Estimate what your defective vehicle could be worth under your state’s lemon law — free, in about 60 seconds. The result is an illustrative estimate, not legal advice or a guarantee.
How Lemon Law Settlements Are Calculated
Nearly every state lemon law builds a settlement the same way: start with a refund basis — generally the price you paid for the vehicle — and subtract a usage offset that compensates the manufacturer for the miles you were able to drive before (and sometimes after) the defect appeared. The refund basis and the offset formula are set by statute, which is why the same vehicle with the same defect can be worth different amounts in different states.
Florida is a clear example. Under the Florida Lemon Law, Fla. Stat. § 681.102(19), the “reasonable offset for use” is the miles attributable to the consumer up to the date of a settlement agreement or arbitration hearing, multiplied by the base selling price and divided by 120,000 (60,000 for recreational vehicles). If your base selling price was $25,000 and the vehicle has 15,000 miles at settlement, the offset is (15,000 ÷ 120,000) × $25,000 = $3,125 — leaving about $21,875 as the vehicle-price component of a repurchase, before collateral charges such as taxes, registration, towing, and rental reimbursement are added.
California takes a consumer-friendlier approach to the mileage count. Under the Song-Beverly Consumer Warranty Act, Cal. Civ. Code § 1793.2(d)(2)(C), the offset counts only the miles driven before your first repair attempt for the problem — the count is frozen there, so miles you drive while the dealer keeps trying to fix the vehicle don’t reduce your refund. California’s restitution basis is also broad, including sales tax, license and registration fees, finance charges, and incidental costs.
Texas splits the difference with a two-part formula under its Department of Motor Vehicles rules, formerly 43 TAC § 215.208 (43 Tex. Admin. Code § 224.260, implementing Tex. Occ. Code ch. 2301): miles before your first repair report reduce the refund at the full statutory rate, and miles after that at half the rate — recognizing that a vehicle in and out of the shop still provided some use, but impaired use.
Repurchase vs. Cash Settlement vs. Replacement
A qualifying lemon law claim generally resolves one of three ways. In a repurchase (or “buyback”), the manufacturer takes the vehicle back and refunds your purchase price — less the statutory usage offset — typically including collateral charges the statute allows, with any loan balance paid off through your lender. In a cash settlement (often called “cash-and-keep”), you keep the vehicle and the manufacturer pays a negotiated amount as compensation for the defect; the figure is set by negotiation, not statute, and commonly lands well below the full repurchase value. In a replacement, the manufacturer swaps your vehicle for a comparable new one, usually with the same usage offset applied.
Which path fits depends on your priorities — whether you want out of the vehicle entirely, and how the numbers compare after your loan payoff. Our firm’s own results show how these paths actually distribute: across 21,272 settled lemon law matters from 2015 through mid-2026, 79.9% resolved as cash settlements and 20.1% as vehicle repurchases.† The repurchase share has been rising: in matters settled since 2023, repurchases account for 23.1% — and in some states far more (36.3% of our Florida settlements since 2023 ended in a repurchase). Past results do not guarantee a similar outcome; each case is different.
The calculator above shows both figures for your inputs: the statutory repurchase estimate and an illustrative cash-and-keep range, so you can compare your options before speaking with an attorney.
What Affects Your Settlement Value
Mileage and timing. The usage offset grows with every mile in most states. In settlement-date-offset states like Florida, the meter effectively keeps running until your claim resolves — filing sooner preserves value. In first-repair-offset states like California, the offset froze the day you first brought the vehicle in, so delay costs less (but evidence still goes stale).
Repair-order documentation. Repair orders are the spine of a lemon law case. Each order should show your reported symptom, the date, mileage in, days held, and work performed. Keep every copy; ask the service desk to record your complaint in your words. Gaps in the paper trail are the most common reason strong claims get discounted.
Defect severity. Safety defects — brakes, steering, stalling, fire risk, airbags — reach the statutory presumption faster in many states (some require only one or two failed attempts for serious safety defects) and carry more negotiation leverage: manufacturers price the risk of a jury hearing about a safety failure. That’s why documented safety defects tend to support the higher end of negotiated outcomes.
Days out of service. Independent of repair attempts, most states presume a vehicle is a lemon after roughly 30 cumulative days out of service in the coverage period. Loaner-car days generally still count against the manufacturer — track them.
Procedural compliance. Some states add required steps. Florida, for example, requires written notification to the manufacturer to trigger a final repair attempt before its presumption applies (Fla. Stat. § 681.104). Missing a notice step rarely kills a claim, but it can delay it — another reason to have counsel review your facts early.
How State Lemon Laws Differ
The three states below account for the largest share of our practice and illustrate how much the same claim can vary by statute. Figures reflect our verified reading of each state’s current statute and rules.
| State | Coverage window | Presumption thresholds | Usage offset | Legal fees |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Florida | 24 months from delivery | 3 repair attempts or 30 days out of service | Miles at settlement/arbitration ÷ 120,000 × price (60,000 for RVs) | Typically paid by manufacturer |
| California | Duration of the written warranty | 4 attempts (2 for serious safety defects) or 30 days | Miles at first repair attempt ÷ 120,000 × price | Typically paid by manufacturer |
| Texas | 24 months or 24,000 miles, whichever first | 4 attempts (2+2 safety test) or 30 days | Two-part: full rate to first repair report, half rate after | Varies by resolution path |
Other states’ coverage windows, thresholds, and offset formulas differ again — see our state lemon law directory for your state’s overview. Where the calculator uses standard assumptions for a state, your exact statutory figures are confirmed during a free case review.
