A plain-language breakdown of NRS 41.500 and the placement, immunity, and registration statutes that govern AED programs across Nevada’s schools, airports, government buildings, and businesses.
Nevada’s AED framework has two main tracks. The first is mandatory AED placement in specific public locations, including certain high schools, airports, University of Nevada indoor sporting arenas or events centers, state buildings, and selected county buildings or offices. The second is a compliance-based immunity structure for businesses and organizations that place AEDs on their premises.
Under NRS 41.500, any person who gratuitously and in good faith renders emergency medical care involving the use of an automated external defibrillator is protected from civil liability, except where the act or omission amounts to gross negligence. The same statute also provides Good Samaritan protection for certain people who render CPR in good faith, based on training or dispatcher direction.
For a business or organization that places an AED on its premises, immunity is conditional. The business or organization must comply with current federal and state regulations governing AED use and placement, ensure the AED is maintained and tested according to manufacturer operational guidelines, and establish requirements for emergency medical assistance notification and maintenance guidelines.
Nevada does not impose a blanket physician medical direction requirement on all AED acquirers in the listed statutes. Nevada also maintains an AED database through the Health Division, within available funding. Commercial AED purchasers and private residence AED owners may register AEDs with the Health Division, while AED manufacturers must provide quarterly purchaser information for commercial AED sales in the state.
CPR and AED instruction is also included in Nevada’s health education curriculum for middle school, junior high school, and high school students, including charter school students at those grade levels, to the extent money is available.
Not legal advice. This page summarizes publicly available statutes for informational purposes. Laws change and individual circumstances vary — consult a qualified attorney or your state health department before relying on this for compliance decisions.
Nevada AED Requirements at a Glance
| Requirement | Summary |
|---|---|
| Good Samaritan Law – CPR | Certain people who render CPR in good faith based on CPR training, basic emergency cardiac care training, or emergency dispatcher direction are protected from civil liability, except for gross negligence. |
| Good Samaritan Law – AED Use | Any person who gratuitously and in good faith uses an AED in emergency medical care is not liable for civil damages, except for gross negligence. |
| Business / Organization Immunity | A business or organization that places an AED on its premises is protected if it complies with AED regulations, maintains and tests the device according to manufacturer guidelines, and establishes emergency medical assistance notification and maintenance requirements. |
| Device Maintenance | Businesses and organizations seeking immunity, and entities required or permitted to place AEDs under listed statutes, must ensure AEDs are inspected, maintained, or tested as required by the applicable statute. |
| EMS Notification | Businesses and organizations that place AEDs must establish requirements for notification of emergency medical assistance as part of the immunity conditions under NRS 41.500. |
| High Schools | School districts in counties with populations of 100,000 or more must place at least one AED in a central location at each high school. |
| Airports | The Reno-Tahoe Airport Authority must place at least three AEDs in central locations at the largest airport in the county. Counties with populations of 700,000 or more must place at least seven AEDs in central locations at the largest airport in the county. |
| University of Nevada Facilities | The Board of Regents must place at least two AEDs in central locations at the largest indoor sporting arena or events center controlled by the University in qualifying counties. |
| State Buildings | The Health Division must place at least one AED in a central location at the Capitol Building in Carson City, the Legislative Building in Carson City, and the Grant Sawyer Building in Las Vegas. |
| County Buildings and Offices | County commissioners in counties with populations of 100,000 or more must identify five high-traffic county buildings or offices and ensure at least one AED is placed in each. |
| Public Schools, Health Clubs, and Medical Facilities | Except where AED placement is required under NRS 450B.600, school districts may place AEDs in public schools and athletic facilities to the extent money is available. Medical facilities and health clubs may place AEDs in central locations. If they do, inspection, maintenance, and employee training requirements apply. |
| CPR/AED Training – Students | Health curriculum standards for middle school, junior high school, and high school students must include hands-only or compression-only CPR and AED instruction, to the extent money is available. |
| AED Registration | Commercial AED purchasers may voluntarily register AEDs with the Health Division. Private residence AED owners may also register. Manufacturers must report commercial AED sales to the Health Division quarterly. |
| Nevada Administrative Code | The listed AED Law Center source shows no Nevada Administrative Code AED regulation. |
Nevada AED Statutes & Regulations
NRS 41.500
Good Samaritan immunity for CPR and AED use
The core immunity statute — individuals, public school personnel, and conditional business protection
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NRS 41.500 provides Good Samaritan civil liability protection for certain emergency care.
