A plain-language breakdown of Iowa Code 613.17, the June 2025 update to Iowa Admin Code 641-143, and the statutes governing AED immunity, maintenance, tampering, and school CPR in Iowa.
Iowa’s core AED statute, Iowa Code 613.17, provides civil liability immunity to a defined set of participants in AED preparation and response. The standard for most participants is acting reasonably and in good faith. For premises owners and managers specifically, immunity is conditional on maintaining the AED in a condition for immediate and effective use at all times, in accordance with standards set by the Department of Health and Human Services. Those maintenance standards are found in Iowa Admin Code Chapter 641, Rule 143, most recently updated effective June 1, 2025.
Iowa does not require physician oversight, formal EMS registration, mandatory training programs, or post-use reporting for most AED owners. The immunity structure does not require program compliance from the rescuer, the retriever, the user, or the trainer. Only the premises owner’s immunity is conditioned on maintenance standards.
Iowa Code 256.11(6) separately requires all high school students who are physically able to complete a CPR certification course before graduation. This requirement has been in place since 2011.
Not legal advice. This page summarizes publicly available statutes for informational purposes. Laws change and individual circumstances vary â consult a qualified attorney or the Iowa Department of Health and Human Services before relying on this for compliance decisions.
Iowa does NOT require AEDs in gyms or health clubs
Multiple AED law reference sites incorrectly state that Iowa requires AEDs in physical exercise clubs and clinical exercise centers. This is false.
A 2010 bill, SF 443, proposed adding that requirement to Iowa Code 552.15 and creating a new Iowa Code 135.26A. That bill was never enacted. Iowa Code 552.15 has been repealed since 2000 and has no AED content. Iowa Code 135.26A does not exist. No mandatory AED placement requirement for health clubs or fitness centers appears in any current Iowa statute or administrative rule.
Iowa Admin Code 641-143 was updated. The requirement to keep written inspection records for the usable life of the device was removed. Two requirements remain: manufacturer-compliant maintenance and programming to current national guidelines.
No physician medical direction. No EMS registration. No post-use reporting. No mandatory training. No AED placement mandate for gyms, health clubs, or any private facility type.
Damaging, removing, withholding, or wrongfully taking any AED component â including batteries â from any public or private location is a serious misdemeanor under Iowa Code 147A.15.
Iowa AED Requirements at a Glance
| Requirement | Status | Summary |
|---|---|---|
| Good Samaritan â AED acquirer | Yes | Protected from civil liability while acting reasonably and in good faith in AED preparation and response. |
| Good Samaritan â premises owner | Conditional | Protected only if the AED is maintained in a condition for immediate and effective use at all times, per DHHS standards. |
| Good Samaritan â retriever, user, trainer | Yes | Protected while acting reasonably and in good faith. No maintenance or compliance condition attached. |
| Device maintenance (premises owners) | Required for immunity | AED must be maintained per manufacturer’s guidelines and programmed to current cardiac arrest treatment standards. (Iowa Admin Code 641-143.2, effective June 1, 2025.) |
| Record-keeping | No longer required | Removed in the June 2025 update to Iowa Admin Code 641-143. Voluntary record-keeping remains best practice for audit defensibility. |
| AED tampering | Criminal penalty | Serious misdemeanor for damaging, removing, withholding, or wrongfully taking any AED component from any public or private location. |
| High school CPR certification | Required | All physically able students must complete a CPR certification course before graduating. In effect since 2011. |
| Physical exercise clubs | No requirement | Despite widespread misreporting, Iowa has no AED requirement for health clubs or physical exercise clubs. The 2010 bill proposing this never passed. |
| Clinical exercise centers | No requirement | Iowa Code 135.26A does not exist. The bill that would have created it never passed. |
| Law enforcement AED programs | Voluntary registration | Iowa law enforcement agencies may register with the DHHS to allow trained officers to provide AED coverage, supplementing local EMS response. |
Iowa AED Statutes & Administrative Rules
Iowa Code 613.17
Emergency assistance â AED immunity
Five categories of protected participants; premises owner immunity conditioned on maintenance
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Section 2 of 613.17 provides the AED-specific immunity framework. The following persons and entities are protected from civil liability for acts or omissions in AED preparation and response, while acting reasonably and in good faith:
- A person or entity that acquires an AED
- A person or entity that owns, manages, or is responsible for the premises where an AED is located â conditioned on maintaining the AED for immediate and effective use per DHHS standards
- A person who retrieves an AED in response to a perceived sudden cardiac arrest emergency
- A person who uses, attempts to use, or fails to use an AED in response to a perceived sudden cardiac arrest emergency
- A person or entity that provides instruction in AED use
Iowa Code 147A.15
AED tampering â serious misdemeanor
Applies to any public or private location, including batteries
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Any person who damages, wrongfully takes, withholds, or removes any component of AED equipment located in any public or private location â including batteries installed to operate the equipment â is guilty of a serious misdemeanor.
