Limited lifetime warranty

A limited lifetime warranty covers manufacturing defects for the expected life of the product, not the life of the buyer, and only for the parts, defects and remedies the manufacturer names. Wear, misuse and labor are usually excluded, and the coverage often ends when the product is sold.

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Sample Limited lifetime warranty clauses


  • The Company does offer a 30-day return policy from the date of shipment. The Company also provides a limited lifetime warranty on its products. Due to a limited history of returns, the Company does not maintain a warranty reserve.


  • Over 90% of our warranty liability relates to our Wholesale reportable segment as we generally warrant our products against defects for one to three years on fabric and leather, from one to ten years on cushions and padding, and provide a limited lifetime warranty on certain mechanisms and frames, unless otherwise noted in the warranty. Additionally, our Wholesale segment warranties cover labor costs relating to our parts for one year. We provide a limited lifetime warranty against defects on a majority of Joybird products, which are a part of our Corporate and Other results. For all our manufacturer warranties, the warranty period begins when the consumer receives our product. We use considerable judgment in making our estimates, and we record differences between our actual and estimated costs when the differences are known.


  • The Company offers a limited lifetime warranty for manufacturing defects only on product sold. Due to sales recently occurring, the Company is unable to reasonably estimate future costs that will be incurred under its lifetime warranty program on revenue recognized as of June 30, 2020. However, the Company anticipates the amounts associated with revenues recognized as of June 30, 2020 to be immaterial to the financial statements.


  • Effective February 1, 2014 the Company modified its warranty to a limited lifetime warranty. The warranty was effective February 1, 2014, is not anticipated to have a significant effect on warranty expense. Effective January 1, 2017, the Company modified the standard warranty offered on products sold after January 1, 2017 to provide specific warranty periods by product component, with no warranty period longer than ten years. The Company’s warranty is not a guarantee of service life, which depends upon events outside the Company’s control and may be different from the warranty period. The Company accrues an estimate of its exposure to warranty claims based upon both product sales data and an analysis of actual warranty claims incurred.


  • The Company provides a warranty against all substantial defects in material and workmanship. The standard warranty offered on products sold through January 31, 2013 is ten years. Effective February 1, 2014 the Company modified its warranty to a limited lifetime warranty. The warranty was effective February 1, 2014, is not anticipated to have a significant effect on warranty expense. Effective January 1, 2017, the Company modified the standard warranty offered on products sold after January 1, 2017 to provide specific warranty periods by product component, with no warranty period longer than ten years. The Company’s warranty is not a guarantee of service life, which depends upon events outside the Company’s control and may be different from the warranty period. The Company accrues an estimate of its exposure to warranty claims based upon both product sales data and an analysis of actual warranty claims incurred.


  • We warrant our products against certain defects in material and workmanship when used as designed on the vehicle on which it was originally installed. We offer a limited lifetime warranty on most of our products. Our standard warranty limits the end-user’s remedy to the repair or replacement of the part that is defective.


  • Warranty Reserve. The standard warranty periods we provide for our products typically range from one to five years. The majority of products acquired through the acquisition of the TN Companies carry a limited lifetime warranty, which requires us to repair or replace a defective product, or offer a refund of a portion of the purchase price based on a depreciated value at our option. We establish reserves for estimated product warranty costs at the time revenue is recognized based upon our historical warranty experience, and for any known or anticipated product warranty issues.


  • Guarantees and Product Warranties

    The majority of the Company’s hardware products are shipped with either a one-year warranty or a limited lifetime warranty, and software products receive a 90-day warranty. Upon shipment of products to its customers, the Company estimates expenses for the cost to repair or replace products that may be returned under warranty and accrues a liability in cost of product revenues for this amount. The determination of the Company’s warranty requirements is based on actual historical experience with the product or product family, estimates of repair and replacement costs and any product warranty problems that are identified after shipment.  The Company estimates and adjusts these accruals at each balance sheet date in accordance with changes in these factors.


  • The Company has a limited lifetime warranty on all products. The Company does not offer the option to purchase warranties. The Company accounts for warranties under ASC 460, Guarantees, and not as variable consideration related to revenue.


  • Backed by our limited lifetime warranty on the apron chain, customers can depend on this rugged machine. The upgraded rate control option powered by Raven is the only unit in the industry to have completely automatic spreading capabilities with apron speed and slop gate control.

What does limited lifetime warranty mean?

A limited lifetime warranty covers manufacturing defects for the expected life of the product, not your life, and only under the conditions the manufacturer sets. “Lifetime” says how long the promise runs. “Limited” says what it covers: certain parts, certain defects and a set remedy, usually repair or replacement.

