How to Get and Complete a Lemon Law Arbitration Form

Florida’s Request for Arbitration form is the document that launches a free, state-run lemon law case against a vehicle manufacturer. You download the Florida lemon law arbitration form from the Attorney General’s website at myfloridalegal.com, fill it out, and mail the signed original with supporting documents to the Lemon Law Arbitration Screening office in Tallahassee.¹ There is no filing fee and no online submission. One step trips up more claims than any other: you must have already given the manufacturer written notice and a final chance to repair before the form will get past screening.

Where to Get the Form

The form lives on the Lemon Law Request for Arbitration Forms page at myfloridalegal.com. Two versions are posted: a fillable PDF you can type into on your computer, and a printable version you complete by hand.¹ Either way, you print it, sign it in ink, and mail the original. The state does not accept electronic submissions.

What You Must Do Before You File

Filing the form is the last step, not the first. Every problem you list on the form must have been reported to an authorized dealer within the first 24 months after the vehicle’s original delivery date, and the manufacturer must have had its final chance to fix the defect.² The defect has to be a “nonconformity” that substantially impairs the vehicle’s use, value, or safety — routine wear items and minor warranty fixes do not count.

The statute gives you two paths to the final-repair stage:

Three failed repair attempts for the same problem, after which you send the manufacturer written notice by registered or express mail. The manufacturer then has 10 days to respond and direct you to a reasonably accessible facility for one final attempt.²
Fifteen or more cumulative days out of service for repair of one or more nonconformities (not counting routine maintenance), after which you send the same kind of written notice to give the manufacturer a chance to inspect or repair.²

Sending the Written Notice

The written notice has to go by registered or express mail. Regular mail does not satisfy the statute. Your letter should identify the vehicle, describe the defect, and state that you are requesting a final opportunity to repair under Section 681.104. The Attorney General’s office offers an optional Motor Vehicle Defect Notification form for this purpose, but any written notice that covers those points works.³ Keep the certified mail receipt and the return receipt card. You need proof the manufacturer received it.

After receiving your notice, the manufacturer has 10 days to respond and offer a final repair at a reasonably accessible facility. Once you deliver the vehicle there, the manufacturer gets another 10 days (45 days for recreational vehicles) to fix the problem. If the defect persists, you are eligible to file for arbitration.²

Vehicles and Buyers That Qualify

The Lemon Law (Chapter 681, Florida Statutes) covers new motor vehicles sold in Florida and used primarily for personal, family, or household purposes: cars, SUVs, light trucks under 10,000 pounds gross vehicle weight, and recreational vehicles. Demonstrators and leased vehicles count as long as a manufacturer’s warranty was issued with the sale or the lessee is responsible for repairs.⁴

Motorcycles, mopeds, electric bicycles, off-road vehicles, trucks over 10,000 pounds, and vehicles that run on tracks are not covered. For RVs, only the motorized chassis and drivetrain components are covered; the living quarters (plumbing, flooring, generator, furnace, and similar components) are excluded.⁴

You do not need to be the original buyer. Florida’s definition of “consumer” includes anyone the vehicle is transferred to during the lemon law rights period and anyone else entitled under the warranty to enforce its terms. If you bought the vehicle secondhand and it is still within 24 months of its original delivery date, you can file.⁴

Filling Out the Form

The form moves through several sections. Vehicle identification asks for the VIN, make, model, year, and current mileage, plus the name and address of the selling dealer and the delivery date. The purchase or lease section asks for the transaction date, price, and whether you financed, paid cash, or leased. Have your purchase contract or lease agreement in front of you. The numbers need to match.

Section V is where claims fall apart. The form asks you to list each problem that substantially impairs the vehicle’s use, value, or safety, the dates of at least three repair attempts that happened before your written notice went to the manufacturer, and what happened at each visit.⁵ Be specific and factual. “Car shakes at highway speed” is more useful than “vehicle is defective.” Match your descriptions to the dealer’s repair orders. If the repair order says “vibration at 65 mph, replaced tire and balanced,” your form should describe the same symptom in the same terms. Inconsistencies give the manufacturer an easy argument.

Gather every repair order’s date and mileage before you start. If you have gaps in your records, call the dealership’s service department and request copies. The repair history is the backbone of your claim, and the arbitration board will compare your account against the manufacturer’s records.

Documents to Include

Send copies, not originals, of these documents with the signed form:

Purchase contract or lease agreement, with any addenda showing the vehicle price, trade-in value, and financing terms.
Every repair order and invoice related to the defect, showing date, mileage, complaint, and what the dealer did.
A copy of the written notice you sent by registered or express mail, plus the certified mail receipt and return receipt showing the manufacturer received it.
The manufacturer’s response, if any.
The manufacturer’s warranty booklet that came with the vehicle.

Put the repair orders in chronological order. If a document is missing, a short note explaining why beats a blank space. The screening staff reviews hundreds of these packages, and a clean file moves faster.

Where to Mail It

Mail the signed original form and copies of all supporting documents to:⁶

Office of the Attorney General
Lemon Law Arbitration Screening
PL-01, The Capitol
Tallahassee, FL 32399-1050

Use certified mail with a return receipt so you have proof of delivery. The program does not charge consumers a filing fee.

What Happens After You File

The Attorney General’s office screens every request before it reaches the arbitration board. Staff confirm that the vehicle qualifies, the defect was reported within the 24-month lemon law rights period, the written notice was properly sent, and the manufacturer had its final repair opportunity. If something is missing, the office will contact you, but incomplete submissions can set the case back by weeks.⁷

Once the claim clears screening, it goes to the Florida New Motor Vehicle Arbitration Board. Hearings are held on weekdays during business hours at locations chosen for the consumer’s convenience. Most consumers represent themselves. You can hire an attorney at your own expense if you prefer.⁸

A panel of three board members runs the hearing. The format is informal and courtroom rules of evidence do not apply. You and the manufacturer each present testimony and documents, and both sides can cross-examine the other’s witnesses. Testimony is given under oath, and the board may inspect or test-drive the vehicle during the hearing.⁸ If the board rules in your favor, the manufacturer must repurchase or replace the vehicle within 40 days, and you have an unconditional right to choose the refund over a replacement.²

1
My Florida Legal. Lemon Law Request for Arbitration Forms
2
The Florida Legislature. Florida Code 681.104 – Nonconformity of Motor Vehicles
3
My Florida Legal. How To Use the Motor Vehicle Defect Notification Form
4
The Florida Legislature. Florida Code 681.102 – Definitions
5
Florida Office of the Attorney General. Request for Arbitration by the Florida New Motor Vehicle Arbitration Board
6
My Florida Legal. How to Submit the Request for Arbitration Form
7
Florida Senate. Florida Code 681.109 – Florida New Motor Vehicle Arbitration Board; Dispute Eligibility
8
My Florida Legal. Hearings Before the Florida New Motor Vehicle Arbitration Board