Fair Repair Act

Plain-English Summary: Fair Repair Act

The Fair Repair Act is a piece of federal legislation that would require manufacturers of electronic devices and equipment to make repair tools, parts, and information available to consumers and independent repair shops — not just their own authorized service centers. In other words, if you own a smartphone, laptop, tractor, or other electronic product, this bill aims to give you more options for getting it fixed by allowing you to choose who repairs it and even repair it yourself if you wish.

Currently, many manufacturers restrict access to the specialized tools, software, and replacement parts needed to fix their products. This often forces consumers to use only the manufacturer's official repair service, which can be more expensive and less convenient. The Fair Repair Act would change this by requiring companies to offer those same resources to everyday consumers and third-party repair businesses on reasonable terms.

This bill would affect a wide range of people. Consumers could save money and have more flexibility when something breaks. Independent repair shop owners and technicians would gain access to tools and parts they currently cannot obtain, allowing them to compete more fairly with manufacturer-run service centers. Manufacturers, on the other hand, would face new requirements to share proprietary information and parts they have previously kept exclusive.

The bill has been referred to the House Committee on Energy and Commerce, which is the standard early step in the legislative process. It has not yet been voted on, and its ultimate passage remains uncertain.