Hiring a Lemon Law Lawyer in New Jersey
The New Jersey 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 New Jersey: fee rules
| Rules on contingency fees | In New Jersey, contingent fees are governed by Court Rule 1:21-7 ("Contingent Fees") as well as RPC 1.5. An Official Comment to Rule 1:21-7, effective September 1, 2024, sets requirements for retainer agreements in statutory discrimination (fee-shifting) cases: lawyers must disclose in the retainer agreement all identifiable fees or costs the client may have to pay, give an estimate of fees and costs and the range of value of the case at the start, keep the client informed of added fees and costs, and promptly tell the client when rising fees and costs are likely to leave little or no recovery. An agreement charging the greater of a contingent fee or an hourly fee payable even with no recovery is presumptively unreasonable; there is no cap on fees in statutory fee-shifting cases, but lawyers should tell clients when the fee percentage is higher than 33 1/3 percent. |
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| If you disagree with a lawyer's bill | New Jersey's Supreme Court created 17 district fee arbitration committees (volunteer attorneys and non-attorneys) that decide, at the client's request and through binding arbitration, whether a fee is reasonable; they cannot award malpractice damages. The attorney must tell you of your right to fee arbitration, and you must file a Fee Arbitration Request form within 30 days of that notice. Send it (five copies, with documents) to the district secretary for the county where the attorney has an office, with a $50 filing fee payable to "Disciplinary Oversight Committee" (a fee waiver can be requested). Arbitration is not available if the fee exceeds $100,000, more than six years have passed since the last services, a court has set the fee, or the dispute raises substantial legal questions. Disputes under $3,000 can be heard by one member; larger ones by a three-member panel. Hearings are private and confidential; refunds are due within 30 days, and appeals to the Disciplinary Review Board are allowed only on limited grounds. Forms hotline: 1-800-406-8594. |
| If a lawyer takes your money | The New Jersey Lawyers' Fund for Client Protection reimburses clients whose money was stolen by a New Jersey attorney, and can return money paid to an attorney when no services were rendered. It does not cover bad advice, losing a case, investments, fee disputes or malpractice. The attorney must be suspended, disbarred, in disability inactive status or deceased, and you must prove the attorney received and converted your money or property. Awards are up to $400,000 per claimant and $1.5 million total for all claims against one attorney. File within one year of the attorney's first discipline or death (the Trustees may allow late claims for good cause). There is no filing fee; file online or mail the Statement of Claim (original and two copies) to P.O. Box 961, Trenton, NJ 08625-0961; phone 855-533-3863, Option 2. |
New Jersey rules to know first
| Lemon law for new cars | New Jersey's New Car Lemon Law applies to anyone who buys, leases or registers a new car or motorcycle in New Jersey; it also covers authorized emergency vehicles and portions of motor homes, but not vehicles registered for commercial use or motor home living quarters. Protection lasts 24,000 miles or two years from delivery. The defect must substantially impair the vehicle's use, value or safety, or be a serious safety defect likely to cause death or serious bodily injury. After two failed repair attempts for the same defect, or after the vehicle has been out of service for a total of 20 days (45 days for a motor home), or after one attempt for a serious safety defect, the consumer must send the manufacturer a certified "last chance" letter; the manufacturer then has 10 days to repair. If the defect remains, the consumer can apply to the Division's Lemon Law Unit for a hearing before an administrative law judge (filing fee $50, refunded if the consumer wins) and may be entitled to a refund. If the consumer wins, the manufacturer must pay reasonable attorney's fees. Lemon Law Unit: 973-504-6226. To qualify for a hearing, the brief says the consumer must have had three repair attempts and must have sent the last-chance letter within 24,000 miles and two years of delivery. |
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| Used cars | New Jersey has a Used Car Lemon Law. A dealer (anyone who sold three or more used cars in the past 12 months) must give a consumer a written warranty on covered engine and drivetrain parts of at least 90 days or 3,000 miles for cars with 24,000 miles or less, 60 days or 2,000 miles for cars with more than 24,000 but under 60,000 miles, and 30 days or 1,000 miles for cars with 60,000 miles or more. The consumer may be charged a $50 deductible per repair. If the dealer fails to fix a material defect after a reasonable opportunity (presumed after three or more repair attempts for the same defect, or 20 or more days out of service, during the warranty), the dealer must buy the car back and refund the purchase price (excluding taxes and government fees), less allowances for excessive wear and personal use. If the dealer does not give the warranty, it is deemed given by law. A buyer of a car with more than 60,000 miles may waive the warranty in a separately signed writing after negotiating a price adjustment and buy it "as is." The warranty requirements do not apply to cars sold for less than $3,000, cars seven or more model years old, cars with more than 100,000 miles, or insurance total-loss cars disclosed in writing. Dealers must also disclose known material defects and explain in writing what "as is" means if a car is sold that way. Text from the Division of Consumer Affairs' courtesy copy of the Consumer Fraud Act (revised 3/30/2022), which states that the official statute governs if the two differ. Source: N.J.S.A. 56:8-67 to 56:8-76 |
