A plain-language breakdown of Ark. Code Ann. § 20-13-1301 et seq., the health spa and school AED mandates, student CPR requirements, and the DESE school AED regulation governing Arkansas programs.
Arkansas AED requirements come from state statute and State Board of Education rules, not from any general federal mandate. The core statutory framework, Ark. Code Ann. § 20-13-1301 et seq., sets baseline duties for any entity that acquires an AED: biennial CPR and AED training for expected users, manufacturer-compliant maintenance, immediate EMS activation during any use, and notification to 911 or emergency dispatch of the AED’s existence, location, and type. Good Samaritan immunity under § 20-13-1305 protects rescuers, the overseeing physician, trainers, and site-responsible parties in good-faith emergency AED use.
Beyond those baseline duties, Arkansas targets AED placement in three specific settings. Every health spa in the state, defined broadly to include gyms, university fitness centers, country clubs, and martial arts studios, must maintain at least one AED on premises with trained staff during staffed hours. Every public school campus must have an AED, with detailed requirements for program coordinators, annual technician inspections, placement outside locked rooms, and availability at school-sponsored events including athletic competitions. Criminal detention facilities must keep an AED in a secure but accessible location alongside a first aid kit, with all personnel certified in life-saving techniques.
Arkansas is among the states with a clear K-12 AED mandate, a school athletic event rule, ongoing CPR/AED training requirements, and a Cardiac Emergency Response framework built into State Board of Education rules.
Not legal advice. This page summarizes publicly available statutes for informational purposes. Laws change and individual circumstances vary — consult a qualified attorney or the Arkansas Department of Health before relying on this for compliance decisions.
⚠️ A widely circulated error on Arkansas AED reporting
Multiple third-party sources repeat a claim that Arkansas requires a written report to the Bureau of Emergency Medical Services within five working days after AED use. That is Arizona’s requirement under ARS 36-2262, not Arkansas law. The current Arkansas statute (§ 20-13-1304) requires only immediate reporting to the responding medical provider at the time of use. For schools specifically, an AED Incident Report Form must be submitted to the School Health Services Director within 30 days. Any checklist or guide citing the five-day written report for Arkansas is citing the wrong state.
All expected AED users must complete a knowledge and skills course in CPR and AED use at least once every two years under § 20-13-1304. This applies to all acquirers, not just schools or health spas.
Health spas, K-12 public school campuses, and criminal detention facilities each have their own explicit AED placement mandate under separate statutes and regulations.
The health spa AED mandate covers gyms, university fitness centers, country clubs, martial arts studios, and qualifying nonprofits like the YMCA. Much broader than “gym” alone.
Arkansas AED Requirements at a Glance
| Requirement | Summary |
|---|---|
| CPR/AED training (all acquirers) | Expected AED users must complete a knowledge and skills course at least once every two years, following current AHA, Red Cross, or equivalent guidelines including psychomotor skills. |
| Device maintenance (all acquirers) | AED must be maintained and tested per manufacturer operational guidelines and instructions. |
| EMS activation after use | Any person using an AED must activate EMS as soon as possible and immediately report clinical use to the medical provider responding to the emergency. |
| 911/EMS notification at acquisition | AED owners must notify an agent of emergency communications, 911, or a vehicle dispatch center of the AED’s existence, location, and type. |
| Good Samaritan immunity (rescuer) | Any person who in good faith and without compensation renders emergency AED care is immune from civil liability, unless acting with gross negligence or willful or wanton misconduct. |
| Good Samaritan immunity (extended) | Immunity also covers the physician or medical facility involved in AED placement, the CPR/AED trainer, and the person or entity responsible for the location. |
| Health spas | Must have at least one AED, placed for maximum accessibility, with a trained employee on duty during staffed hours. Unstaffed spas must post 911 access, advisory warnings, and AED/CPR instruction signs. |
| Schools (K-12) | Each school campus must have an AED. A designated program coordinator must maintain training records, oversee maintenance, and report any use within 30 days. AEDs must not be in locked rooms and must be available at school-sponsored events. |
| Student CPR education | Students in grades 9 through 12 must receive psychomotor-skills-based CPR training including AED awareness before graduation, beginning with the 2014-2015 school year. |
| Annual school AED inspection | AED components at schools must be inspected by a qualified technician at least once per calendar year, with written records kept for state reporting. |
| Criminal detention facilities | A first aid kit and AED must be available in a secure but accessible location. All personnel must maintain certification in life-saving techniques. |
Arkansas AED Statutes & Regulations
§ 20-13-1304
Baseline duties for AED acquirers
Training, maintenance, EMS activation, and 911 notification for all AED owners
▾
Any person or entity that acquires an AED must meet three requirements and one notification duty. Expected users must complete appropriate knowledge and skills courses at least once every two years in CPR and AED use, based on current AHA scientific guidelines and standards, or equivalent Red Cross or comparable course materials. The device must be maintained and tested per the manufacturer’s operational guidelines and instructions. Any person using the AED in an emergency must activate EMS as soon as possible and immediately report any clinical use to the responding medical provider. The acquirer must also notify an agent of emergency communications, 911, or vehicle dispatch center of the AED’s existence, location, and type.
§ 20-13-1302
Legislative intent
Purpose behind the Public Access Defibrillation subchapter
▾
The General Assembly found that early defibrillation can sustain and temporarily stabilize a person in cardiac arrest, and declared its intent that the public have access to AEDs for the purpose of saving lives. This statement of legislative purpose anchors the entire Public Access Defibrillation subchapter.
