Mississippi AED requirements at a glance
Here is what Mississippi 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 | Limited | No express maintenance duty for AED owners in general; § 41-60-33 says the supervising physician ensures compliance with maintenance 'requirements' but lists none. |
| Train expected users | Yes | A person using an AED must have CPR and AED training from a nationally recognized course (§ 41-60-33(1)(b)), though untrained good-faith users are still immune (§ 73-25-37(2)(b)). |
| 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 | Yes | A Mississippi-licensed physician must exercise medical control over the person using the AED to ensure training, EMS notification and maintenance are handled (§ 41-60-33(1)(a)). The site's immunity also depends on providing for this. About medical direction |
| Report each AED use | Yes | Anyone who uses an AED on a person in cardiac arrest must report each clinical use to the licensed physician (§ 41-60-33(1)(d)). Casinos must follow the same reporting rule (Gaming R. 11.3). |
| Written plan or records | Limited | No general written-plan or record rule for AED owners. |
| Call 911 when an AED is used | Yes | Anyone who uses an AED on a person in sudden cardiac arrest must call EMS as soon as possible (§ 41-60-33(1)(d)). |
| School cardiac emergency plan | Yes | Since the 2024-25 school year, every public school must have a cardiac emergency response plan, and schools with athletic programs must also cover practices and events. Plans must set up a response team, plan AED placement and upkeep, train staff in CPR and AED use, drill yearly, tie in local EMS and be reviewed yearly (§ 37-11-87). |
| Other requirements | Yes | An AED may not run in manual mode unless access-control devices are in place or a licensed professional, such as a nurse, physician or paramedic, is using it (§ 41-60-33(1)(c)). |
| AEDs required at specific sites | Yes | Large public venues. See the list below. |
Compare nearby states: Tennessee, Alabama, Louisiana and Arkansas, or see every state on the AED laws by state table.
Is medical direction required in Mississippi?
Yes. Mississippi law requires a physician (or another licensed practitioner it names) to be involved in an AED program.
A Mississippi-licensed physician must exercise medical control over the person using the AED to ensure training, EMS notification and maintenance are handled (§ 41-60-33(1)(a)). The site's immunity also depends on providing for this.
Public and charter schools acting under the school cardiac plan law are exempt (§ 41-60-33(2)).
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. Mississippi law requires CPR and AED training for the people expected to use an AED.
A person using an AED must have CPR and AED training from a nationally recognized course (§ 41-60-33(1)(b)), though untrained good-faith users are still immune (§ 73-25-37(2)(b)).
Casinos must have staff trained in first aid, CPR and AED on duty 24 hours (Gaming R. 11.2).
School staff named in the cardiac plan must be trained (§ 37-11-87).
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.
Other Mississippi AED rules
An AED may not run in manual mode unless access-control devices are in place or a licensed professional, such as a nurse, physician or paramedic, is using it (§ 41-60-33(1)(c)).
Inspection and maintenance
Only in certain settings. Mississippi sets maintenance rules for some AED owners, not all.
No express maintenance duty for AED owners in general; § 41-60-33 says the supervising physician ensures compliance with maintenance 'requirements' but lists none.
Public school cardiac plans must include a plan for AED placement and routine maintenance (§ 37-11-87).
Written plan and records: No general written-plan or record rule for AED owners. Each public school's cardiac emergency response plan is defined as a written document (§§ 37-11-85, 37-11-87). Casinos must keep staff first aid, CPR and AED certifications current and available for inspection (Gaming R. 11.2).
Either way, the manufacturer’s instructions are the standard to follow: 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
No. Mississippi 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
Yes. In Mississippi, the rescuer must call 911, and each use has to be reported.
Calling 911: Anyone who uses an AED on a person in sudden cardiac arrest must call EMS as soon as possible (§ 41-60-33(1)(d)). Public and charter schools acting under the school cardiac plan law are exempt from § 41-60-33, though their plans must be integrated with local EMS (§ 37-11-87).
Reporting the use: Anyone who uses an AED on a person in cardiac arrest must report each clinical use to the licensed physician (§ 41-60-33(1)(d)). Casinos must follow the same reporting rule (Gaming R. 11.3). Public and charter schools acting under the school cardiac plan law are exempt (§ 41-60-33(2)).
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 Mississippi
Yes. Mississippi law requires AEDs at one kind of site.
- Licensed casinos (gaming establishments) (each casino decides how many AEDs and where) 13 Miss. Admin. Code Pt. 3, R. 11.1-11.4 (Mississippi Gaming Commission)
School cardiac emergency plans: Since the 2024-25 school year, every public school must have a cardiac emergency response plan, and schools with athletic programs must also cover practices and events. Plans must set up a response team, plan AED placement and upkeep, train staff in CPR and AED use, drill yearly, tie in local EMS and be reviewed yearly (§ 37-11-87).
