Hiring a Lemon Law Lawyer in Maryland
The Maryland 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 Maryland: fee rules
| If a lawyer takes your money | The Client Protection Fund of the Bar of Maryland, created in 1965 and supported by practicing attorneys, reimburses clients who lose money through misappropriation by Maryland lawyers (or out-of-state lawyers authorized to practice in Maryland) acting as attorneys or fiduciaries, except to the extent the loss is bonded; malpractice is not covered. Reimbursement for one claim, or all claims against the same attorney, cannot exceed 5% of the Fund's net balance. Claims must be filed within six months after the claimant discovers the theft (the Trustees may accept late claims). Filing is free, and a lawyer who helps may not charge a fee. Fund home: https://www.mdcourts.gov/cpf ; governing rules: Md. Rules 19-601 to 19-610 |
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Maryland rules to know first
| Lemon law for new cars | Maryland's lemon law covers new passenger vehicles, motorcycles, multipurpose vehicles and trucks with a rated capacity of 3/4 ton or less registered in Maryland; motor homes and fleet purchases of five or more vehicles are excluded. The protection period is the first 18,000 miles or 24 months after delivery, whichever comes first. The consumer must report the defect during that period by written notice to the manufacturer by certified mail, return receipt requested, and give the manufacturer a chance to fix it; repairs must be completed within 30 days of the manufacturer receiving the notice. A reasonable number of attempts is presumed if the same defect was repaired 4 or more times and still exists, the vehicle was out of service for repairs for a total of 30 or more days, or a brake or steering failure was repaired once without bringing the vehicle into compliance with state safety inspection laws. If a defect that substantially impairs the vehicle's use and market value cannot be fixed, the manufacturer must, at the consumer's option, replace the vehicle with a comparable one acceptable to the consumer or refund the full purchase price, including license and registration fees and similar charges, minus a reasonable allowance for use (no more than 15% of the purchase price) and for damage beyond normal wear. A lawsuit must be filed within 3 years of original delivery, and a court may award attorney's fees to a winning plaintiff. |
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| Used cars | Maryland generally does not allow sellers of consumer goods to disclaim the implied warranties of merchantability and fitness, so "as is" language in consumer sales is unenforceable. For used cars, this rule does not apply to a titled vehicle that is more than 6 model years old and has been driven more than 60,000 miles, if the seller gives the buyer notice on the form prescribed under the Transportation Article; in that case any exclusion of implied warranties must be in writing, conspicuous, mention merchantability (for that warranty), and be separately signed by the buyer. Source: Md. Code, Com. Law § 2-316.1 |
| How to make a lemon law claim | 1) Written notice: if a new vehicle does not conform to its warranties during the warranty period (the first 18,000 miles or 24 months after original delivery, whichever comes first), the consumer must report the defect during that period by written notice to the manufacturer or factory branch, sent by certified mail, return receipt requested. The seller must clearly disclose this procedure in writing at the time of sale or delivery. 2) Opportunity to cure: the consumer must give the manufacturer or its agent an opportunity to fix the defect, and the repairs must be completed within 30 days after the manufacturer receives the notice. 3) Arbitration: Maryland has no state-run lemon law arbitration program. If the manufacturer has an informal dispute program that fully complies with federal rules (16 C.F.R. Part 703), the consumer may use it, and doing so does not prevent the consumer from seeking other legal remedies. 4) Deadline: any action under the lemon law must be started within 3 years after the vehicle was originally delivered to the consumer. A court may award reasonable attorney's fees to a winning plaintiff. Warranty-period definition: https://mgaleg.maryland.gov/mgawebsite/Laws/StatuteText?article=gcl§ion=14-1501&enactments=false. The statute does not mention a fee for the manufacturer's program. The lemon law does not apply to fleet purchases of five or more vehicles. |
| Where to file a consumer complaint | Consumers can file a complaint with the Attorney General's Consumer Protection Division online through its complaint portal, or by mail, email or fax, sending copies (not originals) of documents. A mediator works with both sides by phone and in writing to try to reach a resolution, but the office cannot force a business to cooperate and cannot give legal advice or act as a private attorney. If mediation fails, the Division offers free, binding arbitration if both parties agree; otherwise consumers are referred to small claims court. Health care billing disputes go to the Division's Health Education and Advocacy Unit. Consumer Hotline 410-528-8662; toll-free in Maryland 1-888-743-0023; mail: Consumer Protection Division, 200 St. Paul Place, 16th Floor, Baltimore, MD 21202; email mediator@oag.maryland.gov; fax (410) 576-7040. |
Find and check a lawyer
| Lawyer referral service | The Maryland State Bar Association does not make referrals itself; it says "Your county's bar association can help you find a lawyer in your area" and lists county bar numbers, including Anne Arundel (410) 222-6859, Baltimore City (410) 539-3112, Baltimore County, Carroll and Frederick (410) 337-9100, Harford (410) 836-0123, Howard (410) 313-3853, Montgomery (301) 279-9100, and Prince George's and Charles (301) 952-1440. Fees are set by each county service. |
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| Check that the lawyer is licensed | The Maryland Judiciary's attorney listing, drawn from its Attorney Information System, lets you search by last name (partial names allowed) and first name, with a similar-names option. An attorney listed as active is in good standing and authorized to practice; other listings may show inactive or retired attorneys, judges, or attorneys with disciplinary or administrative actions affecting eligibility. Questions: Supreme Court of Maryland Clerk's Office, 410-260-1500. |
| Check discipline history or file a complaint | Complaints about Maryland lawyers go to the Attorney Grievance Commission's Office of Bar Counsel, which investigates and prosecutes violations of the Rules of Professional Conduct. Read the instructions, complete and print the Attorney Complaint Form (English or Spanish), and mail it to the Office of Bar Counsel, 200 Harry S. Truman Parkway, Suite 300, Annapolis, MD 21401. Questions: (410) 514-7051 (staff cannot discuss complaint details by phone). Public sanctions and actions affecting licensure are posted on the Commission's website. Sanctions: https://www.mdcourts.gov/attygrievance/sanctions |
Free legal help
| Free legal aid | The Maryland Court Help Center, run by the Maryland Judiciary, offers "Free legal help with your civil matter" by phone at 410-260-1392, Monday-Friday 8:30 a.m.-8 p.m. Maryland Legal Aid, the state's LSC-funded legal aid organization, provides free civil legal help to eligible low-income Marylanders. LSC grantee list: https://www.lsc.gov/about-lsc/our-grantees |
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All legal help in Maryland · 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.