Alabama AED requirements at a glance
Here is what Alabama law asks of an AED program, row by row, with the statute behind each answer.
| Requirement | Required? | What the law says |
|---|---|---|
| Inspect and maintain AEDs | Yes | Anyone who acquires an AED must make sure it is maintained and tested following the manufacturer's operational guidelines (Ala. Code § 6-5-332.3(b)(2)). |
| Train expected users | Limited | For owners in general, the law only says expected users must be encouraged to take a nationally recognized CPR/AED course (§ 6-5-332.3(b)(1)). |
| Notify agencies of AEDs | No | Not in state law. |
| Register the program | No | Not in state law. |
| Report AED locations | No | Not in state law. |
| Physician medical direction | No | No rule requires a physician. The immunity law covers a physician 'involved in' AED site placement but does not require one (Ala. Code § 6-5-332(e)). |
| Report each AED use | No | Not in state law. |
| Written plan or records | Limited | No general rule. |
| Call 911 when an AED is used | No | No rule requires calling 911 when an AED is used. |
| School cardiac emergency plan | Yes | Beginning in 2025-2026, every public and nonpublic preK-12 school must adopt a cardiac emergency response plan, plus a separate athletics plan if it has an athletic program. Plans need a response team, staff CPR/AED training, AED placement and maintenance, drills, annual review and EMS coordination (Ala. Code § 16-30D-21). |
| Other requirements | Yes | Anyone who acquires an AED must tell the distributor if the AED changes owners (Ala. Code § 6-5-332.3(d)). |
| AEDs required at specific sites | Yes | Schools, school sports, dialysis and transplant centers, birthing centers and some dental offices. See the list below. |
Compare nearby states: Mississippi, Tennessee, Georgia and Florida, or see every state on the AED laws by state table.
Is medical direction required in Alabama?
No. Alabama law doesn’t require a physician to oversee an AED program.
No rule requires a physician. The immunity law covers a physician 'involved in' AED site placement but does not require one (Ala. Code § 6-5-332(e)).
Some programs choose a medical director anyway, for example to write the response protocol or review each use. If you want one, AED Log’s Medical Direction add-on is $65 per AED per year.
Training requirements
Only in certain settings. Alabama doesn’t require training for AED owners in general, but the law names some settings that must train people.
For owners in general, the law only says expected users must be encouraged to take a nationally recognized CPR/AED course (§ 6-5-332.3(b)(1)).
Required: one trained employee at each public K-12 school (§ 16-1-45(b)); CPR/AED training for school staff under cardiac plans (§ 16-30D-21(c)); AED-certified staff on duty at assisted living facilities that have AEDs (r. 420-5-4-.04).
Training still matters: an AED talks the rescuer through each step, but people who have practiced start CPR sooner and hesitate less. Keep each responder’s card current, since most CPR and AED cards last two years. See how long CPR and AED certification lasts.
Inspection and maintenance
Yes. Alabama law requires AED owners to keep each AED maintained and tested.
Anyone who acquires an AED must make sure it is maintained and tested following the manufacturer's operational guidelines (Ala. Code § 6-5-332.3(b)(2)).
School cardiac plans must cover routine AED maintenance (§ 16-30D-21(b)(5)).
Dialysis centers must keep their AED maintained and charged per the manufacturer (Ala. Admin. Code r. 420-5-5-.03).
Written plan and records: No general rule. Each public and nonpublic preK-12 school must keep a cardiac emergency response plan, which the law defines as a written document (Ala. Code §§ 16-30D-20(b)(3), 16-30D-21(a)).
In practice, that means check the status indicator, the pads’ and battery’s expiration dates and the cabinet on a regular schedule, replace anything used or expired, and keep a dated record of each check. Our AED inspection requirements guide covers the routine, and the free AED inspection checklist is a printable version.
Other Alabama AED rules
Anyone who acquires an AED must tell the distributor if the AED changes owners (Ala. Code § 6-5-332.3(d)).
Manufacturers must give acquirers in-service training materials (§ 6-5-332.3(c)).
