A plain-language breakdown of W.S. 35-26-101 through 35-26-103 and the dental office equipment rule that govern AED possession, training, and immunity in Wyoming.
Wyoming places its compliance obligations on the AED possessor directly, rather than on a separate program structure. Anyone who possesses an AED must complete CPR and AED training through the American Heart Association, American Red Cross, or another Wyoming Department of Health-recognized course, with refresher training every two years. The device must be maintained and tested per manufacturer guidelines, and the possessor must notify the local emergency communications center and ambulance service of the AED’s existence, location, and type.
Civil immunity under W.S. 35-26-103 covers the AED user, the prescribing physician, and the CPR/AED trainer without conditioning that protection on prior compliance. A separate immunity applies to the person responsible for the site where the AED is located, and that protection is conditioned on meeting the training, maintenance, and notification requirements under W.S. 35-26-102.
Wyoming also requires dental offices administering minimal sedation to have a defibrillator on site as part of required equipment.
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.
Wyoming AED Requirements at a Glance
| Requirement | Summary |
|---|---|
| Good Samaritan Law (user/physician/trainer) | Immunity from civil liability for harm resulting from AED use or attempted use, unless caused by willful or criminal misconduct, gross negligence, recklessness, or conscious indifference to the victim’s safety. |
| Good Samaritan Law (site-responsible person) | Immunity from civil liability for acts or omissions that do not amount to willful or wanton misconduct or gross negligence, conditioned on meeting the W.S. 35-26-102 training, maintenance, and notification requirements. |
| CPR/AED Training | Every AED possessor must complete training through the American Heart Association, American Red Cross, or another nationally or Wyoming Department of Health-recognized course, with refresher training every 2 years. |
| Device Maintenance | The AED must be maintained and tested according to the manufacturer’s guidelines. |
| Emergency Notification | Any person or entity possessing an AED must notify the local emergency communications center and ambulance service of the device’s existence, location, and type. |
| Clinical Use Reporting | Any clinical use of the AED must be reported to the licensed physician. |
| Dental Offices | Dental offices administering minimal sedation must have a manual or automatic external defibrillator on site, functional and available at all times. |
Wyoming AED Statutes & Regulations
W.S. 35-26-101
Definitions
What legally counts as an AED in Wyoming
▾
Defines an AED as a medical device heart monitor and defibrillator that has FDA premarket approval, can recognize ventricular fibrillation or rapid ventricular tachycardia and determine without operator intervention whether defibrillation should be performed, and upon that determination, automatically charges and delivers or requests delivery of an electrical impulse to the patient’s heart.
W.S. 35-26-102
Possession of automated external defibrillator
Wyoming’s core statute — training, maintenance, and notification duties of the possessor
▾
This is Wyoming’s core compliance statute, and it applies to the possessor of the device rather than to a formal program structure. Every AED possessor must obtain CPR and AED training through the American Heart Association, American Red Cross, or another nationally recognized or Wyoming Department of Health-recognized course, and renew that training every two years.
The device must be maintained and tested per manufacturer guidelines. Any person or entity in possession of an AED must notify the local emergency communications center and ambulance service of the device’s existence, location, and type.
W.S. 35-26-103
Limited liability for use of automated external defibrillator
Two separate immunity tracks — one unconditional, one tied to compliance
▾
Two separate immunity tracks exist under this statute.
✓ Unconditional immunity
Covers anyone who uses or attempts to use an AED on a victim of a perceived medical emergency, the prescribing physician who authorized the AED’s purchase, and anyone who provides CPR or AED training. Protected from civil liability for resulting harm, unless that harm was caused by willful or criminal misconduct, gross negligence, recklessness, or conscious, flagrant indifference to the victim’s safety. Not conditioned on prior program compliance.
⚠ Conditional immunity
Covers the person responsible for the site where the AED is located. Protected from civil liability for acts or omissions that do not amount to willful or wanton misconduct or gross negligence — but only if that person has met the training, maintenance, and notification requirements of W.S. 35-26-102.
Any clinical use of the AED must also be reported to the licensed physician.
Dental Rules Ch. 12 §12
Wyoming Board of Dental Examiners Rules — office equipment for sedation and anesthesia
Mandatory defibrillator for dental offices administering minimal sedation
▾
Any dentist administering minimal sedation must provide a manual or automatic external defibrillator as part of the required on-site equipment, functional and available at all times.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does Wyoming require physician medical direction for AED programs?+
Not as a standing program requirement. A prescribing physician’s role in Wyoming is tied to authorizing the AED’s purchase, and that physician receives liability immunity under W.S. 35-26-103 for harm resulting from AED use, separate from any formal medical oversight structure.
Who is protected by Wyoming’s AED Good Samaritan law?+
W.S. 35-26-103 protects the AED user, the prescribing physician, and CPR/AED trainers without conditioning immunity on prior program compliance. The person responsible for the site where the AED is located is also protected, but only if the training, maintenance, and notification requirements under W.S. 35-26-102 have been met.
How often must AED possessors renew their training in Wyoming?+
Every two years. W.S. 35-26-102 requires CPR and AED training through the American Heart Association, American Red Cross, or another recognized course, with refresher training on a two-year cycle to maintain currency.
Who must Wyoming AED possessors notify about the device?+
The local emergency communications center and the local ambulance service. Notification must cover the AED’s existence, location, and type.
Do Wyoming dental offices need an AED?+
Yes, if the office administers minimal sedation. Wyoming Board of Dental Examiners rules require a manual or automatic external defibrillator on site, functional and available at all times, as part of the equipment standard for sedation procedures.
What happens if an AED is used clinically in Wyoming?+
Any clinical use of the AED must be reported to the licensed physician, per W.S. 35-26-103(c).
Keep your Wyoming AED program audit-ready
Track 2-year training renewals, device maintenance records, and emergency notification details — automatically, in one dashboard.
Statutes cited from Justia US Law and the Wyoming 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.