SB112: SB112 Selling and other Trade Practices; certain protections for consumers relative to warranties of HVAC systems and components of such systems; extend

Under current practice, buyers of a home with an existing HVAC (heating, ventilation, and air-conditioning) system aren't guaranteed that the manufacturer's warranty on that system follows them when they buy the house. This bill changes that by adding a new article to Georgia's trade practices law (O.C.G.A. Title 10, Chapter 1). It requires any manufacturer's warranty on an HVAC system or its components to transfer automatically to a new homeowner when the property is sold, with the manufacturer still bound by the same terms and barred from charging a transfer fee. The transfer does not extend the warranty's original length. The bill also says a warranty's full term starts on the installation date if a licensed HVAC contractor installs the system, and it requires registration cards or forms to clearly state that failing to register does not reduce warranty rights. Warranties can no longer be conditioned on product registration. The changes take effect January 1, 2026, and apply to warranties issued or sold on or after that date.

• Automatically transfers a manufacturer's HVAC warranty to a new homeowner when residential property with an HVAC system is sold, without any transfer fee.
• Keeps the manufacturer bound to the original warranty terms after transfer, but does not extend the remaining warranty period.
• Starts the full warranty term on the installation date when installed by a contractor licensed under Georgia's HVAC contractor licensing law (O.C.G.A. Chapter 14 of Title 43).
• Requires warranty or product registration cards and forms to clearly state that not returning them does not reduce warranty rights or shorten the warranty term.
• Prohibits manufacturers, distributors, and retailers from conditioning any HVAC warranty on the customer registering the product.
• Sets the law to take effect January 1, 2026, applying to warranties issued, sold, or modified on or after that date.

Homebuyers and sellers of residential property with HVAC systems, HVAC manufacturers, distributors and retailers, and licensed HVAC contractors who install these systems in Georgia.

Homeowners who buy a house with an existing HVAC system would keep manufacturer warranty protection without extra fees or paperwork hurdles, and could no longer lose warranty coverage simply for not mailing in a registration card.

• Section 1 creates a new Article 37 in Chapter 1 of Title 10, defining 'HVAC' as heating, ventilation, and air-conditioning (Code Section 10-1-960).
• Code Section 10-1-961 requires automatic transfer of an HVAC manufacturer's warranty to a new homeowner, bars transfer fees, and prevents the transfer from extending the warranty term.
• Code Section 10-1-962(a) sets the warranty's full term to begin on the installation date if installed by a contractor licensed under Chapter 14 of Title 43.
• Code Section 10-1-962(b) requires registration cards or forms to clearly disclose that failing to register does not diminish warranty rights or shorten the term.
• Code Section 10-1-962(c) prohibits conditioning any HVAC warranty on product registration.
• Section 2 sets the effective date as January 1, 2026, applying to warranties issued, sold, or modified on or after that date.
• Section 3 repeals conflicting laws.

1. 2025-05-14Effective Date 2026-01-01
2. 2025-05-14Act 285
3. 2025-05-14Senate Date Signed by Governor (Senate)
4. 2025-04-07Senate Sent to Governor (Senate)
5. 2025-03-25House Passed/Adopted (House)
6. 2025-03-25House Third Readers (House)
7. 2025-03-20House Committee Favorably Reported (House)
8. 2025-03-10House Second Readers (House)

• Clint Dixon (R, SD-045)Primary sponsor
• Russ Goodman (R, SD-008)
• Lee Anderson (R, SD-024)
• Carden Summers (R, SD-013)
• Harold Jones (D, SD-022)
• Ricky Williams (R, SD-025)
• Blake Tillery (R, SD-019)
• Sam Watson (R, SD-011)
• Steve Gooch (R, SD-051)
• John Corbett (R, HD-174)

1. PassedSenate voteMarch 4, 2025

   55 yea, 0 nay (0 not voting, 1 absent)

   Passage: Senate Vote #146

2. PassedHouse voteMarch 25, 2025

   166 yea, 1 nay (6 not voting, 7 absent)

   Passage: House Vote #306

• HVAC warranties
• consumer protection
• home buying
• trade practices law