Washington becomes eighth state with Right to Repair law on the books

On Monday, Washington became the eighth state in the country with a Right to Repair law. The two bills, signed into law by Gov. Bob Ferguson, will protect Washingtonians’ rights to repair their consumer electronic devices, such as laptops, cellphones and home appliances, and wheelchairs.

The new laws will help make repair more accessible by requiring manufacturers to provide access to the parts, tools and information used to fix electronic devices. Currently, many manufacturers restrict access to repair materials and provide them only to “authorized” service centers. Washington will also join Oregon and Colorado to ban manufacturers from using software to prevent technicians from fully installing spare parts, a practice called “parts pairing.”

“As a tech industry leader, Washington is no stranger to innovation. I’m proud that we’re moving forward on an innovation even more critical than a new gadget: the right to fix our electronic devices,” said Charlie Fisher, senior advisor with WashPIRG. “By eliminating manufacturer restrictions, the Right to Repair will make it easier for Washingtonians to keep their personal electronics running. That will conserve precious natural resources and prevent waste. It’s a refreshing alternative to a ‘throwaway’ system that treats everything as disposable.”

The consumer electronics bill had the support of 60 local repair shops from across Washington; a range of consumer, environmental and other advocates; and manufacturers — including both Google and Microsoft.

SB 5680’s victory for wheelchair users is in large part due to the advocacy by members of Disability Rights Washington, the Here and Now Project, and others.

Many repairs that wheelchair users need involve simple fixes such as batteries, wheels, joysticks and bearings. However, because a lack of access to tools and information limits repair options, too often service delays drag on for weeks or even months. This can become a severe quality of life issue and even cause health problems for wheelchair users.

Both bills will go into effect on January 1, 2026.