Hiring a Lemon Law Lawyer in Utah
The Utah 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 Utah: fee rules
| Rules on contingency fees | Under Utah Rule of Professional Conduct 1.5(c) (Supreme Court Rules of Professional Practice, Rule 3-1.5), a contingent fee agreement must be in a writing signed by the client stating how the fee is determined, including the percentage(s) for settlement, trial or appeal; litigation and other expenses deducted from the recovery; and whether expenses are deducted before or after the fee is calculated. It must clearly notify the client of expenses owed whether or not the client prevails, and at the end the lawyer must give a written statement of the outcome and, if there is a recovery, the remittance and how it was determined. Rule 1.5(d) bars fees in domestic relations matters contingent on securing a divorce or on the amount of alimony, support or property settlement, and contingent fees for defending a criminal case. |
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| If you disagree with a lawyer's bill | The Utah State Bar's Fee Dispute Resolution Program handles fee disputes between clients and attorneys practicing in Utah, by mediation or binding arbitration. Participation is voluntary; the bar cannot force either side into binding arbitration, and both attorney and client must sign the petition. Binding arbitration has a $10.00 filing fee, and the decision is final except on narrow grounds. Disputes under $10,000 are heard by one lawyer, though for amounts between $7,500 and $10,000 the petitioner may choose a three-member panel. Mail the notarized Fee Dispute Petition Form and Agreement Form, marked "personal and confidential," to Utah State Bar Fee Dispute, 645 South 200 East, Salt Lake City, Utah 84111; questions: feearbitration@utahbar.org. |
| If a lawyer takes your money | The Utah State Bar's Lawyers' Fund for Client Protection reimburses losses caused by the dishonest conduct of lawyers and licensed paralegal practitioners licensed in Utah, arising from a lawyer-client, LPP-client or fiduciary relationship. Assigned claims, third-party claims and certain Ponzi or pyramid-scheme investment losses are excluded. File within one year after the date of the final order of discipline, the lawyer's death, or the order of disability; procedures and the claim form are in Rule 4-911. |
Utah rules to know first
| Lemon law for new cars | Utah's New Motor Vehicles Warranties Act covers new motor vehicles sold in Utah, including the vehicle and chassis portion of motor homes and street-use motorcycles, but not vehicles over 14,000 pounds (other than motor homes and farm tractors), off-road motorcycles, mopeds or e-bikes. If a defect is reported during the warranty or within one year of delivery, whichever is earlier, the manufacturer must repair it. If a defect that substantially impairs use, market value or safety cannot be fixed after a reasonable number of attempts, the manufacturer must replace the vehicle with a comparable new one or take it back and refund the full purchase price including collateral charges, minus a reasonable use allowance. A reasonable number of attempts is presumed if the same defect was repaired four or more times, or the vehicle was out of service 30 or more business days, during the warranty or the first year, whichever is earlier. The Division of Consumer Protection enforces the law; a consumer may sue only after the Division has investigated and evaluated the claim, and must first use any qualifying manufacturer dispute program. The court may award attorneys' fees to the prevailing party. A separate mediation process applies to structural defects in new recreational vehicle trailers. Source: Utah Code §§ 13-20-2 to 13-20-8 |
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| How to make a lemon law claim | 1) Report the problem to the manufacturer, its agent or an authorized dealer during the express warranty term or within one year after original delivery, whichever ends first. Utah's New Motor Vehicle Warranties Act does not require a separate written notice or a final repair attempt for cars. 2) Arbitration: if the manufacturer has an informal dispute settlement procedure that complies with federal rules (16 C.F.R. part 703), the consumer must use it first before the refund-or-replacement remedy applies. The Act does not create a state-run arbitration program or set a consumer fee. 3) State review before suing: the Utah Division of Consumer Protection may enforce the Act, and a consumer may file a lawsuit only after the Division has investigated and evaluated the claim. The court may award attorney's fees to the winning side. 4) Deadline: the Act does not state a specific deadline to file a claim or lawsuit. (Separate rule: buyers of new recreational vehicle trailers with roof, subfloor or wall defects can require mediation, paid for by the manufacturer, after written notice and at least four failed repair attempts.) |
| Where to file a consumer complaint | Consumers can file a complaint online with the Utah Department of Commerce's Division of Consumer Protection. The Division can be reached at (801) 530-6601, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday, or by mail at P.O. Box 146704, Salt Lake City, UT 84114-6704; its site also offers a registration lookup, a legal action search and a Buyer Beware List. |
Find and check a lawyer
| Lawyer referral service | The Utah State Bar's Get Legal Help page points the public to LicensedLawyer, to learn about licensed Utah lawyers in good standing, and to the Utah State Bar's Modest Means Lawyer Referral Program for reduced-rate help (income qualification required). Source: Utah State Bar, Get Legal Help |
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| Check that the lawyer is licensed | Utah's Office of Professional Conduct points the public to the Utah State Bar's Licensed Lawyer website (licensedlawyer.org) to look up Utah lawyers; its online complaint form also includes a Search Attorney Database tool. |
| Check discipline history or file a complaint | The Utah Office of Professional Conduct (OPC), charged by the Utah Supreme Court with investigating possible grounds for discipline of lawyers and licensed paralegal practitioners, is no longer part of the Utah State Bar. File a complaint with the OPC's online form, or print the fillable form and mail it. An OPC attorney reviews it and investigates if it suggests rule violations; typical timelines for cases not dismissed are about 150 days for initial investigation, 120 days for follow-up, and 90 days for the screening panel. The information you provide is shared with the lawyer; anonymous complaints and complaints against a whole firm are not accepted, and a filed complaint cannot be withdrawn. The process does not provide reimbursement. Public discipline can be searched in the OPC's Attorney Public Discipline list. Public discipline: https://www.opcutah.org/lawyer-public-discipline/ |
Free legal help
| Free legal aid | The Utah State Courts' Self-Help Center provides free legal help to people without a lawyer: staff attorneys answer questions about the law, court process and options, help with court forms, and give information about legal aid, pro bono and low-cost services and lawyer referral (they cannot give legal advice or represent you). Contact it by email at selfhelp@utcourts.gov or the toll-free help line 888-683-0009 (Monday-Friday, 11:00 am-5:00 pm). Utah Legal Services provides civil legal aid without cost to people who cannot afford a lawyer (apply online), and LSC lists it as its Utah grantee. Utah Legal Services: https://www.utahlegalservices.org/; LSC grantee list: https://www.lsc.gov/about-lsc/our-grantees |
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All legal help in Utah · 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.