Trump Directs EPA to Clarify Emissions Repair Rules

A June 29 presidential memorandum directs the Environmental Protection Agency to issue guidance within 30 days clarifying which emissions-related repairs individuals may legally perform under the Clean Air Act. The directive states that consumers should be able to use affordable parts without being deemed to have circumvented emissions controls.

It also directs the agency to create faster alternative certification routes for aftermarket parts.

Maine currently have comprehensive automotive right-to-repair laws. Massachusetts passed its law in 2012 and expanded it in 2020 to cover telematics data. Maine voters approved a similar measure in 2023 that requires standardized diagnostic access and a secure data-sharing platform starting in 2025.

Five states—California, Colorado, Minnesota, New York, and Oregon—have broader right-to-repair statutes that do not apply to motor vehicles. More than 40 states have no automotive right-to-repair law.

Consumer groups such as the U.S.

Public Interest Research Group argue that manufacturer restrictions raise repair costs and limit consumer choice. The Alliance for Automotive Innovation has warned that broader data-sharing requirements could create safety and security risks. The memorandum notes that existing federal rules have increased repair costs and limited parts availability.

It does not create a nationwide right-to-repair statute.