Iowa Code 256.11(6)
High school CPR certification requirement
Required for graduation â in effect since 2011
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Every student who is physically able to do so must complete a psychomotor CPR certification course before the end of grade 12. School administrators may waive the requirement for students who cannot physically complete the training.
The course may be taught by a school employee or qualified volunteer and must result in CPR certification from a nationally recognized program. Iowa has had this requirement in effect since 2011.
Iowa Admin Code 641-143
AED maintenance standards (updated June 1, 2025)
Two remaining requirements after the 2025 update removed the record-keeping obligation
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641-143.1 â Purpose: These rules establish the maintenance standards that a premises owner or manager must follow to qualify for AED immunity under Iowa Code 613.17.
641-143.2 â AED maintenance requirements: The person or entity maintaining the AED must ensure the AED is maintained and inspected in accordance with the manufacturer’s guidelines, and that the AED is programmed to conform to nationally accepted guidelines for treatment of cardiac arrest patients.
Iowa Admin Code 641-139.6
Law enforcement AED service program
Voluntary registration allowing trained officers to supplement EMS response
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A recognized Iowa law enforcement agency may register with the DHHS to allow trained officers to provide AED coverage as a supplement to local EMS response.
This program allows law enforcement to fill the gap in rural areas where EMS response times can exceed the critical defibrillation window.
What Iowa Does Not Require
Because incorrect information about Iowa AED law is widespread across AED reference sites, these points are worth stating plainly.
- Physician medical direction for AED programs
- Formal registration with any state agency upon acquiring an AED
- EMS notification at the time of AED acquisition
- Post-use incident reporting to a state agency
- AEDs in health clubs or gyms
- AEDs in physical exercise clubs
- AEDs in clinical exercise centers
- AEDs in physical rehabilitation facilities
None of these requirements appear in any current Iowa statute or administrative rule. Iowa Code 552.15 was repealed in 2000. Iowa Code 135.26A was never enacted.
Frequently Asked Questions
What are the actual AED requirements for a premises owner in Iowa?+
Under Iowa Code 613.17 and Iowa Admin Code 641-143.2, a premises owner who wants civil liability immunity for AED use on their property must maintain and inspect the device per manufacturer’s guidelines and ensure it is programmed to current cardiac arrest treatment standards. Record-keeping is no longer required by rule as of June 2025.
Does Iowa require AEDs in gyms or health clubs?+
No. A 2010 bill (SF 443) proposed this requirement but never passed. Iowa Code 552.15, which some sources cite for this, was repealed in 2000 and has no AED content. Iowa Code 135.26A, which would have covered clinical exercise centers, was never enacted.
Who is protected by Iowa’s AED Good Samaritan law?+
Iowa Code 613.17 covers AED acquirers, premises owners who maintain the device to required standards, retrievers, users (whether or not a shock was delivered), and AED trainers. The protection applies while acting reasonably and in good faith.
Is Iowa high school CPR training mandatory?+
Yes. Iowa Code 256.11(6) requires every physically able student to complete a CPR certification course before graduating. This has been in effect since 2011.
What is the penalty for tampering with an AED in Iowa?+
Iowa Code 147A.15 makes it a serious misdemeanor to damage, take, withhold, or remove any component of an AED â including batteries â from any public or private location.
Did Iowa change its AED maintenance rules in 2025?+
Yes. The Iowa Admin Code 641-143 rules were updated effective June 1, 2025. The requirement to maintain written inspection records for the usable life of the device was removed. The two remaining requirements are manufacturer-compliant maintenance and programming to current national treatment guidelines.
Keep your Iowa AED program compliant
Iowa’s maintenance requirements still mean regular inspections and expiration tracking matter. AED Log handles inspection records, battery and pad expiration alerts, and audit-ready documentation across every device â even without a state record-keeping mandate.
Statutes cited from the Iowa Legislature and the Cornell Legal Information Institute.
This page is for informational purposes only and is not legal advice. For guidance specific to your situation, consult a qualified attorney or the Iowa Department of Health and Human Services.