| How to make a lemon law claim | 1) Report defects to the manufacturer or dealer right away and keep all repair receipts and a record of contacts. 2) Final repair attempt ("last chance" letter): before filing with the state, the consumer must send a letter to the manufacturer (not the dealer) by certified mail, return receipt requested, giving it one final chance to repair. The letter can be sent after two failed repair attempts for the same defect, after the vehicle has been out of service a total of 20 days (45 days for a motor home), or after one attempt for a serious safety defect. It must reach the manufacturer before 24,000 miles and within two years of delivery, at the regional address supplied by the Division of Consumer Affairs' Lemon Law Unit. The manufacturer then has 10 days from the date on the return receipt to repair. 3) State dispute resolution: if the problem continues, the consumer asks the Lemon Law Unit for a Lemon Law Dispute Resolution application. The Unit reviews it; once approved, the consumer pays a $50 filing fee (refunded if the consumer wins). A hearing is usually set within 20 days of acceptance, subject to Office of Administrative Law availability, before an administrative law judge in Newark, Trenton or Atlantic City. The judge issues an initial decision within 20 days, and the Director of Consumer Affairs issues a final decision within 15 days after that. To qualify for a hearing, the Division says the consumer must have had three repair attempts, sent the certified "last chance" letter in time, given the manufacturer the final repair chance, and still have the defect. A lawyer is not required; if the consumer wins, the manufacturer pays reasonable attorney's fees. The brief describes the state program; it does not say whether a consumer may instead use a manufacturer program or go straight to court. |
| Where to file a consumer complaint | The Division of Consumer Affairs' Office of Consumer Protection handles consumer complaints. Its Consumer Service Center (973-504-6200 or 1-800-242-5846) is the central clearinghouse for complaints and referrals. Consumers should first try to resolve the problem with the business, then file a written complaint with the Division using its complaint form, describing the problem, what has been done and what remedy is wanted, with copies (not originals) of receipts, contracts and other documents. Complaint forms may be subject to public disclosure under the Open Public Records Act. Mailing address on the form: P.O. Box 45025, Newark, NJ 07101. |
Find and check a lawyer
| Lawyer referral service | Lawyer referral in New Jersey is run by county bar associations. The New Jersey State Bar Association lists the county bar associations that provide lawyer referral services; select your county of residence and contact that county's service directly (the NJSBA asks people not to contact referral services outside their own county). The New Jersey Courts say they cannot recommend a lawyer but point to this list. NJ Courts child support self-help page also links this list: https://www.njcourts.gov/self-help/child-support-custody |
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| Check that the lawyer is licensed | The New Jersey Judiciary (the Supreme Court regulates New Jersey attorneys) provides the Statewide Attorney Index, linked from the njcourts.gov Attorneys page, to look up attorneys admitted in New Jersey. Linked from https://www.njcourts.gov/attorneys |
| Check discipline history or file a complaint | Ethics grievances go to New Jersey's 18 district ethics committees, supported by the Supreme Court's Office of Attorney Ethics (OAE), which also investigates and prosecutes complex complaints. Call the Hotline for Ethics and Fee Arbitration Forms at 1-800-406-8594 and enter the zip code of the attorney's office to reach the district ethics committee secretary and request a grievance form (also posted on njcourts.gov). If a case goes to a hearing, it is open to the public; a panel dismisses or recommends discipline to the Disciplinary Review Board, and the Supreme Court makes the final decision. Discipline cannot recover money for you. To check discipline history, the Judiciary's Find a Discipline Case page links to the Disciplinary Review Board's searchable database of attorneys disciplined since 1988, plus OAE quarterly and annual discipline reports; attorneys may share names, so confirm you have the right person. Complaint brochure: https://www.njcourts.gov/sites/default/files/forms/12643_oae_comp_against_atty.pdf |
Free legal help
| Free legal aid | Legal Services of New Jersey's free LSNJLAW Hotline gives free legal advice, information and referrals to financially eligible low-income New Jersey residents in civil legal matters. Call 1-888-LSNJ-LAW (1-888-576-5529), Monday through Friday, 8:00 a.m. to 5:30 p.m., or apply online (about 5-7 minutes; an advocate contacts you within two business days). Help is available in all languages and for people who are hearing-impaired. LSC lists five New Jersey grantees: Central Jersey Legal Services, Essex-Newark Legal Services Project, Legal Services of Northwest Jersey, Northeast New Jersey Legal Services and South Jersey Legal Services. LSC grantee list: https://www.lsc.gov/about-lsc/our-grantees |
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All legal help in New Jersey · 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.