We’re running out of high-fives over here.
Washington just became the sixth state in the country to pass Right to Repair for electronics and the third to guarantee repair access for powered wheelchairs. Governor Bob Ferguson signed two bills into law today: HB 1483, covering consumer electronics and appliances, and SB 5680, covering mobility devices like powered wheelchairs and scooters. That’s a one-two punch for repair access and another major victory for fixers everywhere.
Right to Repair is officially on a roll: With Washington now joining New York, California, Minnesota, Oregon, and Colorado, about a quarter of all Americans (over 82 million people) live in states with electronics Right to Repair protections. That’s a huge share of the population who can now access parts, tools, and repair documentation for their devices. And it shows that the repair movement isn’t niche anymore. It’s national.
Washingtonians, Go Fix Your Phones and Fridges and Powered Wheelchairs!
HB 1483 makes repair tools, parts, and documentation available for most products that contain digital electronics and are used for personal, household, or family purposes. That means phones, laptops, tablets, smart fridges, washing machines, vacuums, doorbells, thermostats, and other electronics-embedded appliances sold after July 1, 2021.
Come January 1, 2026, manufacturers must also stop using parts pairing to block repairs for these devices. That means no more pop-ups that say “unknown part” when you swap in a working screen. No more downgrading your camera or fingerprint sensor just because you repaired your own phone.
SB 5680 goes even further for wheelchair users. It covers power wheelchairs, manual wheelchairs, power-assist devices, and mobility scooters. Manufacturers will have to provide not only parts and tools, but also firmware and embedded software, the stuff that’s often used to digitally lock out independent fixes. Wheelchair users will finally have more options for timely, affordable repairs.
Representative Mia Gregerson, shown above holding a wrench, has been a tireless activist on behalf of Right to Repair, and we thank her for her work. These are strong bills, and we at iFixit fought alongside our advocacy partners at PIRG, WashPIRG, and Repair.org for them, through testimony and letters and calling on all of you to make your voices heard.
Parts Pairing Is on the Ropes
Since Oregon and Colorado passed laws restricting parts pairing last year, Apple’s behavior has started to shift. In our teardown of the iPhone 16 Pro, we found that Apple no longer disables key features like automatic brightness or True Tone when you swap a screen yourself. That’s a big deal: Just a year ago, replacing your own parts meant losing functionality or being bombarded with scary warnings. While Washington’s law won’t take effect until 2026, it’s part of a growing trend: smart repair legislation is already nudging the industry toward more fixable, fairer devices.
Video Game Consoles? Still Exempt. Tractor Repair? Not in Washington (Yet)
Of course, these wins come with carve-outs. HB 1483 exempts:
- Video game consoles
- Medical devices
- Motor vehicles
- Agricultural and construction equipment
- Security systems and alarm equipment
- Internet and TV equipment from ISPs
- Off-road recreational vehicles
- Large-scale energy storage and solar gear
- Low earth orbit broadband gear (until 2044)
Basically, if it’s big, industrial, or “connected” in certain ways, manufacturers lobbied to keep it out. That’s disappointing but not surprising. These same arguments crop up in every state: claims about safety, liability, security, and intellectual property. But over and over, legislators (and regulators like the FTC) have seen through the noise. And they’re realizing: consumers deserve the right to fix their stuff.
Why It Matters
The need for these laws is obvious. A recent class action lawsuit in Washington accuses Apple of failing to disclose important warranty and repair information before purchase, leaving customers with sticker shock when they learn what repairs really cost. If you’ve ever been quoted hundreds of dollars to fix a cracked iPhone screen, you know the feeling.
When manufacturers restrict repairs, everyone pays more, and products get trashed before their time. For wheelchair users, repair delays can mean weeks without mobility. For rural Washingtonians, it can mean driving for hours just to get your vacuum looked at. These laws break down those barriers, giving independent repair shops and everyday people the tools they need to keep their devices running.
Fixing Forward
The Washington laws go into effect January 1, 2026. That gives manufacturers plenty of time to open up their repair channels (and for repair shops to gear up).
But the fight isn’t over. Every exemption is a future battle. And most Americans still live in states without electronics Right to Repair laws. If you’re one of them, now’s the time to tell your lawmakers: Washington just did it. Your state can, too.
Let’s make repair the norm, not the exception.
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