Committee backs bill that makes HVAC warranties transferable and ends required consumer registration

The Agriculture & Consumer Affairs Committee voted to advance Senate Bill 112, legislation that would prohibit manufacturers, distributors and retailers from making residential HVAC warranties contingent on consumer registration and would require warranties to transfer automatically to subsequent homeowners.

A House member speaking for Senator Dixon described SB 112 as a consumer-protection measure modeled on Florida legislation enacted in 2023. The sponsor said registration requirements create confusion for contractors and homeowners and sometimes lead to manufacturers refusing to honor warranties if a product was not registered.

Tucker Green, representing the Conditioned Air Association of Georgia, told the committee the registration requirement often left consumers and contractors uncertain who must complete registrations and that manufacturers and distributors already track serial numbers and sales; the bill would eliminate a separate consumer-registration step on warranty cards or forms.

The bill was described as strictly residential in scope. Committee members asked whether products imported from outside the United States would be covered; the presenter and association representatives said the transaction would remain governed by Georgia law when sold and installed in-state.

A motion to pass the bill carried by voice vote after a brief question period. The sponsor and association representatives said the bill has been vetted with manufacturers and industry groups and is intended to reduce paperwork and consumer confusion while preserving warranty coverage.