Hiring a Lemon Law Lawyer in Minnesota
The Minnesota 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 Minnesota: 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 a writing signed by the client and state how the fee is figured, including the percentage(s) the lawyer gets on settlement, trial or appeal, the litigation and other expenses deducted from the recovery, and whether expenses are deducted before or after the fee is calculated. It must clearly tell the client about any expenses the client must pay whether or not the client wins. At the end, the lawyer must give the client a written statement of the outcome and, if there is a recovery, the client's share and how it was figured. Lawyers may not charge domestic relations fees contingent on securing a divorce or on the amount of alimony, support or property settlement, or a contingent fee to represent a criminal defendant. |
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| If you disagree with a lawyer's bill | OLPR says most routine fee disputes are best resolved outside the discipline system, and that fee arbitration is a relatively fast and simple way to resolve them; call the Minnesota State Bar Association at (612) 333-1183 for your local fee arbitration committee. A clearly illegal or grossly excessive fee can lead to discipline. |
| If a lawyer takes your money | The Minnesota Client Security Board's fund can reimburse losses of money or property caused by a Minnesota lawyer's dishonesty (such as theft) in an attorney-client or related fiduciary relationship for a Minnesota matter; negligence, malpractice and fee disputes are not covered. The maximum the Board may pay on a claim is $150,000. File within five years of when you knew or should have known of the dishonest conduct. There is no charge to make a claim. |
Minnesota rules to know first
| Lemon law for new cars | Minnesota's lemon law covers new passenger cars, pickup trucks and vans (and the chassis of motor homes) used at least 40% for personal, family or household purposes. The manufacturer must repair defects reported during the express warranty or within two years of delivery, whichever is earlier. A reasonable number of attempts is presumed if the same defect was repaired four or more times and continues, the vehicle was out of service a total of 30 or more business days, or a braking or steering defect likely to cause death or serious injury continues after one repair attempt; the consumer must first give the manufacturer written notice and a chance to fix it. If the defect substantially impairs use or market value and is not fixed, the manufacturer must replace the vehicle or refund the full price (including taxes, fees, towing and rental costs), minus a use allowance of no more than 10 cents per mile or 10% of the price, whichever is less; the consumer may choose a refund. Consumers generally must first use the manufacturer's informal dispute program, and must sue within three years of delivery (or six months after the program's final decision). Source: Minn. Stat. § 325F.665 |
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| Used cars | Dealers selling used cars, pickups and vans for personal use must give a written warranty covering major parts (engine, transmission, drive axle, brakes, steering and some other parts). It lasts 60 days or 2,500 miles for cars under 36,000 miles; 30 days or 1,000 miles for 36,000 to under 75,000 miles; and 15 days or 500 miles for 75,000 to under 200,000 miles (this last tier does not apply to sales by new-car dealers). Exclusions include cars with 200,000 or more miles, cars sold for under $3,000 or eight or more model years old (unless they have 75,000 to under 200,000 miles), diesel vehicles, and salvage-titled vehicles. The law requires the warranty on covered sales; a consumer can waive coverage of a specific part only if the dealer discloses a defect in that part on the Buyers Guide and the consumer circles and signs the disclosure. Source: Minn. Stat. § 325F.662 |
| How to make a lemon law claim | 1) Written notice: the presumption that the manufacturer had a reasonable number of repair attempts applies only if the manufacturer, its agent or its authorized dealer has received prior written notice from or on behalf of the consumer at least once and had an opportunity to fix the defect. A dealer or agent that receives the notice must forward it to the manufacturer by certified mail, return receipt requested. 2) Final repair attempt: no separate final-repair step is described beyond that opportunity to cure. 3) Arbitration: every manufacturer must run or take part in an informal dispute settlement program located in Minnesota that meets federal rules (16 C.F.R. Part 703). The consumer must use it before suing for refund or replacement, unless the manufacturer allows otherwise. Any consumer fee may not exceed the conciliation court filing fee in the county where the arbitration is held. Decisions are nonbinding unless the parties agree otherwise, and either party may take the case to district court for a new trial; a manufacturer must do so within 30 days after receiving the decision. Minnesota has no state-run arbitration program. 4) Deadline: a lawsuit must be started within three years after original delivery. If the consumer applied to the dispute program within those three years and is unhappy with the decision, the lawsuit must be started within six months after the program's final decision. A consumer may recover costs and reasonable attorney's fees in a civil action (subd. 9). The Attorney General may inspect the dispute program's records (subd. 12). |
| Where to file a consumer complaint | The Attorney General's office encourages filing a Consumer Assistance Request Form online (available in several languages). Its Consumer Action Division contacts businesses to try to resolve disputes voluntarily, though it cannot force a company to respond. You can also call (651) 296-3353 in the Twin Cities or (800) 657-3787 elsewhere in Minnesota. |
Find and check a lawyer
| Lawyer referral service | The Minnesota State Bar Association offers MN Find a Lawyer, a free online directory of attorneys searchable by practice area and location, and points people to Minnesota Lawyer Referral, "a non-profit public service of the Hennepin and Ramsey County Bar Associations." Minnesota Lawyer Referral offers guided assistance from referral counselors by phone or online self-referral to vetted attorneys (mainly in the Twin Cities metro area) in more than 40 practice areas: "Get a 30-minute consultation for $30 or less." Phone 612-752-6699; hours Monday-Thursday 9 a.m.-4 p.m., Friday 9 a.m.-3 p.m. MN Unbundled connects people statewide with attorneys for brief tasks. MSBA public page: https://mnbars.org/?pg=Public |
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| Check that the lawyer is licensed | The Office of Lawyers Professional Responsibility (OLPR) Lawyer Search shows whether a Minnesota-licensed lawyer has received public discipline, has been placed on disability inactive status in lieu of discipline, or has a public discipline petition pending; court actions appear the next business day. Private discipline, dismissed and pending complaints are not public. For general licensing information (registration status), OLPR directs users to the Minnesota Lawyer Registration Database Search (MARS). |
| Check discipline history or file a complaint | Complaints about Minnesota lawyers go to the Office of Lawyers Professional Responsibility. File with the online form or mail a printed form to OLPR, Minnesota Judicial Center, Suite 105, 25 Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd., St. Paul, MN 55155. Describe events in order with dates and send photocopies, not originals (documents are scanned and shredded). The lawyer will receive your complaint, and if it becomes a public discipline case your complaint becomes part of the public record. Phone: 651-296-3952 or 1-800-657-3601. Disciplinary history request: https://olpr.mncourts.gov/lawyer-resources/disciplinary-history-request/ |
Free legal help
| Free legal aid | Minnesota's LSC-funded legal aid organizations give free civil legal help to eligible low-income people: Anishinabe Legal Services, Central Minnesota Legal Services, Justice North and Southern Minnesota Regional Legal Services. |
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All legal help in Minnesota · 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.