When does the right to repair take effect in Germany?

EU Directive 2024/1799 will be transposed into German law by July 31, 2026, and applies from that date.

Which devices are covered by the right to repair?

Covered devices include dishwashers, washing machines, tumble dryers, refrigeration appliances, TVs, monitors, and smartphones, tablets, and cordless phones. Vacuum cleaners and robot vacuums are covered but without a spare-parts obligation.

Do I contact the retailer or the manufacturer for a repair?

What's new is that consumers get a direct claim against the manufacturer – not just against the retailer as before.

How long must manufacturers keep spare parts available?

Depending on the product group, spare parts must be provided for 7 to 10 years, counted from when the respective model was last sold.

What do I gain by choosing repair over replacement when there's a defect?

Consumers who choose repair instead of a replacement get an extended warranty period of 3 years instead of 2 – for contracts concluded on or after July 31, 2026.

Update

Sonstiges

Right to Repair: New EU Rules Take Effect on July 31, 2026

What consumers should know now about household appliances, electronics, and smartphones

Published August 1, 2026by the primlio editorial team

AI-generated

What changes on July 31, 2026

With the transposition of EU Directive 2024/1799, consumers in Germany get a direct repair claim against the manufacturer for the first time starting July 31, 2026 – not just against the retailer, as before. This applies even after the standard statutory warranty has expired.

Core idea of the reform: repairing should become easier, more predictable, and more transparent – manufacturers can no longer avoid responsibility through missing spare parts or inflated prices.

Which devices are affected?

The new rules apply to a range of everyday devices found in almost every household:

Dishwashers
Washing machines and tumble dryers
Refrigeration appliances
TVs and monitors
Smartphones, tablets, and cordless phones
Vacuum cleaners and robot vacuums (here without a spare-parts obligation)

Many smaller everyday devices such as toasters, coffee machines, or headphones are not covered.

Product group	Manufacturer spare-parts obligation
Dishwasher, washing machine, dryer, fridge/freezer	Yes
TV, monitor	Yes
Smartphone, tablet, cordless phone	Yes
Vacuum cleaner, robot vacuum	No (general repair claim only)

The key new rights at a glance

Spare parts for years: Manufacturers must provide spare parts for 7 to 10 years, counted from when the respective model was last sold – not from the individual purchase date. So owners of older devices can potentially still benefit for a long time.

Transparent repair prices: Manufacturers will have to publicly publish typical repair costs. Prices may not be set so high that they effectively discourage consumers from repairing.

Longer warranty when choosing repair over replacement: Consumers who opt for a repair instead of a replacement when a defect occurs get the warranty period extended from 2 to 3 years. This applies to contracts concluded on or after July 31, 2026.

What this means in everyday life

For buyers of household appliances and electronics, this shifts the balance between repair and new purchase a little. Anyone with a broken device in the future can more easily find out whether – and at roughly what price – a repair is possible, and will rely less on the retailer alone.

Especially for durable, more expensive devices like washing machines, refrigerators, or larger TVs, the new spare-parts obligation could pay off: a defect after the warranty expires no longer has to mean the end of the appliance.