California Right to Repair Act: What It Means for You and Your Warranties

Most states have been debating Right to Repair legislation for years. California passed it. As of January 1, 2024, the California Right to Repair Act (SB 244) gives California consumers and independent repair providers real legal rights to repair the products they own.

If you bought an electronic product or home appliance in California — or if you're a manufacturer selling into California — this law changes what you're entitled to.

Here's what the law actually says and how to use it.

What the California Right to Repair Act Covers

SB 244 applies to two product categories:

Electronics priced at $50 or more — including smartphones, tablets, laptops, smart home devices, game consoles, and other consumer electronics.

Appliances priced at $150 or more — including major home appliances like refrigerators, washing machines, dishwashers, ovens, and HVAC systems.

The law applies to products sold in California after July 1, 2021 (for 3-year obligations) and after July 1, 2024 (for 7-year obligations).

What Manufacturers Are Now Required to Provide

Under SB 244, manufacturers of covered products must make the following available to California consumers and independent repair shops:

Repair Documentation

Manufacturers must provide access to the same repair documentation they give their own authorized technicians — including:

• Repair manuals
• Diagrams and schematics
• Troubleshooting guides
• Calibration procedures

Replacement Parts

Manufacturers must make replacement parts available at fair and reasonable prices — not just through their own service network, but to any consumer or independent repair provider who needs them.

Diagnostic and Repair Tools

If a product requires specialized tools or software to diagnose or repair, the manufacturer must make those tools available. This is a significant change — some manufacturers have used proprietary diagnostic software as a gatekeeping mechanism. California's law closes that door.

How Long Does This Obligation Last?

• Products under $50 / appliances under $150: Not covered.
• Electronics $50–$99.99 / Appliances $150–$299.99: Manufacturers must maintain repair access for 3 years after the last date the product was sold.
• Electronics $100+ / Appliances $300+: Manufacturers must maintain repair access for 7 years after the last date the product was sold.

What This Means for Your Warranty

Here's what hasn't changed: the California Right to Repair Act doesn't directly extend your warranty period. What it does is reinforce and strengthen what the Magnuson-Moss Warranty Act already says at the federal level.

Under federal law, manufacturers cannot void your warranty simply because you used a third-party repair provider or non-OEM part — unless they prove a causal link between that repair and the specific defect you're claiming.

California's law strengthens this by requiring manufacturers to actually make parts and documentation available, removing the practical obstacles that made independent repair difficult even when it was legally permitted.

Practically speaking: If a manufacturer denies your warranty claim citing "unauthorized service," you now have both federal (MMWA) and California state law on your side. The manufacturer must prove that the specific service caused the specific defect — and with California's repair ecosystem opening up, that argument becomes much harder to sustain.

Parts Pairing: A Specific Issue the Law Addresses

One of the more aggressive manufacturer practices is "parts pairing" — programming products to reject components from anyone other than the manufacturer's own supply chain. Replace the battery yourself with a compatible part? The device may display a warning or disable certain functions.

California's law takes direct aim at this by requiring that replacement parts and tools be made available on fair terms. Oregon's Right to Repair law (effective January 1, 2025) went further, explicitly banning parts pairing for many categories. California's implementation is broader in product scope; Oregon's is stricter on the pairing restriction specifically.

If you're in California and a manufacturer refuses to sell you a replacement part or locks your device after an independent repair, that's a potential SB 244 violation.

How to Use Your Rights When a Manufacturer Pushes Back

Step 1: Document Everything

If a manufacturer denies your repair request, claim, or parts access:

• Note the date and time of the interaction
• Record the name of the representative (if given)
• Keep any email confirmations or denial letters
• Save your purchase receipt and product registration record

Step 2: Cite the Law Directly

When speaking with a manufacturer's customer service or warranty department, you can state:

> "I'm a California consumer. Under SB 244 (California Right to Repair Act), I'm entitled to access repair documentation, parts, and tools for this product. I'm requesting [documentation / the specific part / access to diagnostics]. Can you help me, or would you like to escalate this to someone who can?"

Naming the specific statute often changes the conversation.

Step 3: File a Complaint with the California AG

If the manufacturer doesn't comply, the California Attorney General's office has enforcement authority over SB 244 violations. File a complaint at [oag.ca.gov](https://oag.ca.gov/contact/consumer-complaint-against-business-or-individual).

The AG can seek injunctive relief and civil penalties against non-compliant manufacturers. These complaints are taken seriously, particularly for manufacturers with a pattern of violations.

Step 4: Contact the FTC

At the federal level, the FTC has been actively enforcing warranty-related violations. In July 2024, the FTC sent warning letters to eight companies regarding illegal void-warranty practices. If your situation involves a warranty claim denial tied to repair access, an FTC complaint at [reportfraud.ftc.gov](https://reportfraud.ftc.gov) adds federal pressure on top of state action.

Who Else Benefits: Independent Repair Shops

If you use a local independent repair shop rather than the manufacturer's authorized service center, this law helps them too. Manufacturers must sell them the same parts and provide the same documentation — which means more competitive repair pricing and faster turnaround times in most cases.

For consumers, this translates directly into lower repair costs and more options when something breaks.

California vs. Other States: Where Things Stand in 2025

As of 2025, California and Oregon are the states with active, comprehensive Right to Repair laws covering consumer electronics and appliances. More than 20 other states have bills in various stages of legislation. Federal Right to Repair legislation has been introduced in Congress but has not passed as of this writing.

If you're outside California, the federal Magnuson-Moss Warranty Act still provides baseline protections. But California's law is the most comprehensive consumer-facing Right to Repair statute in the United States for covered product categories.

Keeping Your Records in Order

To use your rights under SB 244 effectively, you need documentation: purchase date, serial number, registration record, and notes on any warranty or repair interactions. Manufacturers often claim products are out of warranty or not registered when they are.

SnapRegister captures and stores all of this at the time of purchase — purchase date, serial number, registration confirmation, and expiration dates. If a dispute arises, you have the documentation to back your claim.

Summary

California's Right to Repair Act (SB 244) gives California consumers and independent repair shops the legal right to access parts, tools, and documentation for covered electronics ($50+) and appliances ($150+) for 3–7 years after the last date of sale. Manufacturers who deny repair access or continue using void-warranty tactics face both state AG enforcement and FTC action at the federal level. Know your rights, document your purchases, and don't accept a denial without pushing back.

Keep your purchase records organized and your warranties tracked: [SnapRegister — free →](https://snapregisters.com/signup)

*Sources: [California SB 244 Text](https://leginfo.legislature.ca.gov/faces/billTextClient.xhtml?bill_id=202320240SB244) | [FTC Warranty Guidance](https://consumer.ftc.gov/articles/warranties) | [FTC July 2024 Warning Letters](https://www.ftc.gov/news-events/news/press-releases/2024/07/ftc-warns-companies-stop-warranty-practices-harm-consumers-right-repair)*