Reference · checked 2026-09-02 · not legal advice
How far back can the manufacturer charge you back?
Most states now limit the look-back on a warranty audit to 6 to 12 months, and several shift the burden to the manufacturer or require a warning before documentation chargebacks. The rules differ by state and nobody in the shop has them in one place. Here they are, with the statute linked so you can read the sentence yourself.
| State | Look-back | What else the law says | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| Virginia | 6 months | A chargeback is defeated if the dealer shows the customer received the benefit of the work (HB 1683, 2025). | Va. Code § 46.2-1571 statute text |
| Colorado | 9 months from claim submission | No document requests older than 15 months. Fraud carve-out. | C.R.S. § 44-20-135 statute text |
| North Carolina | 12 months, one audit per 12 months | No chargeback where the dealer made a good-faith attempt and actually performed the work. Documentation-procedure chargebacks require a prior certified-mail warning within 12 months. Auditors may not be paid on chargeback volume (2025 amendment). | N.C.G.S. § 20-305.1 statute text |
| New York | 1 year (5 for fraud) | The manufacturer must show the dealer did not make a good-faith effort or did not actually perform the work. | N.Y. Veh. & Traf. Law § 465 statute text |
| Illinois | 1 year | No chargeback absent a finding of fraud or illegal action. Labor time multiplier of 1.5×. | 815 ILCS 710/6 statute text |
| Massachusetts | 1 year | Chargeback only for fraud, false or improper claims, or non-compliance with reasonable written requirements. | M.G.L. c. 93B § 9 statute text |
| Missouri | 12 months (2 years for fraud) | — | R.S.Mo. § 407.828 statute text |
| Arizona | 12 months | — | A.R.S. § 28-4451 statute text |
| Tennessee | 12 months | — | Tenn. Comp. R. & Regs. 0960-01-.03 statute text |
| Rhode Island | 12 months (effective Oct 1, 2026) | First "actual time" labor-reimbursement law in the country (S.B. 2347, signed June 2026). | Nelson Mullins summary secondary source |
| Florida | 12 months | — | Bass Sox Mercer, "Preparing your dealership for audits" (Mar 2025) secondary source |
| New Jersey | 12 months | S.3309 (signed Sep 2025, effective Apr 2026) adds a dealer-average labor-time multiplier. | NJ Auto Retailer / Nelson Mullins secondary source |
"Statute text" means we read the law itself. "Secondary source" means a law firm or association page; read the statute before relying on it. States not listed have not been checked yet, not necessarily no limit. Send corrections to [email protected].
Why the window matters more than it looks
The manufacturer can only reach the months the law allows. An RO outside the window cannot be charged back for a documentation gap. An RO inside it can, on every line. So your real exposure is what is sitting in the window today, not everything you ever submitted.
The double edge
New "actual time" reimbursement laws (New Jersey from April 2026, Rhode Island from October 2026) pay warranty labor on the time the technician actually punched. That makes punch times, the item audits hit hardest, both more valuable and more auditable.
What is sitting inside your window right now?
Every warranty RO from the last 90 days, checked against GM's own policies, every exception with GM's sentence next to it, counted inside your state's window. Five days. Free if the number is under $7,500.
Get your chargeback number Check one RO free