A person who has successfully completed a CPR course according to American National Red Cross or American Heart Association guidelines, completed basic emergency care training for a person in cardiac arrest according to American Heart Association standards, or is directed by an emergency dispatcher before EMS arrival, is protected when rendering CPR in good faith. This protection applies when the person acts outside the course of their regular employment or profession and does not apply to gross negligence.
For AED use, any person who gratuitously and in good faith renders emergency medical care involving the use of an automated external defibrillator is not liable for civil damages resulting from acts or omissions in rendering that care, except where the act or omission amounts to gross negligence.
For this statute, “gratuitously” means the person receiving care or assistance is not required or expected to pay compensation or remuneration for receiving that care or assistance.
NRS 450B.0505
Definition of automated external defibrillator
FDA-approval and automatic-analysis requirements that define a qualifying AED
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NRS 450B.0505 defines an automated external defibrillator or defibrillator as a medical device approved by the United States Food and Drug Administration.
The device must be capable of recognizing the presence or absence of ventricular fibrillation and rapid ventricular tachycardia in a patient. It must also be capable of determining, without operator intervention, whether defibrillation should be performed.
When the device determines that defibrillation should be performed, it automatically charges and requests delivery of an electrical impulse to the patient’s heart. Upon appropriate action by the operator, it delivers the appropriate electrical impulse.
NRS 450B.600
AEDs required in certain public buildings and locations
Population-tiered mandates for schools, airports, university facilities, state buildings, county buildings
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NRS 450B.600 requires AED placement in specific public buildings and locations.
Each governmental entity required to place AEDs under this statute may accept gifts, grants, and donations for obtaining, inspecting, and maintaining the devices. It must ensure that the AEDs are inspected and maintained on a regular basis. It must also encourage the entity where the AED is placed to require any employee who will use the AED to complete a basic emergency cardiac care course that includes AED operation and use and follows American Heart Association, American National Red Cross, or similar standards.
NRS 450B.610
AED database, registration, manufacturer duties, and civil penalty
Health Division database, voluntary registration, quarterly manufacturer reporting
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NRS 450B.610 directs the Health Division, within available funding, to establish and maintain a database containing information about AEDs owned for commercial use in Nevada.
The database may include the name and address of each person who owns an AED for commercial use in the state. If the AED is registered with the Health Division, the database may also include the business or organization name, street address, telephone number, and the specific AED storage location.
The Health Division must make database information available to agencies and facilities that employ emergency medical dispatchers in Nevada. An emergency medical dispatcher may disclose database information to any person for the purpose of providing emergency medical care.
A person who purchases an AED for commercial use in Nevada may register the AED with the Health Division by providing required contact, business, and storage location information. A person who owns an AED for use in a private residence may also register the AED by providing information required by the Health Division.
NRS 450B.620
AED placement and maintenance by school districts, health clubs, and medical facilities
Permissive (not mandatory) placement, with maintenance and training conditions if placed
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Except as otherwise provided in NRS 450B.600, the board of trustees of each school district in Nevada may, to the extent money is available, place AEDs in each public school in the district and at each athletic facility maintained by the district at a location separate from a public school.
Each AED placed under this section must be appropriate for use on children and adults and must be limited to use on school property and at school events. The board of trustees may accept donated AEDs that comply with FDA standards and may accept gifts, grants, and donations for obtaining, inspecting, and maintaining AEDs.