At school athletic spaces and events, the AED must be clearly marked and easy for anyone to reach (§ 16-30D-21(d)).
EMS notification, registration and placement reporting
No. Alabama law doesn’t require AED owners to register their AEDs or report where they are.
Telling your local EMS agency about your AEDs is still worth doing: some 911 centers can direct a caller to the nearest one. AED Log’s document library keeps registrations, letters and notices with the AEDs they cover.
Notification after an AED is used
No. Alabama law doesn’t require a report after an AED is used.
After any use, replace the pads, check the AED and its rescue kit, and write down what happened while it’s fresh. AED Log’s incident reports record whether a shock was advised, how many were delivered, whether CPR was given and when EMS arrived.
AEDs required at specific locations in Alabama
Yes. Alabama law requires AEDs at six kinds of sites.
- Every public K-12 school Ala. Code § 16-1-45 (Act 2009-754)
- Athletic spaces on public and nonpublic school property, such as stadiums, fields and gyms (whenever students or staff are there; since October 1, 2025) Ala. Code §§ 16-30D-20 to 16-30D-22 (John Wesley Foster Act; Act 2024-392, amended by Act 2025-347)
- School-sponsored athletic events and practices (since October 1, 2025) Ala. Code §§ 16-30D-20 to 16-30D-22 (John Wesley Foster Act; Act 2024-392, amended by Act 2025-347)
- Dialysis and transplant centers Ala. Admin. Code r. 420-5-5-.03
- Birthing centers Ala. Admin. Code r. 420-5-13-.18 (effective Oct. 15, 2023)
- Dental offices that give oral conscious sedation Ala. Admin. Code r. 270-X-2-.21 (amended effective Apr. 14, 2025)
School cardiac emergency plans: Beginning in 2025-2026, every public and nonpublic preK-12 school must adopt a cardiac emergency response plan, plus a separate athletics plan if it has an athletic program. Plans need a response team, staff CPR/AED training, AED placement and maintenance, drills, annual review and EMS coordination (Ala. Code § 16-30D-21).
See AEDs in schools by state to compare, and our cardiac emergency response plan template for a starting point.
Does Alabama's Good Samaritan law protect AED users?
Partly. Alabama protects people who use an AED in good faith, but its protection for the AED’s owner is narrower.
What the Alabama (AL) Good Samaritan law covers: Alabama's Good Samaritan law protects listed responders (doctors, nurses, rescue squads, police, firefighters, public education employees and others) who give free emergency care in good faith at an accident or disaster scene. A newer subsection also covers any person who gives free, good-faith emergency care while acting as a reasonably prudent person would (Ala. Code § 6-5-332(a), (g)).
AED-specific protection: A person or entity that gives free, good-faith emergency care to someone in cardiac arrest, including using an AED, is immune if they acted as an ordinary prudent person would, except for gross negligence. The same immunity reaches the physician involved in placement, the CPR/AED trainer and whoever is responsible for the AED's site.
Statutes and sources
Every answer on this page comes from these laws, read on Alabama’s official legislature or code website.
- Ala. Code § 6-5-332.3 (Act 99-370; Act 2015-161): Use of automated external defibrillator (acquirer duties)
- Ala. Code § 6-5-332 (as amended through Act 2025-63): Persons rendering emergency care at scene of accident (Good Samaritan law, incl. AED immunity in subsection (e))
- Ala. Code § 16-1-45 (Act 2009-754): Automated external defibrillator requirements (public K-12 schools)
- Ala. Code §§ 16-30D-20 to 16-30D-22 (John Wesley Foster Act; Act 2024-392, amended by Act 2025-347): Cardiac emergency response plans for public and nonpublic preK-12 schools
- Ala. Code §§ 16-30D-1 to 16-30D-8 (Tyrell Spencer Act; Act 2023-235): Student athlete sudden cardiac arrest: coach training, AED availability encouraged
- Ala. Code § 16-40-8 (as amended by Act 2024-114): Cardiopulmonary resuscitation instruction (grades 9-12, incl. AED use)
- Ala. Admin. Code r. 420-5-5-.03: End stage renal disease treatment and transplant centers: patient care (basic life support)
- Ala. Admin. Code r. 420-5-13-.18 (effective Oct. 15, 2023): Birthing centers: service facilities, equipment and supplies
- Ala. Admin. Code r. 420-5-4-.04 and r. 420-5-20-.04: Assisted living and specialty care assisted living facilities: personnel (CPR and AED certification)
- Ala. Admin. Code r. 270-X-2-.21 (amended effective Apr. 14, 2025): Board of Dental Examiners: oral conscious sedation
Last reviewed against each statute on the state’s official website. This is a plain-language summary for general information, not legal advice. Laws change, so read the statute or ask a lawyer before you rely on it.
