Digital Right to Repair Act; access to diagnostics, tools, service documentation, and firmware.
HB2483 would create a new Virginia Digital Right to Repair Act and also add a new prohibited practice under the Virginia Consumer Protection Act for violations of that chapter. The bill requires original equipment manufacturers that sell or supply digital electronic equipment in Virginia to make available, on fair and reasonable terms, the documentation, parts, tools, and related updates needed for diagnosis, maintenance, and repair. It also requires access to special materials needed to disable or reset electronic security locks or other security-related functions, and it allows consumers and independent repair providers to obtain documentation at no charge except for reasonable printing and mailing costs.
The bill defines key terms such as original equipment manufacturer, independent repair provider, equipment, tools, parts, and trade secret, and it limits the law’s reach in several ways. It does not require disclosure of trade secrets beyond what is necessary to provide repair access, does not override existing authorized repair provider agreements except to the extent they try to waive compliance with the chapter, and excludes most motor vehicle manufacturer/dealer products except diagnostic software products or services. It also limits application where federal law preempts requirements for medical devices. The chapter would apply to equipment sold or in use in Virginia on or after January 1, 2026, and violations would be enforceable under the Virginia Consumer Protection Act, with additional authority for injured persons to seek injunctions in circuit court.
If enacted, the bill would amend Virginia’s consumer protection law to treat violations of the new repair-access chapter as unlawful consumer practices, expanding enforcement tools and remedies available under the Virginia Consumer Protection Act. It would impose new obligations on manufacturers of digital electronic equipment to provide repair information, parts, tools, and security-reset capabilities to owners and independent repair providers, while creating statutory protections for trade secrets, existing authorized repair agreements, motor-vehicle-related exclusions, and federal preemption limits for medical devices. The law would apply prospectively to equipment sold or in use in Virginia on or after January 1, 2026.
The available voting history suggests limited support in the subcommittee, with a 5-0 vote to strike the bill from the docket. No committee transcript is available, so there is no recorded floor or committee debate to indicate broader support or opposition. Based on the vote alone, the bill appears to have faced an unfavorable reception at the subcommittee stage.
The main likely points of contention are the scope of manufacturer obligations and the balance between repair access and proprietary rights. Opponents may object to mandatory sharing of diagnostics, tools, firmware-related access, and security-reset information, especially where it could affect trade secrets, warranty systems, or existing repair networks. Supporters would likely emphasize consumer choice, lower repair costs, and the ability of independent repair providers and owners to fix equipment without being forced into manufacturer-controlled channels. The bill’s exclusions for motor vehicles and medical devices, and its preservation of trade-secret protections, suggest the sponsor anticipated concerns about overreach and federal preemption.