Whose lifetime it is depends on the wording. The most common meanings are:

  • The product’s useful life: how long a product like this is normally expected to last.
  • Your ownership: the warranty runs while the original buyer owns the product and ends when it is sold. Car parts are often covered for as long as you own the vehicle they were installed on.
  • The product line: coverage lasts as long as the manufacturer still makes the product or its parts.

A limited lifetime warranty clause in the fynk editor, with the product, the lifetime and the claim period as fields

Lifetime warranty vs limited lifetime warranty vs limited warranty

A full lifetime warranty is rare. Most products sold with a “lifetime warranty” carry a limited one, and a plain limited warranty runs for a fixed period instead.

Lifetime warrantyLimited lifetime warrantyLimited warranty
How longThe product’s life, with few conditionsThe product’s life or your ownershipA fixed period, such as 1 or 5 years
What it coversMost defects and failuresNamed parts and manufacturing defects onlyNamed parts and defects only
Labor and shippingOften includedUsually excludedUsually excluded
After a resaleOften transfersUsually endsDepends on the terms

What a limited lifetime warranty usually excludes

  • Normal wear and tear: worn soles, faded fabric, used-up brake pads.
  • Misuse, accidents and unauthorized repairs: damage you caused, or a repair by someone the manufacturer did not approve.
  • Labor and shipping: you may get a free part but pay to have it fitted or sent in.
  • Commercial use: many consumer warranties only cover normal household use.
  • Later owners: coverage often stops when the product changes hands, and you need the original proof of purchase to claim.

Limited lifetime warranty examples

Public company filings show how differently the term is used:

  • Dorman Products offers a limited lifetime warranty on most of its auto parts. It covers defects “when used as designed on the vehicle on which it was originally installed”, and the remedy is limited to repairing or replacing the part.
  • La-Z-Boy warrants fabric and leather for one to three years, but gives a limited lifetime warranty on certain mechanisms and frames.
  • Lantronix may repair or replace a defective product, or refund part of the price “based on a depreciated value”, which is a common way to cap the cost of a lifetime promise.
  • Flexsteel puts a limited lifetime warranty on all of its products and does not sell extended warranties on top.

How long is a lifetime warranty?

As long as the warranty itself defines it. The small print often sets the “lifetime” as a fixed number of years, or as long as you own the vehicle a part was installed on. If the warranty does not define it, read “lifetime” as the normal useful life of that kind of product, not as a promise for the rest of your life.

How to write a limited lifetime warranty clause

A limited lifetime warranty clause has to answer six questions, because every gap becomes a dispute later:

  1. Which products and parts are covered.
  2. Whose lifetime it is: the product’s useful life, the original buyer’s ownership, or a defined number of years.
  3. Which defects count, usually defects in materials and workmanship.
  4. What is excluded: wear, misuse, accidents, commercial use, unauthorized repairs, labor and shipping.
  5. How to claim: proof of purchase, registration, deadlines and where to send the product.
  6. The remedy: repair, replacement or a partial refund, and who chooses.

Buying instead of selling? When a supplier’s contract arrives, fynk AI Review checks it against your own playbook and flags a warranty that excludes more than you accept, such as labor or commercial use.

Sample clause: Limited lifetime warranty

Limited lifetime warranty. The Manufacturer warrants to the original purchaser that the Product will be free from defects in materials and workmanship for as long as the original purchaser owns it, provided it is used and maintained under normal residential conditions. This warranty does not cover normal wear and tear, misuse, accidents, commercial use, or repairs by anyone other than the Manufacturer or its authorized agents. If a covered defect occurs, the Manufacturer will, at its option, repair or replace the defective part free of charge. Labor, shipping and incidental costs are not covered. A claim requires proof of purchase. This warranty is not transferable.

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Which contracts include a limited lifetime warranty?

Sellers of durable goods put it in their warranty terms and in the contracts that sell the product: tools, auto parts, furniture, cookware, outdoor gear, windows and fixtures. These free templates have a warranty section with a period you set yourself:

If you sell under lifetime warranties, the terms differ by product line and change over time. In fynk you can store the warranty period and coverage as contract metadata, so you can find every contract with a given warranty in seconds.

Frequently asked questions

  • It is better than a short warranty, but weaker than it sounds. It protects you against manufacturing defects for a long time, usually not against wear, accidents or labor costs. Read what it excludes and whose lifetime it covers before you count on it.

  • Usually not. Most limited lifetime warranties cover the original purchaser only and end when the product is sold. Some brands allow a transfer if the new owner registers the product.

  • Most manufacturers ask for proof of purchase, such as a receipt, an order confirmation or a product registration. Keep it for as long as you own the product.

  • A guarantee is usually a broader promise to replace or refund the product if you are not satisfied. A warranty is narrower: it covers defects under set conditions. In everyday use the two terms are often mixed up, so the actual wording decides.

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