What is the REPAIR Act?

Last reviewed: September 1, 2026 • Reviewed by: Truck Inspectors LLC

What Is the REPAIR Act?

REPAIR stands for Right to Equitable and Professional Auto Industry Repair. The proposal is intended to give vehicle owners more control over where their vehicles are repaired and who may access the information and tools needed to perform that work.

The current version is H.R. 1566 in the 119th Congress. It was introduced on February 25, 2025, by Representative Neal Dunn of Florida with bipartisan cosponsors and was referred to the House Committee on Energy and Commerce. The complete introduced text is available from the U.S. Government Publishing Office.

The bill is proposed legislation. It has not completed the House and Senate legislative process and has not been signed into law. Its wording and status can change as Congress considers it.

What Is the Current Status?

On February 10, 2026, the House Commerce, Manufacturing, and Trade Subcommittee forwarded H.R. 1566 to the full House Energy and Commerce Committee by voice vote. That was progress in the committee process, but it was not passage by the House of Representatives and did not make the proposal law. The committee’s announcement is available on the official House Energy and Commerce Committee website.

As of this article’s September 1, 2026 review, H.R. 1566 remains proposed federal legislation. Readers should check the official bill page for actions taken after that date.

What Would H.R. 1566 Do?

If enacted in its current form, H.R. 1566 would establish federal requirements covering access to certain motor-vehicle data, repair information and tools. Its major provisions include the following.

Vehicle Data Access

Manufacturers generally could not use technological or specified legal barriers to prevent a vehicle owner—or a repair provider designated by the owner—from accessing qualifying vehicle-generated data. The proposal calls for access through vehicle interface ports, including OBD and J-1939, and through wireless telematics when the vehicle is equipped to transmit the covered data wirelessly.

The proposal generally calls for owners and eligible repair-industry participants to receive access in the same manner, time, method, cost and data set provided to manufacturers, dealers, authorized service providers or other third parties, subject to the same technological protections.

Repair Information and Tools

The bill defines critical repair information and tools broadly. The definition includes items such as technical and compatibility information, diagnostic equipment, wiring diagrams, parts information, repair procedures, training materials, software and calibration or recalibration resources needed to return a vehicle to operating specifications.

Choice of Parts and Repair Providers

The proposal would protect an owner’s ability to choose a towing company, service provider or repair facility. Except for recall and warranty work, it would also restrict manufacturers from mandating or implying that owners must use a particular brand of parts, tools or vehicle equipment.

Data Privacy and Owner Control

The proposal contains limits on how a person receiving vehicle-generated data could use it. An owner could revoke a repair provider’s designation. A recipient generally could use the data only for requested diagnostic, repair, service, wear or calibration work and could not sell or transfer it without the owner’s request or consent.

The bill also proposes a 72-hour deletion requirement after an owner’s request, with exceptions for information needed for maintenance records, accounting and safety. It separately provides for research and development using qualifying de-identified information.

Federal Oversight and Enforcement

The bill would create an advisory committee led by the Federal Trade Commission and including representatives from several affected groups, including independent repair facilities, manufacturers, dealers, insurers, consumer organizations and trucking companies.

It would direct the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration to develop rules requiring manufacturers and dealers to inform vehicle owners about their rights under the act. The Federal Trade Commission would be responsible for enforcement and a complaint process.

Would the REPAIR Act Apply to Commercial Trucks and Trailers?

The introduced text is written broadly enough to include many commercial vehicles. It uses the federal motor-vehicle definition in 49 U.S.C. 30102, separately incorporates the federal definition of a trailer and expressly references J-1939 data access. It also assigns a trucking-company representative a position on the proposed advisory committee.

That does not mean every vehicle, data point or repair situation would necessarily be covered. The proposal excludes vehicles equipped with an automated driving system, excludes personally identifiable information from its vehicle-generated-data definition and preserves certain protections for trade secrets and safety-critical systems. The final scope would depend on the text enacted by Congress and any implementing regulations.

Why Could This Matter to Fleet Owners?

Modern trucks increasingly rely on software, electronic modules, networked components, telematics and manufacturer-controlled service information. When required data, procedures or tools are available only through limited channels, a fleet may have fewer repair choices and may experience longer delays obtaining service.

If enacted and implemented as proposed, the REPAIR Act could make it easier for an owner to authorize an independent repair facility or service provider to obtain covered information and tools. The practical effect would depend on the final law, regulations, manufacturer systems and the capabilities of the repair provider.

What the REPAIR Act Would Not Change

• It would not eliminate preventive maintenance responsibilities for motor carriers.
• It would not replace the annual or periodic inspection required by 49 CFR Part 396.
• It would not make a truck, trailer or bus compliant merely because repair information is available.
• It would not require an owner to use an independent repair shop.
• It would not require disclosure of every trade secret or prohibit reasonable protections for vehicle data and safety-critical systems.
• It creates no new federal repair-access rights unless and until legislation is enacted.

Why Was Right-to-Repair Legislation Proposed?

Repair-access concerns are not limited to vehicles. In 2021, the Federal Trade Commission reported to Congress on manufacturer restrictions affecting consumer and independent repair. The FTC identified practices such as unavailable diagnostic software, limited spare-parts access and product designs that make parts difficult to replace. The agency stated that it found limited evidence supporting many manufacturer justifications for repair restrictions. The report and summary are available from the Federal Trade Commission.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is the REPAIR Act a law?

No. H.R. 1566 is proposed legislation. A subcommittee vote forwarding the bill to the full committee is not the same as passage by the House, passage by the Senate or approval by the President.

Did an earlier REPAIR Act become law?

No. H.R. 906, introduced during the 118th Congress, did not become federal law. H.R. 1566 is a newer proposal in the 119th Congress.

Does the proposal cover heavy trucks?

The introduced text appears intended to reach many commercial vehicles and expressly references J-1939, trailers and trucking-company participation. Coverage of a particular vehicle or data request would depend on the final enacted text and regulations.

Would it change my annual DOT inspection?

No. The proposal concerns repair competition, vehicle data and access to repair information and tools. It does not replace the FMCSA annual-inspection rules. If you need help determining whether your vehicle requires an annual inspection, read Does My Truck Require an Annual DOT Inspection?

Can the bill change before becoming law?

Yes. Bills may be amended during committee consideration or later action by the House and Senate. Any final law could differ from the introduced version summarized here.

Official Sources

• Congress.gov: H.R. 1566, 119th Congress
• GovInfo: Introduced text of H.R. 1566
• House Energy and Commerce Committee: February 10, 2026 subcommittee action
• Federal Trade Commission: Nixing the Fix report
• eCFR: 49 CFR Part 396 inspection, repair and maintenance requirements

This article provides general information about proposed federal legislation and is not legal advice. Legislative language and status may change after the review date shown above.

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