AED Laws & Requirements in Texas
Reviewed against Texas law on
Texas AED requirements at a glance
| AED checks and maintenance |
Required Maintain and test to manufacturer guidelines and inspect monthly (HSC 779.003). |
|---|---|
| CPR and AED training |
Not required User training requirement repealed in 2021 (SB 199). School staff must be trained. |
| Medical direction (physician oversight) |
Not required No physician oversight. Prescription-only AEDs must be sold under a prescription (779.007). |
| EMS registration of the AED |
Required Notify local EMS of the AED's existence, location, and type on acquisition (779.005), and after any use (779.004). |
| School cardiac emergency response plan |
Required School districts need a cardiac emergency response plan in place by the 2027-2028 school year (SB 865, 2025). |
Official sources:statutes.capitol.texas.gov, capitol.texas.gov, texas.public.law, capitol.texas.gov
Texas AED rules for owners are in Health and Safety Code Chapter 779. A 2021 rewrite (SB 199) dropped the old training mandate and broadened liability protection, and a 2025 law (SB 865) added cardiac emergency response plans for schools.
Medical Oversight:
Texas does not require a physician to oversee an AED program. Any AED not cleared for over-the-counter sale must be delivered by a licensed practitioner or sold under a prescription (779.007), which the seller normally arranges at purchase.
Training:
SB 199 repealed the training requirement for AED users in 2021, and liability protection now applies whether or not the user was trained. Schools are the exception (below). For any workplace, CPR and AED certification is still the surest way to get a fast response.
Maintenance and Monthly Inspection:
Owners and lessees must maintain and test the AED to the manufacturer's guidelines and inspect it every month to confirm it is in its designated location, appears ready for use, and shows no damage that could keep it from working (779.003). Our pad and battery guide lists replacement intervals by model.
EMS Notification:
Anyone who acquires an AED must notify the local EMS provider of its existence, location, and type (779.005). After the AED is used on someone in cardiac arrest, the user must promptly notify local EMS (779.004). AED365 program management tracks device locations and inspection records.
Good Samaritan Protection:
A physician who prescribes or is involved in acquiring an AED, anyone who provides AED training, whoever acquires the AED, and whoever owns or manages the place where it is kept are protected from civil liability for its use, attempted use, or nonuse, unless their conduct is willfully or wantonly negligent (779.006). Rescuers are covered by the state's Good Samaritan law (Civil Practice and Remedies Code 74.151).
Schools:
AEDs (Education Code 38.017): Every school district must have at least one AED on each campus, placed where students most often take part in athletics and reachable without delay during UIL competitions held there. Districts must make reasonable efforts to have an AED at on-campus practices, and a trained employee must be present wherever an AED is required while a substantial number of students are there. Private schools that received AEDs or funding from the state must meet similar rules.
Cardiac Emergency Response Plans (SB 865, 2025): Every school district, and private schools that received state AEDs or funding, must adopt a plan with a cardiac emergency response team, activation procedures, ongoing first aid, CPR, and AED training for coaches, nurses, athletic trainers, and other designated staff, annual drills, and an annual review. Plans must align with local EMS protocols and be fully in place by the first instructional day of the 2027-2028 school year.
Staff training: School nurses, coaches and sponsors, PE teachers, marching band directors, cheerleading coaches, and student athletic trainers must receive CPR and AED instruction. Browse AEDs for schools.
Where does your Texas AED program stand?
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AED.US does not provide legal advice. AED laws change and vary by facility type. Confirm your requirements with your counsel or the appropriate Texas agency.