AED Laws by State: 2026 Requirements in All 50 States and D.C.
Every state and the District of Columbia protects people who use an AED in good faith. What owners and schools must do beyond that varies widely. This page compares five requirements across all 51 jurisdictions, and each state page shows the statutes and official sources behind it.
Compare AED requirements by state
Hover over or tab to any state on the map to see its five requirements, or select it for the full page with citations. Open the table to compare every state at once. Counts above reflect general AED owners; school rules are counted in the school column.
View all 50 states and D.C. in one table
| State | AED checks + maintenance | CPR + AED training | Medical direction | EMS registration | School response plan | Reviewed |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Alabama | Required | Recommended | Required | Not required | Required | Oct 2026 |
| Alaska | Recommended | Recommended | Not required | Recommended | Not required | Oct 2026 |
| Arizona | Required | Recommended | Required | Not required | Required | Oct 2026 |
| Arkansas | Required | Required | Not required | Required | Required | Oct 2026 |
| California | Required | Recommended | Not required | Required | Required | Oct 2026 |
| Colorado | Required | Required | Not required | Required | Required | Oct 2026 |
| Connecticut | Recommended | Recommended | Not required | Not required | Required | Oct 2026 |
| Delaware | Required | Required | Not required | Not required | Required | Oct 2026 |
| Florida | Recommended | Recommended | Not required | Recommended | Required | Oct 2026 |
| Georgia | Recommended | Recommended | Not required | Required | Required | Oct 2026 |
| Hawaii | Not required | Recommended | Not required | Not required | Not required | Oct 2026 |
| Idaho | Required | Recommended | Not required | Required | Not required | Oct 2026 |
| Illinois | Required | Required | Not required | Required | Required | Oct 2026 |
| Indiana | Required | Recommended | Not required | Required | Required | Oct 2026 |
| Iowa | Required | Recommended | Not required | Not required | Not required | Oct 2026 |
| Kansas | Recommended | Not required | Not required | Required | Required | Oct 2026 |
| Kentucky | Required | Required | Required | Required | Required | Oct 2026 |
| Louisiana | Required | Required | Required | Required | Required | Oct 2026 |
| Maine | Recommended | Recommended | Not required | Not required | Required | Oct 2026 |
| Maryland | Required | Recommended | Not required | Required | Required | Oct 2026 |
| Massachusetts | Required | Required | Required | Required | Required | Oct 2026 |
| Michigan | Not required | Recommended | Not required | Not required | Required | Oct 2026 |
| Minnesota | Required | Recommended | Not required | Required | Required | Oct 2026 |
| Mississippi | Recommended | Required | Required | Not required | Required | Oct 2026 |
| Missouri | Required | Not required | Not required | Not required | Required | Oct 2026 |
| Montana | Required | Recommended | Not required | Required | Required | Oct 2026 |
| Nebraska | Not required | Recommended | Not required | Required | Not required | Oct 2026 |
| Nevada | Recommended | Recommended | Not required | Not required | Required | Oct 2026 |
| New Hampshire | Recommended | Recommended | Not required | Recommended | Required | Oct 2026 |
| New Jersey | Required | Required | Required | Required | Required | Oct 2026 |
| New Mexico | Required | Required | Required | Required | Required | Oct 2026 |
| New York | Required | Required | Not required | Required | Required | Oct 2026 |
| North Carolina | Recommended | Recommended | Not required | Not required | Not required | Oct 2026 |
| North Dakota | Not required | Recommended | Not required | Not required | Required | Oct 2026 |
| Ohio | Required | Recommended | Not required | Recommended | Required | Oct 2026 |
| Oklahoma | Recommended | Recommended | Not required | Recommended | Required | Oct 2026 |
| Oregon | Not required | Recommended | Not required | Not required | Required | Oct 2026 |
| Pennsylvania | Required | Required | Not required | Not required | Required | Oct 2026 |
| Rhode Island | Required | Required | Not required | Not required | Required | Oct 2026 |
| South Carolina | Required | Required | Required | Not required | Required | Oct 2026 |
| South Dakota | Recommended | Not required | Recommended | Not required | Not required | Oct 2026 |
| Tennessee | Required | Required | Required | Required | Required | Oct 2026 |
| Texas | Required | Not required | Not required | Required | Required | Oct 2026 |
| Utah | Not required | Recommended | Not required | Required | Required | Oct 2026 |
| Vermont | Required | Recommended | Not required | Required | Required | Oct 2026 |
| Virginia | Not required | Not required | Not required | Not required | Required | Oct 2026 |
| Washington | Required | Required | Required | Required | Not required | Oct 2026 |
| West Virginia | Required | Required | Required | Required | Required | Oct 2026 |
| Wisconsin | Recommended | Not required | Not required | Not required | Not required | Oct 2026 |
| Wyoming | Required | Required | Not required | Required | Not required | Oct 2026 |
| Washington DC | Required | Required | Not required | Required | Required | Oct 2026 |
School AED law deadlines, 2026 to 2029
More than a dozen states passed school AED or cardiac emergency response plan laws in 2024 through 2026. These are the dates schools are working toward now. Select a state for its full requirements.
