The law in most countries makes the seller answer for a product that was faulty when you got it, whatever the box says about warranties. In the EU that legal warranty lasts at least 2 years from delivery, and some countries go further: 3 years in Spain, Portugal and Sweden, up to 5 years in Norway for goods meant to last, and no fixed limit in the Netherlands and Finland. In the UK you can claim for up to 6 years (5 in Scotland). The United States has no federal statutory warranty period; state law gives you an implied warranty, and you generally have 4 years from delivery to sue.
The table covers 36 jurisdictions, each row linked to the law or the government page it comes from, read on October 29, 2026. It's a plain-English summary, not legal advice, and "not verified" means we couldn't open an official page that states that part, so we left it blank rather than guess.
Legal warranty by country
How to read it: the legal warranty is how long the seller (sometimes also the maker) answers for a defect that existed at delivery. The presumption is the window in which the seller has to prove the product was fine; after it, the proof is on you. The claim window is the deadline that starts once you notice the fault.
| Country | Legal warranty (consumer goods) | Who it binds | Presumption (burden of proof) | Claim window after you find the defect | Law | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| EU minimum (all member states) | At least 2 years from delivery; +12 months once if the goods are repaired (contracts from July 31, 2026) | Seller | 1 year (countries may choose 2) | Countries may ask you to report within at least 2 months of noticing the defect | Directive (EU) 2019/771 arts. 10–12; Directive (EU) 2024/1799 art. 16 | eur-lex.europa.eu · europa.eu |
| Argentina | 6 months (new goods), 3 months (used goods) from delivery | Producers, importers, distributors and sellers, jointly | None stated | Not verified | Ley 24.240 arts. 11, 13 | servicios.infoleg.gob.ar |
| Australia | No fixed period: goods must be of acceptable quality, including durable, for a reasonable time | Supplier and manufacturer | None | Reject within a reasonable rejection period; claims against the manufacturer within 3 years of becoming aware | Australian Consumer Law (Competition & Consumer Act 2010, Sch. 2) ss. 54, 259, 262, 271, 273 | accc.gov.au · legislation.gov.au |
| Austria | 2 years from handover; +1 year once after a repair (contracts from October 1, 2026) | Seller | 1 year | Claims expire 3 months after the 2 years end | Verbrauchergewährleistungsgesetz (VGG) §§ 10, 11, 28 | ogd.ris.bka.gv.at |
| Belgium | 2 years from delivery (used goods: at least 1 year if agreed) | Seller | 2 years | Report within 2 months of discovering the defect; sue within 1 year of discovery | Civil Code art. 1649bis–1649octies (a new Book 7 was adopted in July 2026) | economie.fgov.be |
| Brazil | No fixed period; you must complain within 30 days (non-durable goods) or 90 days (durable goods) | All suppliers, jointly | None | For a hidden defect, the 30 or 90 days start when the defect becomes evident | Código de Defesa do Consumidor (Lei 8.078/1990) arts. 18, 26 | planalto.gov.br |
| Canada: Ontario | No fixed period: implied condition of merchantable quality | Seller | None | 2 years from discovering the claim | Sale of Goods Act s. 15; Consumer Protection Act 2002 s. 9; Limitations Act 2002 s. 4 | ontario.ca · ontario.ca |
| Canada: Québec | No fixed period: durable in normal use for a reasonable time; since October 5, 2026 also a 3- to 6-year warranty of good working order on 14 kinds of new appliances and electronics | Merchant and manufacturer | Seller presumed liable for premature failure (no set number of months) | Written notice within a reasonable time; action within 3 years | Consumer Protection Act (CQLR c P-40.1) ss. 37, 38, 38.1, 53; Civil Code arts. 1729, 1739, 2925 | opc.gouv.qc.ca · legisquebec.gouv.qc.ca |
| Chile | 6 months from receipt (purchases from March 24, 2022) | Seller; manufacturer or importer for repairs | None | Within the 6 months; time under repair pauses the clock | Ley 19.496 arts. 20, 21 (amended by Ley 21.398) | sernac.cl · leychile.cl |
| Colombia | 1 year for new goods if no term is stated; 3 months for used goods | Producers and suppliers, jointly | None | Court claim within 1 year after the warranty ends | Ley 1480 de 2011 arts. 7, 8, 10, 58 | funcionpublica.gov.co |
| Czechia | 24 months from receipt | Seller | 1 year | No fixed deadline to report; limitation not verified | Občanský zákoník §§ 2161, 2165 (as cited by ČOI) | coi.gov.cz |
| Denmark | You must claim within 2 years of delivery | Seller | 1 year | A complaint within 2 months of discovery is always in time; 2-year cut-off | Købeloven §§ 77a, 81, 83 | retsinformation.dk |
| Finland | No fixed period: covers defects present at delivery even if they appear later; the expected lifespan decides | Seller; importer or manufacturer may also be liable | 1 year | Complain within a reasonable time | Kuluttajansuojalaki ch. 5 § 15 | kkv.fi · finlex.fi |
