President Donald Trump on Monday signed a presidential memorandum expanding Americans’ ability to repair their own vehicles and increasing access to aftermarket auto parts.
The memorandum, titled “Lowering the Cost of Living by Promoting the Freedom to Fix,” directs federal agencies to expand access to vehicle repairs, speed up approvals for aftermarket parts, and ease regulatory requirements the administration says have increased costs and limited consumer choice.
The White House says existing rules have contributed to higher repair prices and reduced competition in the auto parts market.
The order instructs the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to issue formal guidance clarifying what actions vehicle owners and independent repair providers may legally take when servicing or modifying emissions-control systems under the Clean Air Act.
It also directs federal agencies to develop and expand faster alternative certification pathways for aftermarket parts, with the goal of streamlining approval processes that manufacturers must follow to bring compliant components to market.
In addition, the memorandum seeks to reduce reliance on California’s emissions certification framework, which the White House says often functions as the de facto national standard and can take more than a year to complete, creating bottlenecks that delay production, limit supply, and slow nationwide availability of approved aftermarket parts.
It further directs officials to consider deprioritizing civil enforcement actions against individuals who repair or modify their own vehicles in good faith, part of what the administration describes as an effort to ease regulatory penalties on consumer-level repairs.
Speaking during the Oval Office signing, Trump framed the policy as a direct benefit for working Americans facing rising transportation and maintenance costs.
“This is something that’s very exciting to me,” Trump said, according to the Washington Examiner. “It means a lot to people that own vehicles… It’s going to save them a lot of money. They’re going to be able to do it themselves.”
He added that many drivers are capable of handling repairs themselves, saying, “Some of these people are better mechanics than mechanics in the shop.”
The White House said the initiative is part of a broader effort to roll back emissions compliance and auto certification rules it argues have driven up costs across the industry while also limiting competition by slowing approval of aftermarket parts and constraining supply in key segments of the repair market.
Supporters of the policy say it restores greater control to consumers and independent mechanics, who have long argued that manufacturers restrict access to diagnostic tools, parts information, and repair software needed for modern vehicles.
Automakers and industry groups pushed back, warning that loosening restrictions could create risks involving vehicle safety, emissions compliance, and cybersecurity tied to increasingly complex onboard systems, according to CBT News.
Industry representatives argue safeguards are necessary to prevent tampering, protect proprietary software, and ensure emissions controls remain intact.
The memo comes amid ongoing debate in Congress over right-to-repair legislation, with lawmakers considering proposals that would formalize access to repair data and aftermarket parts.
The issue has become a broader national policy dispute over consumer rights, manufacturer control, and the rising cost of vehicle ownership.
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