Who Pays the Legal Fees?
Lemon laws are fee-shifting statutes: they were written so consumers could hire counsel without paying hourly fees up front. In many states, a prevailing consumer’s reasonable attorney’s fees and costs are payable by the manufacturer in addition to the refund or settlement — not deducted from it. California’s Song-Beverly Act, for example, expressly entitles a prevailing buyer to costs and reasonable attorney’s fees (Cal. Civ. Code § 1794(d)), and Florida claims are typically resolved with the manufacturer bearing the fees.
How fees are actually handled in a settlement depends on the state and on how your claim resolves. Some matters settle with the manufacturer paying fees on top of your recovery; in others — including some cash-and-keep settlements and some Texas resolutions — fees and certain costs may be netted out of the total settlement payout. The calculator’s fee line shows the treatment that is typical for your state, and your own engagement letter and the final settlement agreement control in every case.†
At Lemon Law Group Partners, we work on contingency: no fees unless you win.§ You pay nothing up front, and the fee treatment for your specific claim is explained before you sign anything.
Lemon Law Settlement Calculator FAQ
How is a lemon law settlement calculated?
Almost every state uses the same basic structure: your refund basis (what you paid for the vehicle) minus a usage offset for the miles you drove. The details differ by state — Florida counts miles up to settlement, California freezes the count at your first repair attempt, and Texas applies a two-part formula. The calculator above applies your state’s formula to your numbers to produce an illustrative estimate.
Is the calculator’s estimate guaranteed?
No. The figure is an illustrative estimate, not a legal opinion, a case evaluation, or a promise of any outcome. Actual recovery depends on your purchase contract, repair records, the manufacturer’s position, and your state’s statute. Past results do not guarantee a similar outcome. A free case review with our attorneys is how you get numbers verified against your actual documents.
Which state’s lemon law applies to my claim?
Generally, the lemon law of the state where you purchased or leased the vehicle applies — not the state where you live now. If you bought your truck in Florida and later moved to Georgia, your claim would typically proceed under Florida’s lemon law. That’s why the calculator asks for the state of purchase. If you’re unsure which law fits your situation, ask during your free case review.
Do I qualify if I bought my vehicle used?
Possibly. If the vehicle still had manufacturer’s warranty coverage when you bought it — or it was certified pre-owned — and you made at least one unsuccessful warranty repair claim, you may be entitled to compensation under breach-of-warranty laws, including the federal Magnuson-Moss Warranty Act, even where the state lemon law only covers new vehicles. Used-vehicle claims are fact-specific, so have your paperwork reviewed.
What if my state isn’t covered by this calculator?
The calculator shows statutory formulas for the states our firm serves. If your state isn’t served, we can’t provide an estimate or take your case there, and your state Attorney General’s office can point you to local lemon law resources. If your state is served but uses assumptions in the estimate, the exact statutory figures are confirmed during your free case review.
How long does a lemon law claim take?
Many claims resolve in roughly 30 to 90 days from the time your attorney submits the claim to the manufacturer, though every case is different. Claims that proceed to arbitration or litigation, or that involve a vehicle repurchase with lender payoff logistics, can take longer. Acting sooner helps: in states that count usage through the settlement date, added miles shrink your refund.
Is the calculator really free?
Yes. The calculator is free, and so is the case review that follows. Our attorneys work on contingency: no fees unless you win.§ In many lemon law matters, attorney’s fees and costs are paid by the manufacturer under fee-shifting statutes rather than out of your recovery. Fee terms are set out in each client’s written fee agreement.
Sources
Primary sources cited on this page: Fla. Stat. § 681.102 (definitions, incl. reasonable offset for use) · Fla. Stat. § 681.104 (nonconformity of motor vehicles) · Cal. Civ. Code § 1793.2 (Song-Beverly Act; replacement/restitution and usage offset) · Cal. Civ. Code § 1794 (buyer’s remedies; attorney’s fees) · Tex. Occ. Code ch. 2301 (Sale or Lease of Motor Vehicles) · 43 Tex. Admin. Code § 224.260 (TxDMV adopted text, Apr. 2024) · Texas DMV — Lemon Law (agency guidance)
† Settlement counts and cash/repurchase percentages reflect lemon law and vehicle warranty matters settled by Lemon Law Group Partners nationwide from 2015 through June 30, 2026, per firm case-management records; state and vehicle counts reflect the same records. Amounts and outcomes vary by case. Past results do not guarantee a similar outcome; each case is different. Fee treatment shown for any state is general and may not apply to your specific claim or resolution type.
§ “No fees unless you win” and similar statements refer to attorney’s fees. Clients may be responsible for certain costs and expenses, which may be deducted from any recovery. In lemon law matters, attorney’s fees and costs are often paid by the manufacturer under applicable fee-shifting statutes. Fee terms are set forth in each client’s written fee agreement.
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