§ 20-13-1305
AED tort immunity — Good Samaritan protection
Four categories of protected parties, conditioned on good faith and absence of gross negligence
▾
Any person or entity that in good faith and without compensation renders emergency AED care is immune from civil liability for personal injury resulting from that care, provided they act as an ordinary, reasonably prudent person would act under the same or similar circumstances.
1. The rescuer who acts in good faith and without compensation
2. A physician or medical facility involved in AED placement
3. Any person or entity providing CPR and AED training to the acquirer
4. The person or entity responsible for the location where the AED is located or used
§ 20-13-1306
Health spas — mandatory AED placement
Broad definition covers gyms, university fitness centers, country clubs, martial arts studios, and qualifying nonprofits
▾
Every health spa must have at least one AED on premises at all times, placed in the location that best provides accessibility to staff, members, and guests. During staffed business hours, at least one employee on duty must have completed a knowledge and skills course in AED operation and CPR. Unstaffed health spas must provide a telephone for 911 access, an advisory warning about the risks of working out alone, and signs in plain view identifying the AED’s location and providing AED and CPR instructions.
§ 6-10-122 & § 6-10-123
AEDs required in schools — program standards
State Board of Education rulemaking authority; healthcare provider oversight; grant funding
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§ 6-10-122 directs the State Board of Education to promulgate rules requiring each school campus to have an AED and requiring appropriate school personnel to be adequately trained on an ongoing basis. Rules must address AED availability at school-related activities including athletic events. School districts may apply for Department of Health grants to purchase AEDs, related equipment, or training. The Commissioner of Education must report annually to legislative committees on AED availability at each school campus.
§ 6-10-123 directs the State Board of Education to develop rules for school AED and CPR programs based on guidelines that include: healthcare provider oversight for selection, placement, and maintenance; appropriate training of anticipated rescuers; psychomotor skills testing following AHA guidelines as they existed on January 1, 2021; coordination with local EMS; and an ongoing quality improvement program. CPR and AED training counts fully toward existing professional development requirements for teachers and school personnel.
§ 6-16-142
CPR instruction for students
Psychomotor-skills-based CPR and AED awareness required before graduation, grades 9-12
▾
Beginning with the 2014-2015 school year, every public school student in grades 9 through 12 must be trained in quality psychomotor-skills-based CPR before graduating. The training is not a certification process but must follow AHA, Red Cross, or equivalent evidence-based emergency cardiovascular care guidelines and must incorporate hands-on psychomotor skill development and AED awareness.
Ark. Code of Reg. 005.28.24-016
DESE Rule — Emergency Response Equipment and Training in Arkansas Public Schools
Operational rules: device specs, placement, coordinator duties, annual inspection, incident reporting
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This is the operative regulation implementing §§ 6-10-122 and 6-10-123. Each school campus must have an AED. Acceptable devices must be FDA-approved, automated with provider intervention required to initiate shock, and capable of automatically collecting data. No modifications may deviate from manufacturer specifications or from AED protocols referencing early defibrillation within three to five minutes of onset.
Ark. Code of Reg. 006.26.14 § 9-1009
Criminal detention facility standards
AED plus first aid kit required; all personnel must maintain life-saving certification
▾
A first aid kit and an AED must be available in a secure but easily accessible location within every criminal detention facility. A medical training program or suitable alternative must be established for detention personnel, covering first aid, CPR, and other life-saving skills. All personnel must maintain certification in life-saving techniques and devices.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does Arkansas require AEDs in all gyms?+
Not all gyms, but many. Arkansas requires AEDs in facilities meeting the statutory definition of health spa, which covers most for-profit and nonprofit fitness organizations including gyms, university fitness centers, country clubs, and martial arts studios. Facilities that do not sell memberships or access to physical exercise equipment may fall outside the definition. The specific statutory language at § 20-13-1306 defines who is covered.
Does Arkansas require physician oversight for AED programs?+
The baseline statute (§ 20-13-1304) does not mandate physician oversight as a condition of acquiring an AED. A physician involved in AED placement does receive immunity under § 20-13-1305, and the school program rules require healthcare provider oversight at the program coordinator level when the coordinator is not themselves a healthcare provider.
How often must expected AED users be trained in Arkansas?+
At least once every two years under § 20-13-1304. School personnel may have additional obligations under the DESE regulations and school program rules.
Does a report need to be filed after an AED is used in Arkansas?+
Yes, but not the five-day written report to a Bureau of EMS that some sources cite for Arkansas. That requirement belongs to Arizona law. Under § 20-13-1304, AED users must immediately report clinical use to the responding medical provider at the time of the event. For schools specifically, an AED Incident Report Form must be submitted to the School Health Services Director within 30 days.
Are AEDs allowed to be stored in locked rooms at Arkansas schools?+
No. The DESE regulation explicitly states that AEDs must not be located or stored in a locked office or room. They must be accessible to staff during school hours and retrievable outside of normal school hours.
Who must be notified when an AED is acquired in Arkansas?+
The acquirer must notify an agent of emergency communications, 911, or a vehicle dispatch center of the AED’s existence, location, and type. This applies to all acquirers under § 20-13-1304, not only schools or health spas.
Keep your Arkansas AED program compliant
Tracking Arkansas AED compliance across schools, health spas, or any multi-device program means maintaining training records, inspection logs, and expiration documentation across every unit. AED Log handles all of it in one dashboard with automatic reminders.
Statutes cited from Justia US Law and the Arkansas Department of Education. Current school AED regulations from Cornell LII.
This page is for informational purposes only and is not legal advice. For guidance specific to your situation, consult a qualified attorney or the Arkansas Department of Health.