorney's fees and expert witness costs. |
| Where to file a consumer complaint | First try to resolve the dispute with the business. If the problem involves an unfair or deceptive business practice, submit a complaint to the Attorney General's Consumer Protection Division online (up to three attachments), or print and complete the complaint form and send it by mail or fax to 404-651-9018 (email is not accepted). Describe the problem in order, say what resolution you want, and include copies of documents. The division mediates some complaints. |
Find and check a lawyer
| Lawyer referral service | The State Bar of Georgia says it "is not able to directly refer clients to lawyers." It offers the ReliaGuide Enhanced Directory to search for lawyers by type of law, and points people to the referral services run by many local and voluntary bar associations (it links a list of referral services that comply with Bar Rule 7.3(c)(2)). |
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| Check that the lawyer is licensed | The State Bar of Georgia offers an online Member Directory with basic and advanced search for looking up Georgia lawyers. |
| Check discipline history or file a complaint | Grievances about Georgia lawyers are filed online with the State Bar of Georgia's Office of the General Counsel (OGC). An OGC attorney reviews each grievance to see whether it shows a possible violation of the Georgia Rules of Professional Conduct; grievances outside its jurisdiction or without sufficient evidence or merit are dismissed. If a possible violation appears, the grievance is sent to the lawyer for a response, and those that appear to involve a violation go to the State Disciplinary Board for investigation. The lawyer will likely see what you submit. State Bar: 104 Marietta St. NW, Suite 100, Atlanta, GA 30303; 404-527-8700 or 800-334-6865. Online grievance portal: https://portals.georgiabar.org/ogc/grievance |
Free legal help
| Free legal aid | Georgia's LSC-funded legal aid organizations are Atlanta Legal Aid Society and Georgia Legal Services Program, which give free civil legal help to eligible low-income people. The State Bar of Georgia points people to GeorgiaLegalAid.org for a complete directory of civil legal assistance programs, and to the Pro Bono Resource Center (co-sponsored by Georgia Legal Services Program and the State Bar) at 404-527-8763. The Bar warns that many businesses advertise "legal aid" online, so ask whether a service is free. Bar page: https://www.gabar.org/public/legal-aid---pro-bono-resource-center |
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All legal help in Georgia · 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.