REPAIR Act

Plain-English Summary: REPAIR Act

The REPAIR Act is a bill currently moving through the U.S. House of Representatives, though its official description has not yet been provided in public records. Based on its title — which stands for "Right to Equitable and Professional Auto Industry Repair" — the bill is generally understood to address the issue of automotive right-to-repair. This concept refers to whether car owners and independent repair shops have the legal right to access the same vehicle data, tools, and diagnostic information that automakers and their authorized dealerships use to fix cars.

If the bill follows the direction of similar right-to-repair legislation, it would likely require automakers to share vehicle repair data — such as diagnostic codes and software tools — with independent mechanics and repair shops, not just their own dealership networks. This would give car owners more choices about where they get their vehicles repaired and potentially lower repair costs by increasing competition.

The bill most directly affects car owners, independent auto repair shops, and automobile manufacturers. Consumers could benefit from having more repair options and potentially lower prices. Independent mechanics and shops could gain access to tools and information currently limited to dealership networks. Automakers, on the other hand, may face new requirements about how they share proprietary vehicle data.

The bill has been referred to the House Committee on Energy and Commerce and advanced through a subcommittee, meaning it is still in the early stages of the legislative process and has not yet become law.