Massachusetts AED requirements at a glance
Here is what Massachusetts 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 | No direct duty for owners in general. To be an 'AED agency' with civil immunity, the owner must keep its AED maintained and tested by the manufacturer's guidelines (c. 112, § 12V½). |
| Train expected users | Yes | The AED-specific immunity covers only 'AED providers' with a current AHA or Red Cross level CPR/AED course (c. 112, § 12V½). |
| Notify agencies of AEDs | Yes | Through AED placement reporting: see that row. |
| Register the program | No | Not in state law. |
| Report AED locations | Yes | Before starting a public access defibrillation program, an AED agency must tell the local police and EMS provider the number, type and location of its AEDs (c. 112, § 12V½(a)). |
| Physician medical direction | Yes | An AED agency must contract with an AED medical director, a local emergency physician, cardiologist or PAD-trained physician who oversees maintenance, training and notices. This is part of the immunity definition, not a stand-alone mandate (c. 112, § 12V½). About medical direction |
| Report each AED use | Yes | An AED agency must require each AED provider to report every response to the AED medical director (c. 112, § 12V½(a)). |
| Written plan or records | Limited | No general rule for AED owners. |
| Call 911 when an AED is used | Yes | An AED agency must require each AED provider, every time it responds to an emergency, to contact the police or EMS in its city or town (c. 112, § 12V½(a)). |
| School cardiac emergency plan | Yes | Every public and Commonwealth charter school must have a written medical and behavioral health emergency response plan covering links to EMS, response times, CPR and first aid training access, and AED locations and trained staff. Schools drill it yearly and file it every 3 years (c. 69, § 8A). It is a general medical plan, not a cardiac-only one. |
| Other requirements | No | Not in state law. |
| AEDs required at specific sites | Yes | Health clubs, schools and school sports. See the list below. |
Compare nearby states: New Hampshire, Vermont, New York and Connecticut, or see every state on the AED laws by state table.
Is medical direction required in Massachusetts?
Yes. Massachusetts law requires a physician (or another licensed practitioner it names) to be involved in an AED program.
An AED agency must contract with an AED medical director, a local emergency physician, cardiologist or PAD-trained physician who oversees maintenance, training and notices. This is part of the immunity definition, not a stand-alone mandate (c. 112, § 12V½).
Nursing facilities must contract with or employ a physician AED medical director (105 CMR 150.002(I)).
AED Log’s Medical Direction add-on covers this for $65 per AED per year, on top of your plan: a licensed physician oversees the program, AED Log handles the paperwork, and each covered AED shows that it’s covered.
Training requirements
Yes. Massachusetts law requires CPR and AED training for the people expected to use an AED.
The AED-specific immunity covers only 'AED providers' with a current AHA or Red Cross level CPR/AED course (c. 112, § 12V½).
Health clubs need a trained AED provider on hand during staffed hours (c. 93, § 78A).
Schools need one on staff and at athletic events (c. 71, § 54C).
Nursing facility AED users must be trained (105 CMR 150.002(I)).
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. Massachusetts law requires AED owners to keep each AED maintained and tested.
No direct duty for owners in general. To be an 'AED agency' with civil immunity, the owner must keep its AED maintained and tested by the manufacturer's guidelines (c. 112, § 12V½).
Schools must provide and maintain at least one AED (c. 71, § 54C).
Nursing facility AED medical directors oversee maintenance and testing (105 CMR 150.002(I)).
Written plan and records: No general rule for AED owners. Every public and Commonwealth charter school must have a written medical and behavioral health emergency response plan that lists AED locations and trained staff (c. 69, § 8A). Nursing facilities must have AED policies and procedures (105 CMR 150.002(I)).
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.
EMS notification, registration and placement reporting
Yes. Massachusetts requires AED owners to tell EMS, or another agency the law names, that they have an AED and where it is.
Placement reporting: Before starting a public access defibrillation program, an AED agency must tell the local police and EMS provider the number, type and location of its AEDs (c. 112, § 12V½(a)). Schools report AED counts, locations and trained staff with their emergency plan filings every 3 years (c. 69, § 8A(d)).
Keep the confirmation with your program records, and update it when an AED moves or is replaced. AED Log’s document library keeps registrations, letters and notices with the AEDs they cover.
Notification after an AED is used
Yes. In Massachusetts, the rescuer must call 911, and each use has to be reported.
Calling 911: An AED agency must require each AED provider, every time it responds to an emergency, to contact the police or EMS in its city or town (c. 112, § 12V½(a)).
Reporting the use: An AED agency must require each AED provider to report every response to the AED medical director (c. 112, § 12V½(a)). In nursing facilities, the medical director periodically reviews AED activity (105 CMR 150.002(I)).
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 Massachusetts
Yes. Massachusetts law requires AEDs at three kinds of sites.
- Every health club, including gyms, spas and studios (with a trained AED provider on hand during staffed hours) M.G.L. c. 93, §§ 78, 78A
- Every school building where instruction is given M.G.L. c. 71, § 54C
- School-sponsored athletic events (with an AED provider readily available) M.G.L. c. 71, § 54C
School cardiac emergency plans: Every public and Commonwealth charter school must have a written medical and behavioral health emergency response plan covering links to EMS, response times, CPR and first aid training access, and AED locations and trained staff. Schools drill it yearly and file it every 3 years (c. 69, § 8A). It is a general medical plan, not a cardiac-only one.
See AEDs in schools by state to compare, and our cardiac emergency response plan template for a starting point.
