Farmers, ranchers, and businesses that paid John Deere or its authorized dealers to repair tractors, combines, and other large agricultural equipment since January 2018 may qualify to claim a pro rata share of the $99 million John Deere right-to-repair class action settlement. Claims are open through December 31, 2026; class members who received a notice can file with its Notice ID and Confirmation Code, and others need records of their repairs.
What Is the John Deere Right-to-Repair Settlement?
Deere & Company announced on April 6, 2026 that it agreed to pay $99 million to resolve In re: Deere & Company Repair Services Antitrust Litigation, the consolidated multidistrict "right to repair" case pending in the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Illinois (MDL No. 3030). The litigation grew out of class action lawsuits filed by farmers and farm operations starting in January 2022, which alleged that Deere monopolized the repair-services market for its large agricultural equipment by restricting access to the diagnostic software and digital tools needed to fix modern machines — effectively forcing owners to bring their equipment to authorized Deere dealerships and, the plaintiffs alleged, pay more for repairs than they would in a competitive market.Deere denies the allegations, and the settlement resolves the case with no finding or admission of wrongdoing. Judge Iain D. Johnston granted preliminary approval to the settlement on May 18, 2026. The official settlement website now lists a December 31, 2026 claim deadline and a January 19, 2027 final approval hearing — later than the dates first reported after preliminary approval.
Who Qualifies for the John Deere Settlement?
The settlement class covers persons and entities that purchased repair services from Deere & Company or its authorized dealers for John Deere Large Agricultural Equipment in the United States between January 10, 2018 and May 18, 2026 (the date of preliminary approval)."Large Agricultural Equipment" under the settlement means Deere's medium- and large-sized agricultural machines, including:
- Medium and large tractors
- Combines
- Cotton pickers
- Sugarcane harvesters
- Planters
- Application equipment, such as sprayers
The settlement administrator, Angeion Group, sends notices by mail and email to class members it can identify from Deere's records. You do not need to receive a notice to be part of the class — if you paid a Deere dealership for repairs on covered equipment during the class period, you can file a claim at the official settlement website with records of those repairs.
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How Much Can You Get From the $99 Million Fund?
Class members who submit a timely, valid claim form are eligible for a pro rata cash payment from the $99 million fund. Each class member's payment will be based on the total labor hours Deere authorized dealers spent on repairs to their covered large agricultural equipment between January 10, 2018 and May 18, 2026 — if your equipment accounts for 1% of all the labor hours in valid claims, you receive 1% of the net fund. Repairs paid directly or through an extended warranty count; repairs under a Deere factory warranty do not. The fund also covers court-approved attorneys' fees, costs, and settlement administration.According to court filings reported in coverage of the settlement, the deal is estimated to recover roughly 26% to 53% of the alleged overcharge damages — well above the 5% to 15% range typical of antitrust class settlements. Actual payment amounts will depend on the volume of valid claims filed.
Class members who received a notice can file using the Notice ID and Confirmation Code printed on it. Anyone who did not receive a notice, or who believes Deere's records leave out some of their repairs, should gather dealer repair invoices, proof of payment, and equipment identification records (such as model and serial numbers) for repairs performed since January 10, 2018.
What Deere Agreed to Change
Beyond the cash fund, the settlement includes injunctive relief aimed at the heart of the right-to-repair dispute: Deere agreed to make the digital tools required for the maintenance, diagnosis, and repair of its large agricultural equipment available to equipment owners and independent repair providers for a 10-year period. The court will retain jurisdiction during that period to enforce the settlement's terms. This is intended to let farmers and independent shops diagnose and fix Deere machines without being required to use an authorized Deere dealership.Separately, the Federal Trade Commission and the attorneys general of five states reached their own settlement with Deere covering the same repair resources. That settlement provides injunctive relief only and pays no money to individuals, so filing a claim in this class action is the only way to receive cash.
Some class members have publicly objected that the settlement does not go far enough, and the court will consider objections before deciding whether to grant final approval at the January 19, 2027 fairness hearing.
How to File a John Deere Settlement Claim — Key Dates
- Preliminary approval: May 18, 2026
- Exclusion and objection deadline: December 4, 2026 (received by)
- Claim filing deadline: December 31, 2026 (submitted online or received by)
- Final approval (fairness) hearing: January 19, 2027, before Judge Iain D. Johnston
File through the official settlement website, DeereRepairSettlement.com, run by the court-appointed administrator, Angeion Group. The site is live and accepting claims; only submit your information through the official site. Payments would be distributed after the court grants final approval at the January 19, 2027 hearing and any appeals are resolved.
Frequently Asked Questions
Who is included in the John Deere right-to-repair settlement?
The settlement class covers persons and entities in the United States that purchased repair services from Deere & Company or its authorized dealers for John Deere large agricultural equipment — including medium and large tractors, combines, cotton pickers, sugarcane harvesters, planters, and application equipment such as sprayers — between January 10, 2018 and May 18, 2026, the date the court granted preliminary approval.
How much money can class members get from the $99 million fund?
Payments are pro rata, based on the repair labor hours you paid Deere or its authorized dealers for during the class period. Court filings estimate the settlement recovers roughly 26% to 53% of the alleged overcharge damages, so individual amounts will depend on how much you spent on covered repairs and how many class members file valid claims.
Do I need proof to file a John Deere settlement claim?
Yes, in one of two forms. If you received a notice, the Notice ID and Confirmation Code on it let the administrator rely on the labor-hour records the plaintiffs obtained from Deere and other sources. If you did not receive a notice, or you believe those records miss some of your qualifying repairs, you need to provide records or documentation of the repairs, such as dealer repair invoices. Repairs paid directly or under an extended warranty count; repairs under a Deere factory warranty do not.
What is the deadline to file a claim in the John Deere settlement?
Claims must be submitted online or received by December 31, 2026. Requests to exclude yourself and objections are due by December 4, 2026, and the final approval hearing is set for January 19, 2027 before Judge Iain D. Johnston.
What does the settlement change about repairing John Deere equipment?
In addition to the $99 million fund, Deere agreed to make the digital tools required for the maintenance, diagnosis, and repair of its large agricultural equipment available to owners and independent repair providers for a 10-year period, with the court keeping jurisdiction to enforce those terms. Deere settled with no finding or admission of wrongdoing.
How do I file a claim in the John Deere right-to-repair settlement?
File through the official settlement website, DeereRepairSettlement.com, run by the court-appointed administrator, Angeion Group. The site is live and accepting claims, which are due by December 31, 2026. Only submit your information through the official site.
When will John Deere settlement payments be sent out?
Payments would be distributed after the court grants final approval at the January 19, 2027 fairness hearing and any appeals are resolved. If final approval is granted and there are no appeals, payments to class members who filed valid claims would typically follow in the months after the hearing; the official settlement website will post the distribution timeline.
Sources
- Official Settlement Website — Deere Repair Settlement
- Deere & Company press release — settlement announcement (April 6, 2026)
- Capital Press — judge grants preliminary approval (May 19, 2026)
- University of Maryland Agriculture Risk Management — preliminary settlement approval and class member rights
- Farm Policy News (University of Illinois) — settlement gets preliminary approval
- RFD-TV — claim deadline window and settlement administrator
- U.S. Department of Justice, Antitrust Division — case page for In re: Deere & Company Repair Services Antitrust Litigation
