The right to repair is a law that allows people who own devices and equipment, such as cars, electronics, and farming tools, to fix, maintain, or change them as they see fit.

Common problems that make repairs difficult include rules that require using only the company’s repair services, limits on getting tools or parts, and software that stops people from fixing the product themselves. These problems create a situation where a single company controls who can repair their products, which is called a repair monopoly. This control can make it hard or very expensive for people or outside repair businesses to get parts, instructions, or tools needed to fix the product. The goal of these monopolies is to make customers use the company’s repair services or buy new products from the company instead.

Repair monopolies can cause higher prices, longer wait times, fewer repair options, and less choice for customers. Supporters of the right to repair argue that allowing repairs helps lower costs, protect the environment, and ensure important supplies are available during emergencies. Many people are working together to ask their governments to create laws that protect the right to repair.

Impacts

The idea of a right to repair began with groups that protect car buyers and companies that repair vehicles after they are sold. As smartphones and computers became common, the discussion about repairing electronics expanded because broken devices became the fastest growing type of waste. Today, it is estimated that more than half the population in Western countries has at least one used or broken electronic device at home that is not repaired or sold again because repairs are not affordable.

In addition to consumer products, access to repair medical equipment became a topic of interest during the early stages of the 2020 COVID-19 pandemic. Hospitals faced challenges in getting maintenance for important medical devices, such as ventilators.

The pandemic also helped increase support for the right-to-repair movement because many repair businesses were closed. Some sources, like The Economist, argue that people should have the right to repair their own items as a matter of fairness or ownership. People who oppose planned obsolescence—when products are designed to stop working after a short time—have also noted that when repair costs become higher than buying a new product, companies that make the product may control repairs, leading to higher prices.

Definition

The right to repair is the idea that people who use technical, electronic, or car devices should be allowed to repair them easily. Important points about a product include:

• The device should be built so that repairs can be done easily.
• People and repair shops should be able to get original parts and tools (both software and physical tools) at fair prices.
• Repairs should be possible without being blocked by software programming.
• Manufacturers should clearly tell how easy it is to repair their products.

Some goals of the right to repair are to encourage fixing things instead of buying new ones, making repairs cheaper, and helping the environment by reducing waste.

Using glue or special screws can make repairs harder. For example, Apple's Lightning ports need special tools to fix, which is why the European Union made all small devices use USB-C ports.

Repair parts and tools should be available to everyone, including regular users.

Some companies use methods like parts pairing or serialization, which stop parts from being used without a password. These methods, along with digital rights management, are becoming more common. Using approved parts can make repairs more expensive, so some people buy new devices sooner.

In addition to getting software updates, being able to use other software is also important. This allows devices to be updated over time.

Repair guides and design plans should be freely available to help people fix their devices.

History

General Motors executive Alfred P. Sloan promoted a strategy to frequently update products to encourage continuous demand for new versions. This approach helped GM become the largest American automaker. The practice of intentionally making products outdated through yearly changes became common in many industries across the United States, including Ford, which adopted it by 1933.

In the early 1900s, Ford introduced certified dealerships and service networks to ensure repairs used Ford-made parts instead of those from independent shops. Ford also required repair shops to charge fixed prices for services, regardless of the repair type. These yearly car updates and standardized parts made it harder for independent repair shops to keep a wide range of parts in stock.

Some court cases have required items with repaired or refurbished parts to be labeled as "used." In 1947, a business owner sold refurbished spark plugs under a trademarked name, leading to a lawsuit. This case helped shape laws allowing the resale of repaired or refurbished items, provided they are properly labeled.

The court case Champion Spark Plug Co. v. Sanders influenced Federal Trade Commission (FTC) guidelines, which allow the resale of repaired or refurbished items as long as they are labeled clearly. This decision also helped set rules for trademark laws related to reselling used goods under brand names.

FTC guidelines, found in Title 16, Chapter I, Subchapter B, Part 20, provide rules for labeling items that are "rebuilt," "refurbished," or "re-manufactured" to prevent unfair competition in the auto industry. These rules let businesses repair items for resale.

Some manufacturers began designing products that are easier to repair. Apple, a major computer company, once sold computers with easy-to-replace parts and repair instructions. However, Apple later imposed strict rules that made repairs harder for users.

Copyright laws also affected repairability. The Digital Millennium Copyright Act of 1998 made repairs illegal unless exceptions were granted, especially as software became more common in devices.

To prevent refilling ink cartridges, manufacturers added microchips that track usage, making refills difficult. In 2017, the Supreme Court ruled that reselling and refurbishing products is legal, as seen in the case Impression Prods., Inc. v. Lexmark Int'l, Inc. Despite this, complaints about printer repairability remain as of 2022.

In the early 2000s, the automotive industry opposed a proposed right-to-repair law. While the National Automotive Service Task Force created an online directory for repair tools in 2001, many independent repair shops still struggled to access diagnostic tools and parts. The share of electronic parts in cars increased from 5% in the 1970s to over 22% by 2000, requiring specialized tools that manufacturers only gave to authorized repair services.