Does Massachusetts's Good Samaritan law protect AED users?
Yes, with conditions. Massachusetts protects people who use an AED in good faith, but some of that protection depends on the AED program meeting the law’s duties.
What the Massachusetts (MA) Good Samaritan law covers: Anyone who in good faith tries to give emergency care, including CPR or defibrillation, without pay is not liable except for gross negligence or willful or wanton misconduct (c. 112, § 12V). The section has no training requirement.
AED-specific protection: Any person who uses an AED in good faith without being paid is protected unless grossly negligent or willful or wanton, trained or not. An AED owner is protected only as an 'AED agency' that meets the program conditions in § 12V½, including a contracted physician medical director. Health clubs have their own protection for using or not using an AED.
Statutes and sources
Every answer on this page comes from these laws, read on Massachusetts’s official legislature or code website.
- M.G.L. c. 112, § 12V: Exemption of certain individuals rendering emergency cardiopulmonary resuscitation from liability
- M.G.L. c. 112, § 12V½: Exemption of automatic external defibrillator providers from liability (defines AED agency, AED medical director, AED provider, public access defibrillation program)
- M.G.L. c. 93, §§ 78, 78A: Health clubs to have AED and AED provider on premises (definitions in § 78)
- M.G.L. c. 93, § 86: Actions for damages; actions involving use or non-use of defibrillator (health clubs)
- M.G.L. c. 71, § 54C: Automated external defibrillators required at school facilities; certified AED providers; hardship waivers; personal liability
- M.G.L. c. 69, § 8A: Medical and behavioral health emergency response plan; model plan
- 105 CMR 150.002(I): Standards for Long-Term Care Facilities: Administration (nursing facility AED, training, AED medical director)
- 234 CMR 6.15(2): Board of Registration in Dentistry: Administration of Local Anesthesia Only (equipment and supplies required)
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 Massachusetts
AED Log keeps the records Massachusetts 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)
- A report for every AED use, so the details are on record (incident reporting)
- Registrations, EMS notices and your written plan, filed with the AEDs they cover (document management)
- Physician medical direction for $65 per AED per year (Medical Direction)
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.
Massachusetts AED laws FAQ
Are businesses required to have an AED in Massachusetts?
Only certain kinds. Massachusetts law requires AEDs at health clubs. Other businesses aren’t required to have one by Massachusetts law, and federal OSHA has no AED standard.
Where does Massachusetts law require an AED?
Massachusetts law requires AEDs in health clubs, schools and school sports. See the full list, with each statute, on this page.
Do you need medical direction for an AED in Massachusetts?
Yes, as a condition of civil immunity. An AED agency must contract with an AED medical director, a local emergency physician, cardiologist or PAD-trained physician who oversees maintenance, training and notices. This is part of the immunity definition, not a stand-alone mandate (c. 112, § 12V½).
Is AED training required in Massachusetts?
Yes, as a condition of civil immunity. The AED-specific immunity covers only 'AED providers' with a current AHA or Red Cross level CPR/AED course. Health clubs need a trained AED provider on hand during staffed hours. Schools need one on staff and at athletic events.
Does Massachusetts law require AED inspections?
Yes, as a condition of civil immunity. To be an 'AED agency' with civil immunity, the owner must keep its AED maintained and tested by the manufacturer's guidelines. Schools must provide and maintain at least one AED. Nursing facility AED medical directors oversee maintenance and testing.
Do you have to register an AED in Massachusetts?
There’s no formal registration, but you must report the AED. Before starting a public access defibrillation program, an AED agency must tell the local police and EMS provider the number, type and location of its AEDs (c. 112, § 12V½(a)).
What does Massachusetts law require after an AED is used?
An AED agency must require each AED provider, every time it responds to an emergency, to contact the police or EMS in its city or town (c. 112, § 12V½(a)). An AED agency must require each AED provider to report every response to the AED medical director (c. 112, § 12V½(a)).
Are AEDs required in Massachusetts schools?
Massachusetts law requires AEDs at every school building where instruction is given and school-sponsored athletic events (with an AED provider readily available).
Do Massachusetts schools need a cardiac emergency response plan?
Yes. Every public and Commonwealth charter school must have a written medical and behavioral health emergency response plan covering links to EMS, response times, CPR and first aid training access, and AED locations and trained staff. Schools drill it yearly and file it every 3 years (c. 69, § 8A).
Do gyms in Massachusetts need an AED?
Massachusetts law requires AEDs at every health club, including gyms, spas and studios (with a trained AED provider on hand during staffed hours).
What does the Massachusetts Good Samaritan law cover?
Anyone who in good faith tries to give emergency care, including CPR or defibrillation, without pay is not liable except for gross negligence or willful or wanton misconduct (c. 112, § 12V). The section has no training requirement.
Does the Massachusetts Good Samaritan law protect someone who uses an AED?
Yes, with conditions. Any unpaid good-faith rescuer is protected, but an owner is protected only as an 'AED agency' meeting maintenance, police and EMS notice, use-reporting and medical director conditions (G.L. c. 112, §§ 12V, 12V½).
Which Massachusetts laws cover AEDs?
Massachusetts’s AED rules come from M.G.L. c. 112, § 12V; M.G.L. c. 112, § 12V½; M.G.L. c. 93, §§ 78, 78A; M.G.L. c. 93, § 86; M.G.L. c. 71, § 54C; M.G.L. c. 69, § 8A; 105 CMR 150.002(I); and 234 CMR 6.15(2), each linked to its official text on this page.