Each medical facility and health club in Nevada may place an AED in a central location at the medical facility or health club.
For this section, “health club” has the meaning assigned in NRS 598.9415. “Medical facility” includes listed hospice care facilities, intermediate care facilities, skilled nursing facilities, hospitals, independent centers for emergency medical care, and surgical centers for ambulatory patients.
NRS 389.021
CPR and AED instruction in middle school, junior high school, and high school
Health curriculum requirement, funding-dependent
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NRS 389.021 requires the State Board to adopt regulations establishing courses of study and grade levels.
For health courses prescribed under the statute, instruction for pupils enrolled in middle school, junior high school, or high school, including pupils at those grade levels in charter schools, must include CPR and AED instruction to the extent money is available.
The CPR instruction must cover hands-only or compression-only CPR, including a psychomotor skill-based component, according to American Red Cross or American Heart Association guidelines. Instruction must also include the use of an automated external defibrillator.
A teacher who provides this instruction is not required to hold CPR certification unless required by the board of trustees of the school district or the governing body of the charter school.
NAC
Nevada Administrative Code — none listed
No NAC-level AED regulation identified in cited sources
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The listed AED Law Center source does not identify a Nevada Administrative Code AED regulation.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does Nevada require physician medical direction for AED programs?+
The Nevada AED statutes listed here do not impose a blanket physician medical direction requirement on all AED acquirers. For business or organization immunity under NRS 41.500, the key conditions are compliance with current federal and state AED regulations, manufacturer-guideline maintenance and testing, and requirements for emergency medical assistance notification and equipment maintenance.
Who is protected by Nevada’s AED Good Samaritan law?+
NRS 41.500 protects individuals who gratuitously and in good faith render emergency medical care using an AED, except in cases of gross negligence. It also protects certain people who provide CPR in good faith based on training or dispatcher direction, subject to the statute’s conditions and exceptions.
What does a Nevada business need to do to keep AED immunity?+
A business or organization that places an AED on its premises must comply with current federal and state regulations governing AED use and placement, ensure the AED is maintained and tested according to manufacturer operational guidelines, and establish requirements for emergency medical assistance notification and maintenance guidelines.
Are Nevada health clubs required to have AEDs?+
The listed statute does not mandate AED placement in all health clubs. NRS 450B.620 permits health clubs to place AEDs in central locations. If a health club chooses to place an AED under this section, it must ensure regular inspection and maintenance and require any employee who will use the AED to complete approved basic emergency cardiac care training.
Do Nevada high schools need AEDs?+
Yes, in certain counties. NRS 450B.600 requires the board of trustees of a school district in a county with a population of 100,000 or more to place at least one AED in a central location at each high school within the district.
Can Nevada school districts place AEDs in other public schools or athletic facilities?+
Yes. Except as otherwise provided in NRS 450B.600, school districts may, to the extent money is available, place AEDs in each public school and at each athletic facility maintained by the district at a separate location from a public school.
Can I register my AED with the state of Nevada?+
Yes. A person who purchases an AED for commercial use in Nevada may register it with the Health Division. A person who owns an AED for use in a private residence may also register it. Registration information can help emergency medical dispatchers access AED location details during emergencies.
Are AED manufacturers required to report commercial AED sales in Nevada?+
Yes. Manufacturers that sell AEDs for commercial use in Nevada must notify the Health Division quarterly of the name and address of each purchaser from the preceding three calendar months. They must also notify purchasers of the opportunity to register the AED and provide installation, use, maintenance, operation, and training information.
Do Nevada students receive CPR and AED instruction?+
Yes, to the extent money is available. Nevada health course standards for middle school, junior high school, and high school students must include hands-only or compression-only CPR with a psychomotor skill-based component and instruction in AED use.
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Statutes cited from nevada.public.law and the Nevada Legislature.
This page is for informational purposes only and is not legal advice. For guidance specific to your situation, consult a qualified attorney or your state health department.