Last reviewed: 9 October 2026
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United StatesWhat a written warranty must disclose: the nine items in 16 C.F.R. § 701.3
A Federal Trade Commission rule, 16 C.F.R. Part 701, lists what a warrantor must put in the written warranty on a consumer product. This page sets out the nine required items, when the rule applies, and how to use the list to read a warranty. It covers written product warranties, not separately sold service contracts.
In short
- When it applies: to a written warranty on a consumer product "actually costing the consumer more than $15.00" (§ 701.2).1
- How: the warrantor must "clearly and conspicuously disclose in a single document in simple and readily understood language" the items in § 701.3(a).1
- How many items: nine, from who is covered to the statement that "This warranty gives you specific legal rights, and you may also have other rights which vary from State to State."1
- Registration cards: if returning a registration card is a condition of coverage, the warranty must say so; if it reasonably appears to be one but is not, the warranty must say that instead (§ 701.4).1
What counts as a written warranty under the rule
Section 701.1 defines the terms. A consumer product is tangible personal property distributed in commerce and normally used for personal, family or household purposes, including property intended to be attached to or installed in real property. A written warranty is a written affirmation of fact or promise, made in connection with the sale of a consumer product by a supplier to a buyer, that the material or workmanship is defect free or will meet a specified level of performance over a specified period, or a written undertaking to refund, repair, replace or take other remedial action if the product fails to meet specifications, where the affirmation, promise or undertaking becomes part of the basis of the bargain. A warrantor is a supplier, manufacturer or other person who gives or offers a written warranty.1 Whether a separately sold agreement is a written warranty under this definition is a different question; our Magnuson-Moss guide explains the distinction between a warranty and a service contract.
The nine required items
| # | What the warranty must disclose |
|---|---|
| 1 | Who the warranty is extended to, if enforceability is limited to the original consumer purchaser or otherwise limited to persons other than every consumer owner during the term1 |
| 2 | A clear description and identification of the products, parts, characteristics, components or properties covered, and where necessary for clarification, those excluded1 |
| 3 | What the warrantor will do in the event of a defect, malfunction or failure to conform, including the items or services it will pay for or provide, and where necessary those it will not1 |
| 4 | When the warranty term begins, if different from the purchase date, and the time period or other measure of duration1 |
| 5 | A step-by-step explanation of the procedure to obtain performance, including who is authorized to perform, the warrantor's name, and a mailing address, the name or title and address of a responsible employee or department, and/or a telephone number consumers may use without charge1 |
| 6 | Information on any informal dispute settlement mechanism the warrantor has elected under Part 7031 |
| 7 | Any limitation on the duration of implied warranties, disclosed on the face of the warranty, with the statement: "Some States do not allow limitations on how long an implied warranty lasts, so the above limitation may not apply to you."1 |
| 8 | Any exclusion of or limitation on relief such as incidental or consequential damages, with the statement: "Some States do not allow the exclusion or limitation of incidental or consequential damages, so the above limitation or exclusion may not apply to you." (It may be combined with item 7.)1 |
| 9 | The statement: "This warranty gives you specific legal rights, and you may also have other rights which vary from State to State."1 |
"On the face of the warranty" has a defined meaning in § 701.1(j): the page on which the warranty text begins, or, for a warranty on a web site or displayed electronically, close proximity to where the warranty text begins.1 Paragraph (b) of § 701.3 relaxes items 1 through 9 for statements of general policy on emblems, seals or insignias issued by third parties promising replacement or refund, if the disclosures are published in each issue of a publication of general circulation and provided free on written request.1
Using the list to read a warranty
Take a warranty you have been handed and look for each of the nine items. A missing item that applies to the warranty, such as no description of what is excluded or no procedure for making a claim, is a reason to ask the warrantor in writing; items 1, 7 and 8 apply only where the warranty has the limitation they describe. Items 7 to 9 are the most recognizable: the three "Some States do not allow..." and "specific legal rights" sentences often appear near each other. For how a warranty is labelled "full" or "limited," see our guide to the federal labels; for getting to read a warranty before you buy, see the pre-sale availability rule; and for registration cards, the registration-card rule. For a broader contract checklist, see how to read a warranty contract.
Last reviewed: 9 October 2026. Rule text from the Electronic Code of Federal Regulations. General information, not legal advice.