| Deadline | State | Law | What it requires |
|---|---|---|---|
| Aug 1, 2026 | Arizona | A.R.S. 15-120.07 | AEDs at high schools with sports and at on-campus athletic events |
| 2026-27 school year | Utah | SB 244 (2026) | Cardiac emergency response plan in every public and charter school, AEDs reachable within three minutes |
| 2026-27 school year | Minnesota | Minn. Stat. 121A.241 | Cardiac emergency response plan in every district and charter school |
| 2026-27 school year | Missouri | SB 68 (2025) | Cardiac emergency response plan in public and charter schools |
| 2026-27 school year | Montana | HB 869 (2025) | Venue response plans for schools with athletics |
| 2026-27 school year | Vermont | H.480 (2025) | Cardiac emergency response plan for every school and athletic program |
| 2026-27 and 2027-28 | New Mexico | HB 54 (2025), HB 256 (2026) | AED and response plan in every school, high schools first |
| Jan 1, 2027 | California | AB 310 (2025) | Youth sports organizations adopt response plans; AEDs at practices and games from Jan 1, 2028 |
| June 30, 2027 | Pennsylvania | Act 17 (2026) | First annual school AED report to the state; full compliance by May 2029 |
| July 1, 2027 | Florida | HB 1607 (2025) | An operational AED on every public and charter school campus |
| July 1, 2027 | Illinois | P.A. 104-0759 | School cardiac emergency response plans with yearly drills |
| 2027-28 school year | Texas | SB 865 (2025) | Cardiac emergency response plan in every school district |
| 2027-28 school year | South Carolina | Smart Heart Act (2026) | Cardiac emergency response plan in every public district and charter school |
| 2027-28 school year | Oregon | HB 4160 (2026) | Cardiac emergency response plan in public and private K-12 schools |
| 2027-28 school year | North Dakota | HB 1363 (2025) | Response plan and AEDs in public and nonpublic schools |
| 2027-28 school year | Rhode Island | S 2079 (2026) | Response plan in middle and high schools |
| 2027-28 school year | Maine | LD 587 (2025) | AED access policy and athletic emergency action plan |
What each requirement means
Each state is rated on the same five requirements. Required means state law mandates it. Recommended means the law encourages it or makes it a condition of liability protection, so skipping it can cost an owner that protection. Not required means no statewide rule.
AED checks and maintenance
Inspecting and testing the AED to the manufacturer's schedule, replacing expired pads and batteries, and keeping records. Our pad and battery guide lists intervals by model.
CPR and AED training
Whether people expected to use the AED must complete a recognized CPR and AED course. See CPR and AED certification classes.
Medical direction
Whether a licensed physician must oversee the AED program, approve its protocols, or review each use.
EMS registration
Whether the owner must tell local EMS, the 911 center, or a state registry where each AED is. AED365 keeps registrations current.
School cardiac emergency response plan
Whether schools must have AEDs, a written plan for a cardiac arrest on campus or at athletics, trained responders, and drills.
Good Samaritan protection
Every state protects good-faith AED users. Many extend that protection to owners only when they meet the duties above, which is why the table matters even where nothing is required.
Federal laws that affect AEDs
No federal law requires most businesses or schools to have an AED. Federal law shapes liability, workplace safety, aviation, and the devices themselves.
Cardiac Arrest Survival Act (2000)
Protects people who use an AED in good faith, and the person or organization that acquired it, from civil liability in states that don't already provide that protection (42 U.S.C. 238q).
Volunteer Protection Act (1997)
Limits the liability of unpaid volunteers for nonprofits and government entities who act within the scope of their role.
OSHA General Duty Clause
OSHA has no AED standard, but the General Duty Clause requires employers to address recognized hazards, and OSHA encourages AEDs where cardiac events are a foreseeable risk.
FAA airline rule
U.S. passenger airlines that are required to carry a flight attendant must carry an AED on board (14 CFR 121.803).
FDA device rules
AEDs are Class III medical devices sold under FDA premarket approval. Most models require a prescription to purchase, which the seller usually arranges; a few are cleared for over-the-counter sale.
AED law questions
Are AEDs required by law?
Which states require AEDs or cardiac emergency plans in schools?
Do I need a prescription to buy an AED?
Can I be sued for using an AED?
Do I have to register my AED?
Does OSHA require AEDs in the workplace?
How often do AED laws change?
How we keep this current
Each state page is written from its statutes, regulations, and enacted bills, with official sources listed on the page. A requirement is marked Required only when the law mandates it. Pending and failed bills are noted so you can see what's coming. Each page shows the date it was last checked, and every state is reviewed on a regular schedule and whenever a new law passes.
AED.US does not provide legal advice. AED laws change and vary by facility type. Confirm your requirements with your counsel or the appropriate state agency.
See where your AED program stands
Run the free readiness review, or let AED365 keep inspections, records, and registrations current.
Not sure what your state requires?
Tell us your state and your organization. A specialist will tell you which rules apply to you, where your program has gaps, and what it takes to close them. No cost and no obligation.
- Which requirements apply to your facility type
- What you have on file for maintenance, training, and EMS registration, and what's missing
- A clear next step, with a quote only if you want one
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