See AEDs in schools by state to compare, and our cardiac emergency response plan template for a starting point.
Does Mississippi's Good Samaritan law protect AED users?
Yes, with conditions. Mississippi 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 Mississippi (MS) Good Samaritan law covers: Licensed health workers and any other person who gives emergency care at the scene, or while taking the injured person to medical help, can’t be held liable for civil damages for acts done in good faith and with reasonable care. Because the protection is tied to reasonable care, it does not reach careless acts.
AED-specific protection: Anyone who uses an AED in good faith, paid or not, is protected if they use the care of a reasonably prudent person and are not grossly negligent, even if they skipped the training and physician rules. The person responsible for the AED site is protected only if it provided for compliance with the AED statute, and the physician, premises owner, purchaser and trainer are also listed.
Statutes and sources
Every answer on this page comes from these laws, read on Mississippi’s official legislature or code website.
- Miss. Code Ann. § 41-60-33 (as amended by 2024 Miss. Laws ch. 383, S.B. 2349, § 4): Use of automated external defibrillators; requirements
- Miss. Code Ann. § 73-25-37 (as amended by 2024 Miss. Laws ch. 383, S.B. 2349, § 3): Immunity for emergency care; AED use
- Miss. Code Ann. §§ 37-11-85 and 37-11-87 (2024 Miss. Laws ch. 383, S.B. 2349, §§ 1-2): School cardiac emergency response plans
- Miss. Code Ann. § 37-13-134(1)(b) (as amended by 2015 Miss. Laws ch. 361, S.B. 2185): Physical and health education; CPR and AED instruction
- 13 Miss. Admin. Code Pt. 3, R. 11.1-11.4 (Mississippi Gaming Commission): Security: designated responders, automatic external defibrillators, liability
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 Mississippi
AED Log keeps the records Mississippi 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.
Mississippi AED laws FAQ
Are businesses required to have an AED in Mississippi?
Only certain kinds. Mississippi law requires AEDs at licensed casinos. Other businesses aren’t required to have one by Mississippi law, and federal OSHA has no AED standard.
Where does Mississippi law require an AED?
Mississippi law requires AEDs in licensed casinos. See the full list, with each statute, on this page.
Do you need medical direction for an AED in Mississippi?
Yes. A Mississippi-licensed physician must exercise medical control over the person using the AED to ensure training, EMS notification and maintenance are handled. The site's immunity also depends on providing for this. Public and charter schools acting under the school cardiac plan law are exempt.
Is AED training required in Mississippi?
Yes. A person using an AED must have CPR and AED training from a nationally recognized course, though untrained good-faith users are still immune. Casinos must have staff trained in first aid, CPR and AED on duty 24 hours. School staff named in the cardiac plan must be trained.
Does Mississippi law require AED inspections?
Only for some AED owners. No express maintenance duty for AED owners in general; § 41-60-33 says the supervising physician ensures compliance with maintenance 'requirements' but lists none. Public school cardiac plans must include a plan for AED placement and routine maintenance (§ 37-11-87).
Do you have to register an AED in Mississippi?
No. Mississippi 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 Mississippi law require after an AED is used?
Anyone who uses an AED on a person in sudden cardiac arrest must call EMS as soon as possible (§ 41-60-33(1)(d)). Public and charter schools acting under the school cardiac plan law are exempt from § 41-60-33, though their plans must be integrated with local EMS (§ 37-11-87).
Are AEDs required in Mississippi schools?
No. Mississippi law doesn’t require AEDs in schools or at school sports. It does require schools to have a cardiac emergency response plan.
Do Mississippi schools need a cardiac emergency response plan?
Yes. Since the 2024-25 school year, every public school must have a cardiac emergency response plan, and schools with athletic programs must also cover practices and events.
Do gyms in Mississippi need an AED?
No. Mississippi law doesn’t require health clubs or gyms to have an AED.
What does the Mississippi Good Samaritan law cover?
Licensed health workers and any other person who gives emergency care at the scene, or while taking the injured person to medical help, can’t be held liable for civil damages for acts done in good faith and with reasonable care.
Does the Mississippi Good Samaritan law protect someone who uses an AED?
Yes, with conditions. Any good-faith AED user is protected, even if untrained, but the site's protection depends on having provided for § 41-60-33 compliance: physician oversight, trained users, EMS activation and use reports (Miss. Code § 73-25-37).
Which Mississippi laws cover AEDs?
Mississippi’s AED rules come from Miss. Code Ann. § 41-60-33 (as amended by 2024 Miss. Laws ch. 383, S.B. 2349, § 4); Miss. Code Ann. § 73-25-37 (as amended by 2024 Miss. Laws ch. 383, S.B. 2349, § 3); and three more, each linked to its official text on this page.