Yes, Arizona has a used car lemon law, and it is short. Under A.R.S. 44-1267, a used car dealer cannot take away the implied warranty of merchantability until midnight of the 15th calendar day after delivery or until you have driven 500 miles, whichever comes first. If the car turns out unsafe or has a defect that seriously limits normal highway use in that window, you tell the dealer, the dealer gets a chance to repair it, you pay half of each of the first two repairs but never more than $25 apiece, and the most the dealer can owe you is what you paid for the car. Arizona's real Lemon Law, 44-1261 through 44-1266, is for new cars.
I read the statutes on azleg.gov on Saturday afternoon, October 17, 2026, plus the Attorney General's auto page and a September 4, 2026 AG consumer alert. General information, not legal advice. Honestly, 15 days goes fast, so if something already feels wrong with a car you just bought, call the dealer today.
What the 15-day, 500-mile warranty covers
The warranty is met, the statute says, if the car "functions in a safe condition" under the state's vehicle equipment rules and is "substantially free of any defect that significantly limits the use" of the car for ordinary transportation on a public highway. Illinois, which our Illinois used car lemon law post covers, has the same 15-day and 500-mile clock but limits it to a listed set of powertrain parts, skips cars over 150,000 miles and makes you pay up to $100 per repair. Arizona names no parts list, and the sections I read set no odometer ceiling. So a dead transmission counts, and a sticky glovebox does not.
The clock math helps you a little. The day the warranty is breached and every later day the car still fails to conform are excluded from the 15 days, and miles you drive to get the car repaired, serviced or tested do not count toward the 500. Keep the repair orders.
What you pay, and what the dealer can owe
Section 44-1267(E) sets the order of events. You give the dealer reasonable notice. The dealer gets a reasonable opportunity to repair before you use any other remedy under the state's commercial code. You pay one-half of the first two repairs, capped at $25 for each one. Section F caps the dealer's total liability at the purchase price. The AG's page puts it plainly: the dealer must get two chances to repair before you can seek a refund, and if it cannot be fixed you would get back the amount you paid.
Damage after the sale from abuse, misuse, neglect, skipped maintenance, low oil or coolant, off-road use, racing or towing is excluded.
The contract language you should find
The statute requires a bold, 10-point-or-larger statement on the face of the sales agreement saying the seller warrants the car will be fit for ordinary purposes for 15 days or 500 miles, and that you may pay up to $25.00 for each of the first two repairs. A dealer agreement without it is voidable at your option. Find it before you sign.
Arizona dealers also hand you an "as is -- not expressly warranted or guaranteed" statement under A.R.S. 28-4412 when there is no express warranty. That is normal, and section 28-4412(B) says it does not cancel the 44-1267 implied warranty. Our what "as is" means guide explains how that wording plays out in other states, where it can wipe out implied warranties entirely.
The only legal waiver is narrow: the dealer discloses a particular defect and you sign and date a bold first-page statement listing it. The dealer has to prove it did that.
Who is covered, and the gap on the AG's page
Here the AG and the statute read differently. The AG's page says the implied warranty "applies to every used car sale." The statute is narrower. Section 44-1267(B) binds a "used motor vehicle dealer," which 44-1261 defines as someone who sold or offered four or more used cars in the previous twelve months, and it leaves out banks, insurers, an employer selling to an employee, lease buyouts, and classic or historic car traders. Section 44-1261(C) also says the article does not apply to cars sold at a public auction or with a declared gross weight over 10,000 pounds. A one-off private sale from a neighbor is outside it; our Arizona private sale title transfer guide covers that paperwork instead.
Subsection A adds a rule I like: the title has to be in the seller's name before it even tries to sell the car. The AG's September alert says that if a dealer cannot show you that title, or a reassignment to the dealership on the back, do not buy.
No cooling-off period, and the online return trap
The same AG alert says there is "no three-day right of rescission" when you buy a vehicle in Arizona. If you sign and simply change your mind, the statute does not help. For online purchases, the AG warns that some sellers keep shipping fees if you reject the car and that a refunded down payment can take one to several weeks, so get an independent inspection before any return period ends.
When a used car is a buyback
A used car can carry history from the new-car law. Section 44-1266 requires a manufacturer that replaced or repurchased a car under this article, or another state's version, to attach a written notice before reselling it, and a dealer selling that car has to give you the notice before the sale. Our lemon law buyback title brand post shows how those brands look on a title.
Before you hand over money
Get an independent mechanic to look at the car. Check the title for salvage or rebuilt brands; our Arizona salvage and rebuilt title rules post explains them, and NMVTIS lists approved title data providers. Then pull your own history report rather than trusting a printout from the lot, since a doctored PDF takes minutes to make. CarVins is a licensed CARFAX and AutoCheck reseller and is not affiliated with CARFAX, AutoCheck, Experian or the State of Arizona. Reports through us were around $5.50 as a guest or $4.50 for members this week, about $6.75 for both brands, compared with roughly $39.99 to $44.99 buying direct. Prices shift, so trust the number at checkout.
Comments (0)
No comments yet. Be the first to share your thoughts!
Log in to leave a comment.