Efforts to support repair rights grew as more industries and consumer electronics, like smartphones and farming equipment, became common. Climate change activists also supported these efforts to reduce electronic waste.

In 2012, Massachusetts became the first U.S. state to pass a right-to-repair law for cars, requiring manufacturers to sell repair tools and materials to consumers and independent mechanics. This led to a 2014 agreement among major auto groups to adopt similar rules nationwide by 2018.

Companies like Apple, John Deere, and AT&T have opposed right-to-repair laws. The issue has drawn support from both tech and agricultural groups. In 2021, the Association of Equipment Manufacturers faced criticism for not providing clear repair options as promised.

In 2017, users of older iPhones discovered that software updates slowed down their devices. Apple claimed this was to prevent unexpected shutdowns caused by aging batteries. The company offered discounted battery replacements but allowed users to disable the feature. The right-to-repair movement argued that letting consumers use third-party batteries would be better.

In 2018, the FTC warned six manufacturers, including Hyundai and Sony, that their warranty rules might violate the Magnuson-Moss Warranty Act. The FTC said it is deceptive to void warranties for using third-party parts or repair services unless the manufacturer provides free replacements. Sony and Nintendo updated their warranty policies afterward.

In 2018, the U.S. Public Interest Research Group defended Eric Lundgren, who was sentenced for creating tools to extend computer life. That same year, the exemption for modifying software in "land-based motor vehicles" was expanded to allow third-party repair services. The Library of Congress later supported these changes in 2021.

Enacted legislation

Some areas have passed laws that give people the right to repair their products.

On November 7, 2024, Bill C-244 became official, making Canada the first country to pass a national right-to-repair law.

On May 30, 2024, the European Union introduced the Right to Repair Directive (R2RD). This law requires companies to provide repair services that are quick and not too expensive. It also ensures that people know they have the right to repair their items. According to the European Commission’s summary (2024/1799), companies that make products covered by the directive must repair items “within a reasonable time” and “for a reasonable price.” These companies cannot use special rules or tools that stop people from repairing items unless there is a clear reason.

The directive includes a voluntary form called the European Repair Information Form. Repairers can give this form to customers (usually for free) to help them compare repair options, costs, and timing. Completed forms stay valid for at least 30 days. The directive also changes the EU’s rules about selling goods. If a customer chooses to repair an item instead of replacing it, the legal guarantee for the item must last one year longer.

To help repair services be more widely available, the directive creates an online platform where people can find repairers, sellers of used goods, and community repair programs like repair cafés. The platform will be ready by January 1, 2028. Member countries must follow the directive by July 31, 2026, and the law will start working on that date.

Before this, the EU’s right-to-repair rules were part of the Sale of Goods Directive and other product-specific laws under the Ecodesign Directive.

In the United States, the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) has studied repair limits related to consumer rights and competition. A 2021 report called “Nixing the Fix” explains common repair limits, such as restricting access to parts, tools, or special software, and how these limits affect customers and competition.

Some states have passed right-to-repair laws and had them signed by their governors.

The right-to-repair law has limited use in some areas. In 2021, the Productivity Commission released a report with suggestions about the right to repair. In 2022, new laws created “The Motor Vehicle Repair and Service Information Sharing Scheme,” which requires companies to share repair information with repairers and training organizations at a fair price. This law later included farm equipment. Some people believe more changes are needed.

Non-government right-to-repair organizations

More groups are working to support the right to repair, including independent organizations and those supported by industries. These groups include:

• Canrepair.ca – the website of the Canadian Repair Coalition, a group in Canada made up of repair workers, individuals, teachers, industry groups, and companies who support laws that allow people to repair products.

• Repair.eu – the website of the Right to Repair Europe Coalition, which includes over 170 groups from 27 countries in Europe. These groups include environmental organizations and repair workers, such as people who fix things in communities, businesses that sell parts, and people who repair or upgrade products.

• Repair.org – the website of the Repair Association, a group in the United States made up mostly of smaller repair workers and businesses who support laws that allow people to repair products.

• Pirg.org/campaigns/right-to-repair – the website for the U.S. Public Interest Research Group’s (PIRG’s) right-to-repair campaign. PIRG works to create laws that allow people to repair products at both the state and national levels.

• IFixit.com – the website for iFixit’s right-to-repair campaign. iFixit provides online guides for fixing devices and supports laws that allow people to repair products.

• Fulu Foundation – Created in 2023 by Louis Rossmann and Eron Jokipii, this group works to show how some companies limit people’s ability to own and repair products, teach the public about these issues, bring together repair workers, and push for changes to laws that make repairs harder.

• Consumer Rights Wiki – A website started in 2024 by Louis Rossmann where people can share information about companies and products that make it hard to repair items.

There are also many Repair Cafés in communities around the world. Some are supported by local governments, and others are not connected to any organization.