California enacts Right to Repair Act

The US state of California has passed its Right to Repair Act (SB244) and will now require manufacturers to provide spare parts, tools and documentation for electronic devices priced above $100 for up to 7 years after their production date. The new bill was signed by California Governor Gavin Newsom and is effective from July 1, 2024. Electronic devices priced under $100 will only need to have the aforementioned tools and manuals for 3 years after their launch.

The new law covers all electronic and appliance products that cost over $50 and sold in California after July 1, 2021. There are some exemptions from the list of covered products – namely gaming consoles and alarm systems. Apple and Google are two of the big tech players headquartered in California which should result in longer software and hardware support for new devices from both brands going forward. Google coincidently announced that it will provide spare parts for its new Pixel 8 series for up to 7 years going forward as well as up to 7 years of OS and security updates.

California’s Right to Repair Act follows similar legislations passed in New York, Minnesota and Colorado though it is the most far-reaching version thus far.

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