The Right to Repair in the USA
By Cole Snyder ‘27
The Right to Repair in the United States
As products get more and more complicated with the utilization of electronics and sensors, consumers are facing more and more difficulties performing their own maintenance and repairs on products that they purchase. Those who possess the technical skills required to make repairs are often roadblocked by a lack of publicly available information about the operation of products. A lot of the time, this leads to them having to resort to pricey repair facilities or even buy a new product, adding to the waste of electronics and other valuable raw materials. In recent years, legislation aiming to combat this issue has been proposed in the form of emphasizing the “right to repair” products that you own.
What is The Right to Repair?
The right to repair is a legal right offered to consumers to perform maintenance and/or upgrades on products that they buy. Legislation referring to the right to repair can include the ability to purchase specialty tools and parts from the original equipment manufacturer (OEM) as well as access to manuals and specifications that have information required for consumers to repair their purchased products. Relatively speaking, the right to repair is a new legal doctrine in the United States, with the first bill passed in 2012 by the state of Massachusetts. While the right to repair can cover a variety of topics, this bill, The Motor Vehicle Owners' Right to Repair Act (H.R. 4362, 2023), specifically focused on the automotive industry. This bill requires that automotive manufacturers maintain and update an online database available to owners and independent car repair facilities. Having access to this information not only makes repairs on vehicles easier to accomplish but also increases the safety of those performing service and of the vehicle itself.
What are the Challenges Facing the Right to Repair?
Currently, in the United States, a total of twenty-seven states have seen some form of right-to-repair legislation. In North Carolina, the right to repair was stricken from the 2022 Farm Act after facing backlash from manufacturers and their licensed dealerships. Opponents of the right to repair argue that access to this information could have unintended consequences. For example, dealerships and car manufacturers specially train technicians to perform services on vehicles to make sure that they comply with emissions requirements and standards. Overly encouraging consumers to make their own repairs could harm these environmental efforts and even lead to illegal modifications of equipment. On top of that, the publication of specifications could expose a company's proprietary information relating to the design and production of its products.
What else does the Right to Repair apply to?
The right to repair does not only apply to the repair of automotive vehicles. In today’s age, access to the internet and electronic devices is paramount in everyday life. This was especially prevalent during the COVID-19 pandemic. When nearly every school in the United States switched to virtual lessons, not having a laptop could mean that your child would not have access to their education. During this time, we saw an increase in demand for electronics and a surge in people using and borrowing older electronics that were not always in the best condition. While there are businesses based around the refurbishing of older electronics, corporate policies inhibit access to parts and manuals that are paramount to the efficient repair of these devices. During and after the pandemic, there was a notable increase in the right-to-repair legislation in state governments.
The Future of Right to Repair
While not every state has a form of right-to-repair legislation, a majority of them have seen a bill proposed or drafted. In February of 2023, the Right to Equitable and Professional Auto Industry Repair Act, also known as the “REPAIR Act,” was proposed to the House of Representatives. In November, after a markup by the House Energy and Commerce Subcommittee on Innovation, Data, and Commerce, it was sent to review by the full committee, where it has stayed since. In the meantime, further efforts have been undertaken by government agencies to increase the availability of repair information. Earlier this year, the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) filed a lawsuit against Deere & Company (John Deere) alleging that the company has limited farmers’ abilities to perform their own maintenance and repair on purchased farming equipment. This has allowed Deere & Company to effectively force farmers to rely on the company's authorized dealers, which typically have high costs for services. Through their practices, they have allegedly controlled a monopoly over the repair of Deere & Company equipment, financially harming consumers.
Cole Snyder is a sophomore majoring in physics.
Sources
Federal Trade Commission. (2025). FTC, States Sue Deere & Company to Protect Farmers from Unfair Corporate Tactics, High Repair Costs. https://www.ftc.gov/news-events/news/press-releases/2025/01/ftc-states-sue-deere-company-protect-farmers-unfair-corporate-tactics-high-repair-costs
H.R.906 - REPAIR Act. (2024). Congress.gov. https://www.congress.gov/bill/118th-congress/house-bill/906/all-actions
Leslie, Laura. (2022). NC Senate Leaders Strike Controversial ‘Right to Repair’ from 2022 Farm Act. WRAL News. https://www.wral.com/story/nc-senate-leaders-strike-controversial-right-to-repair-from-2022-farm-act/20297845/
Perzanowski, Aaron. (2022). White Paper on the Right to Equitable and Professional Auto Industry Repair (REPAIR) Act, H.R. 6570, 117th Congress. Car Coalition. https://carcoalition.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/Repair-Act-white-paper-09-13-2022-1.pdf
Povich, Elaine. (2021). Pandemic Drives Phone, Computer ‘Right-to-Repair’ Bills. Government Technology. https://www.govtech.com/policy/pandemic-drives-phone-computer-right-to-repair-bills.html
Press, Cary. (2024). Right to Repair Laws: An Overview and Legislative Update. Baker Sterchi Cowden & Rice. https://www.bakersterchi.com/right-to-repair-laws-an-overview-and-legislative-update#:~:text=Since%202022%2C%20Colorado%2C%20New%20York,repair%20law%20introduced%20or%20pending
Proctor, Nathan. (2025). The State of Right to Repair. Public Interest Network. https://publicinterestnetwork.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/01/State-of-Right-to-Repair_USPEF_Jan_.2025.pdf
