This is
your
right to repair.
We stand on the shoulders of movements who have been fighting for working people for generations, and that’s why we are proud to pick up the fight to protect repair rights and the definition of ownership in the 21st century.
We need your help to build support for expanding access and affordability of repair. The more people, organizations, and advocates who get involved, the more successfully we can rally support and force action by manufacturers.
Step 1: Find Your State
Right to Repair will most likely come down to what happens at the state legislature level, and your voice is an important part of that. We need you to make your voice heard and get involved no matter where you live.Use the map below to select your state and contact your representatives. It only takes a few seconds, and you can send a powerful message.
Step 2: Get Involved
To win this battle it's going to take all of us volunteering our time and energy to pass "Fair Repair" legislation and protect consumers everywhere. Subscribe to our newsletter and we'll keep you plugged in with the latest on the Right to Repair movement, ways to get involved, and more.
Step 3: Build The Coalition
Recruit a couple friends to help spread the word about Right to Repair legislation. The more people you can get to call their legislators, write a letter, or share the campaign—the better chance we'll have of getting bills passed. You can also help raise awareness using the hashtag #RightToRepair on social media.Right to Repair
FAQ
The presence of technology parts in modern equipment has enabled manufacturers to reduce access to repair by proclaiming that repair might violate their "Proprietary" rights. This is a marketing ruse and not grounded in law. Manufacturers do not have any rights to control property beyond the sale. Limitations on repair have become a serious problem for all modern equipment that also limits how equipment can be traded on the used market. The best primer to this topic is "The End of Ownership" by renowned law professor Aaron Perzonowski.
Most current limitations on repair are made in contracts - such as End User License agreements ("EULA") that if agreed, limit how equipment can be used. Contracts fall under General Business Law in states. Legislation for right to repair is typically assigned to committees handling general business law.
We support efforts to pass "Fair Repair" legislation in countries around the world, but our main focus is on the United States. Repair heroes have taken up the mantle in a variety of countries and regions in an effort to get something passed. We recommend you coordinate with them to see how you can help. Australia - TBD Canada - TBD EU - TBD If you have specific questions about another country or this doesn't answer your question(s) please contact us at info@repair.org.
No. The US Copyright Office ("USCO") concluded in December of 2016 that poor interpretation of copyright law has led to confusion, but that copyright law does not restrict repair, tinkering, customization, security research or resale. The USCO concludes that repair is not an infringement but that manufacturers have been removing existing legal rights through unfair and deceptive contracts which can only be addressed in state law
The bill requires original equipment manufacturers (OEMs) provide consumers and independent repair businesses equal access to repair documentation, diagnostics, tools, service parts and firmware as their direct or authorized repair providers.
Local repair and resale businesses would not exist without consumers purchasing manufactured products. Right to Repair or "Fair Repair" legislation is for the consumer’s right to choose who, what, where, why, when, how, and for how much their equipment is to be repaired.
Nothing. The requirements of Right to Repair fall only on manufacturers - not their distributors, retailers, or even franchisees. Manufacturers will decide for themselves how best to deliver parts and information.
Right to Repair has no impact on warranties. Manufacturers will still offer warranty support as part of their marketing. The vast majority of consumers will still take advantage of in-warranty service and turn to independent repair only after the original warranty has expired.
No. State laws already limit manufacturer disclaimers of liability so that harmful defects in design or manufacturing are still the responsibility of the manufacturer. These requirements do not change based on how equipment is used or repaired.
No. Manufacturers have already created everything required under Right to Repair for use by the authorized or direct repair organizations. Nothing different or new is required.
The same firmware settings controls that are essential to repair are also essential to improving device security. The US Copyright Office has determined that users should be able to tinker with their firmware to perform security research, improve security and detach devices from default passwords.
No. The legislation has been carefully drafted to include protections for copyrights, patents and trade secrets. Intellectual property is not altered or pirated in the course of repair. Licensed software products or media backups can only be restored after repairs are complete. Embedded code (firmware) is either restorable as part of the purchase (under patent law), or legal (under copyright law) to backup and restore for purposes of repair. Right to Repair does not, and cannot, alter IP federal law.
Absolutely. The template for Right to Repair is current law for auto repairs in Massachusetts (passed in 2012) and the National Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) agreed by the Auto Industry in support of independent repair in 2014. The Auto MOU has been copied by Commercial Trucks in 2015 and has proven beneficial to consumers without negative impact on manufacturers. The template is ideal because repair of computerized components within vehicles is the same as in any other platform or housing. The more we come to rely upon technology in our daily lives – the more important it is that the technology be readily restored to function easily and locally. We believe that manufacturers that help their customers enjoy the use of their investments for the long term will be rewarded with higher customer satisfaction and brand loyalty.
It is impractical to seek restoration of repair rights in the courts. We've tried. It costs a fortune and takes too long. Litigation could only be done against one manufacturer at a time—rather than broadly as policy. Policy is the realm of legislators.