Missouri Lemon Law Guide: Your Rights Under Missouri Lemon Law

What Is the Missouri Lemon Law? The Missouri Lemon Law Mo. Rev. Stat. § 407.560 et seq. protects consumers who purchase or lease defective new motor vehicles that cannot be repaired after a reasonable number of attempts. The statute creates a presumption that a vehicle is a "lemon" if certain conditions are met within the statutory coverage period — most notably multiple unsuccessful repair attempts for the same defect or extended periods when the vehicle is out of service. The law provides statutory remedies intended to make the consumer whole, which typically take the form of either a replacement vehicle or a repurchase refund of the vehicle's purchase price, subject to a usage offset. Missouri’s Attorney General Consumer Protection Division enforces consumer protection laws and provides guidance to Missouri consumers about lemon law issues. The AG’s consumer protection website is a resource for filing complaints and identifying consumer rights: https://ago.mo.gov/civil-division/consumer-protection/ see also Mo. Rev. Stat. § 407.560 et seq.. For a basic overview of how state lemon laws generally operate, see our general guide on What is the Lemon Law?/resources/what-is-the-lemon-law/. Which Vehicles Qualify Under Missouri Lemon Law? Missouri’s lemon law applies only to new motor vehicles purchased or leased primarily for personal, family, or household use. The statute does not extend to used vehicles, commercial vehicles used primarily for business, or motorcycles in some circumstances. The key coverage limits that determine whether the law applies are time and mileage: the defect must manifest during the first 12 months following delivery or before the vehicle has been driven 12,000 miles, whichever occurs first. These limits are statutory and are central to whether your claim will be considered under Missouri’s lemon law Mo. Rev. Stat. § 407.560 et seq.. If you have a warranty dispute and Missouri’s lemon law does not apply, you may still have rights under other laws or the manufacturer’s express warranty. You can also consider federal options such as the Magnuson-Moss Warranty Act; for more on how federal law intersects with state lemon law claims, read our comparison at Magnuson-Moss warranty act/resources/magnuson-moss-warranty-act/. How Many Repair Attempts Are Required in Missouri? Missouri’s statute establishes a presumption that a vehicle is a lemon when statutory thresholds are met during the coverage period. The most commonly cited thresholds are a specific number of repair attempts for the same defect and a cumulative number of days the vehicle is out of service. The statutory benchmarks used by consumers and practitioners in Missouri are as follows: | Threshold | Requirement | |---|---| | Repair attempts for the same defect | 4 repair attempts for the same nonconformity | | Days out of service cumulative | 30 calendar days out of service for repair | | Coverage period | 12 months or 12,000 miles whichever comes first |