| France | 2 years from delivery (new, used or refurbished); +6 months after a repair under the current code | Seller | 2 years; 1 year for used goods | Court action within 5 years of discovering the defect | Code de la consommation L217-3, L217-7, L217-13; Code civil art. 2224 | service-public.gouv.fr · legifrance.gouv.fr |
| Germany | 2 years from delivery; +12 months once after a repair | Seller | 1 year | If the defect shows within the 2 years, you have at least 4 more months from when it appeared | BGB §§ 438, 475e, 477 | gesetze-im-internet.de · gesetze-im-internet.de |
| India | No fixed period; product liability for defects | Manufacturer, product seller, service provider | None | Complaint within 2 years of the cause of action | Consumer Protection Act 2019 ss. 2(10), 69, 84 | egazette.gov.in |
| Ireland | Up to 6 years to claim; 30-day short-term right to reject | Trader | 1 year | 6-year limitation (CCPC) | Consumer Rights Act 2022 ss. 21–24 | ccpc.ie · irishstatutebook.ie |
| Italy | 2 years from delivery; +12 months once after a repair (contracts from July 31, 2026) | Seller | 1 year | Action within 26 months of delivery | Codice del consumo (D.Lgs. 206/2005) arts. 133, 135 | normattiva.it |
| Japan | No fixed period: liability for goods that don't match the contract (契約不適合責任) | Seller | None | Notify within 1 year of learning of the defect; the claim expires 5 years after you know of it | Civil Code (民法) arts. 562–564, 566, 166 | laws.e-gov.go.jp |
| Mexico | No general term; any guarantee offered must last at least 90 days from delivery | Producer, importer and distributor | None | Claims within 2 months of receiving the product; general limit 1 year | Ley Federal de Protección al Consumidor arts. 14, 77, 79, 92, 93 | diputados.gob.mx · gob.mx |
| Netherlands | No fixed period: as long as the product can normally be expected to last | Seller | 1 year | Reporting within 2 months of discovery is always in time; the claim expires 2 years after you report | Burgerlijk Wetboek 7:17, 7:18, 7:23 | rijksoverheid.nl · wetten.overheid.nl |
| New Zealand | No fixed period: durable for a reasonable time | Supplier; manufacturer for quality | None | Reject within a reasonable time | Consumer Guarantees Act 1993 ss. 6, 7, 20, 25 | consumerprotection.govt.nz · legislation.govt.nz |
| Norway | 2 years; 5 years for goods meant to last much longer | Seller | 2 years | Complain within a reasonable time, never less than 2 months from discovery | Forbrukerkjøpsloven §§ 18, 27 | lovdata.no |
| Philippines | Implied warranty lasts as long as any express warranty; otherwise 60 days to 1 year after the sale of new goods | Seller or manufacturer | None | Not verified | Consumer Act (RA 7394) arts. 67–68 | standardsph.dti.gov.ph |
| Poland | 2 years from delivery (longer if the seller states a longer shelf life) | Seller | 2 years | Limitation 6 years (UOKiK) | Ustawa o prawach konsumenta arts. 43b–43g | prawakonsumenta.uokik.gov.pl · api.sejm.gov.pl |
| Portugal | 3 years from delivery; +6 months per repair, up to 4 repairs | Seller; producer also directly for repair or replacement | 2 years | Rights lapse 2 years after you report the defect | Decreto-Lei 84/2021 arts. 12, 13, 17, 18, 40 | files.dre.pt |
| Romania | 2 years from delivery (used goods: at least 1 year if agreed) | Seller | 1 year | Not verified | OUG 140/2021 arts. 9–11 | legislatie.just.ro |
| Singapore | No fixed period: satisfactory quality, including durability | Seller | 6 months | Limitation not verified | Sale of Goods Act s. 14; Consumer Protection (Fair Trading) Act Part 3 | sso.agc.gov.sg · sso.agc.gov.sg |
| South Africa | 6 months from delivery, plus durability for a reasonable time | Producer or importer, distributor and retailer | None | Complaint within 3 years | Consumer Protection Act 68 of 2008 ss. 55, 56, 116 | gov.za |
| South Korea | No fixed civil-law period; consumer dispute standards set guarantee terms by item (1 year by default; smartphones 2 years) | Seller | None found | Claim within 6 months of learning of the defect (Civil Act) | Civil Act (민법) arts. 580–582; Consumer Dispute Resolution Standards | law.go.kr · easylaw.go.kr |
| Spain | 3 years from delivery | Seller; producer if the seller can't be reached | 2 years | Action within 5 years of the defect showing | TRLGDCU (Real Decreto Legislativo 1/2007) arts. 120, 121, 124, 125 | boe.es |
| Sweden | 3 years from delivery | Seller | 2 years | A complaint within 2 months of noticing is always in time; final deadline 2 months after the 3 years | Konsumentköplag (2022:260) ch. 4 §§ 14, 17; ch. 5 § 2 | konsumentverket.se · riksdagen.se |
| Switzerland | 2 years from delivery (1 year for used goods if agreed) | Seller | None in the statute | Notify immediately after discovery; action within 2 years | Obligationenrecht arts. 201, 210 | fedlex.data.admin.ch |
| Türkiye | 2 years from delivery, plus a producer guarantee of at least 2 years | Seller; producer or importer jointly for repair or replacement | 6 months | 2 years from delivery | Law 6502 on Consumer Protection arts. 8–12, 56 | mevzuat.gov.tr |