Managing a compliant AED program in Alabama
AED Log keeps the records Alabama law asks for, and reminds you before anything lapses.
- Monthly AED inspections on a phone, with a dated record of every check (inspection tracking)
- Pad and battery expiration dates, with a warning before each one (expiration tracking)
- Responders’ CPR and AED cards, with an alert before each expires (certification tracking)
- Registrations, EMS notices and your written plan, filed with the AEDs they cover (document management)
Plans start at $114 a year for one AED, with unlimited users and locations. Start a free trial (no credit card) or talk to us.
Alabama AED laws FAQ
Are businesses required to have an AED in Alabama?
Only certain kinds. Alabama law requires AEDs at dialysis and transplant centers, birthing centers and some dental offices. Other businesses aren’t required to have one by Alabama law, and federal OSHA has no AED standard.
Where does Alabama law require an AED?
Alabama law requires AEDs in schools, school sports, dialysis and transplant centers, birthing centers and some dental offices. See the full list, with each statute, on this page.
Do you need medical direction for an AED in Alabama?
No. Alabama law doesn’t require a physician to oversee an AED program. You can still choose one: AED Log’s Medical Direction add-on is $65 per AED per year.
Is AED training required in Alabama?
Only in certain settings. For owners in general, the law only says expected users must be encouraged to take a nationally recognized CPR/AED course (§ 6-5-332.3(b)(1)).
Does Alabama law require AED inspections?
Yes. Anyone who acquires an AED must make sure it is maintained and tested following the manufacturer's operational guidelines. School cardiac plans must cover routine AED maintenance. Dialysis centers must keep their AED maintained and charged per the manufacturer.
Do you have to register an AED in Alabama?
No. Alabama law doesn’t require AED owners to register an AED or report where it is. Telling your local EMS agency is still worth doing: some 911 centers can direct a caller to the nearest AED.
What does Alabama law require after an AED is used?
Alabama law doesn’t require a report after an AED is used. Call 911 anyway, then replace the pads, check the AED and its rescue kit, and write down what happened while it’s fresh.
Are AEDs required in Alabama schools?
Alabama law requires AEDs at every public K-12 school; athletic spaces on public and nonpublic school property, such as stadiums, fields and gyms (whenever students or staff are there; since October 1, 2025); and school-sponsored athletic events and practices (since October 1, 2025).
Do Alabama schools need a cardiac emergency response plan?
Yes. Beginning in 2025-2026, every public and nonpublic preK-12 school must adopt a cardiac emergency response plan, plus a separate athletics plan if it has an athletic program.
Do gyms in Alabama need an AED?
No. Alabama law doesn’t require health clubs or gyms to have an AED.
Do dental offices in Alabama need an AED?
Alabama law requires AEDs at dental offices that give oral conscious sedation.
What other sites need an AED under Alabama law?
Alabama law also requires AEDs at dialysis and transplant centers and birthing centers.
What does the Alabama Good Samaritan law cover?
Alabama's Good Samaritan law protects listed responders (doctors, nurses, rescue squads, police, firefighters, public education employees and others) who give free emergency care in good faith at an accident or disaster scene.
Does the Alabama Good Samaritan law protect someone who uses an AED?
Yes for the rescuer, less so for the owner. Unpaid good-faith rescuers and the AED's site are immune only if the rescuer acted as an ordinary prudent person would, so ordinary negligence is not clearly covered (Ala. Code § 6-5-332(e)).