| United Kingdom | No fixed period; claims up to 6 years (England & Wales) or 5 years (Scotland); 30-day right to reject | Trader | 6 months | 6 years from when the claim arose in England & Wales; 5 years in Scotland | Consumer Rights Act 2015 ss. 19, 22; Limitation Act 1980 s. 5; Prescription & Limitation (Scotland) Act 1973 s. 6 | legislation.gov.uk · legislation.gov.uk |
| United States | No federal statutory period; an implied warranty of merchantability exists under state law with no set duration | Merchant seller | None | Lawsuit within 4 years of delivery under the UCC (for example, California); some states differ | Magnuson-Moss Warranty Act (written warranties); UCC §§ 2-314, 2-725 as each state enacts them | ftc.gov · leginfo.legislature.ca.gov |
Legal warranty and the manufacturer's warranty are different things
The manufacturer's warranty is the one printed on the box: a voluntary promise, on whatever terms the maker chooses, often 1 year. The legal warranty comes from the law, is owed by the seller in most countries, and can't be waived by small print. They run side by side. When the maker's year ends, the legal warranty usually hasn't: in Spain a fault that shows in month 30 is still the shop's problem, and in Germany or France a fault in month 20 is too.
Some countries put the maker on the hook as well. Portugal lets you go to the producer directly for a repair or replacement, Australia's consumer guarantees apply to suppliers and manufacturers, and in Québec, Brazil, Argentina, Colombia and South Africa the law names several businesses in the chain.
The presumption matters more than the period
Two countries can both say "2 years" and treat you very differently. Inside the presumption window the law assumes the defect was there on delivery, so the seller has to prove otherwise. After it, you have to show the fault isn't wear and tear or misuse, which is hard for an ordinary buyer.
That's why the second column to look at is the presumption: 2 years in France, Spain, Portugal, Poland, Belgium, Sweden and Norway, 1 year in Germany, Italy, Austria and the Netherlands, 6 months in the UK, Singapore and Türkiye. If a product fails, report it while you're still inside that window if you can.
Countries with no fixed period
The Netherlands, Finland, the UK, Australia, New Zealand, Japan, Ontario, Québec, the US, Singapore and India don't put a number of years on the legal warranty. The test is instead whether the product lasted as long as a reasonable buyer would expect, given its price and what it is. An expensive washing machine is expected to last a lot longer than a cheap kettle.
These countries still have deadlines; they just sit elsewhere. Japan's Civil Code wants notice within 1 year of you learning of the defect. The UK gives you 6 years to bring a claim in England and Wales. Ontario's general limitation is 2 years from discovering the claim. In the US the Uniform Commercial Code allows 4 years from delivery in most states, and the Federal Trade Commission notes that implied warranties generally have no set duration under state law.
What changed in 2026
The EU's right-to-repair directive (2024/1799) added a rule for contracts from July 31, 2026: if you choose a repair, the seller's liability is extended once by 12 months. Germany, Italy and Austria already have it in their laws. France's consumer code still said 6 months in the text we could read, and its official guidance pages disagreed with each other, so treat 12 months there as coming rather than certain. Portugal already adds 6 months for each repair.
Outside the EU, Québec added a fixed warranty of good working order on October 5, 2026: 3 years for computers, phones and tablets, 4 for TVs, 5 for washers, dryers and dishwashers, and 6 for fridges, freezers, ranges and heat pumps. It sits on top of the older "reasonable durability" rule. Belgium adopted a new civil-code book in July 2026 that adds a year after a repair; its start date wasn't stated on the pages we could open.
Keep the proof, or the right is hard to use
Every one of these rights starts from a date you have to prove: when you bought or received the product. The receipt does that, and the order confirmation or delivery note fills the gap for online purchases. Note the day you first saw the fault too, and report it in writing, because several claim windows count from discovery.
A simple setup works: photograph the receipt the day you buy anything expensive, keep it with the manual and the serial number, and write the legal-warranty end date next to it. Our guide to keeping track of warranties covers the habit, how long to keep warranties and manuals covers when it's safe to let go, and the big-purchase checklist covers returns.
Paperlock can do the remembering if you'd like: it reads each receipt you scan, notes the store, the date and the amount, and lets you ask "when did I buy the dishwasher?" months later, with the receipt attached to the answer. Either way, the receipt is the warranty. Without it, the years in this table are hard to claim.