South Carolina AED requirements at a glance
Here is what South Carolina 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 maintain and test it per the manufacturer's guidelines and keep written records (S.C. Code § 44-76-30(2)). Meeting all § 44-76-30 duties is also the owner's condition for immunity (§ 44-76-40(3)). |
| Train expected users | Yes | Owners must require their designated AED users to hold current CPR/AED training from AHA, Red Cross, ASHI, NSC or an equal program (S.C. Code § 44-76-30(1)). |
| Notify agencies of AEDs | Limited | Through AED placement reporting: see that row. |
| Register the program | No | Not in state law. |
| Report AED locations | Limited | No general rule for AED owners. |
| Physician medical direction | Yes | Owners must employ or engage a licensed physician, surgeon, physician assistant, nurse practitioner or nurse as AED liaison, and the liaison must approve the AED program (training, protocol, deployment and maintenance plan) (S.C. Code §§ 44-76-20(2), 44-76-30(3)-(4)). About medical direction |
| Report each AED use | Yes | Owners must report every clinical use of the AED to their AED liaison (S.C. Code § 44-76-30(6)). The law does not say what the report must contain. |
| Written plan or records | Yes | Owners must keep written records of AED maintenance and testing (S.C. Code § 44-76-30(2)). They must also have a liaison-approved program with a protocol, deployment strategy and maintenance plan (§ 44-76-30(4)). |
| Call 911 when an AED is used | Yes | The owner's AED protocol must say that anyone who uses the AED on a person in cardiac arrest must call EMS or 911 as soon as possible (S.C. Code § 44-76-30(5)). |
| School cardiac emergency plan | Yes | Each public school district and charter school board has to adopt a cardiac emergency response plan with a response team, drills, AED placement and upkeep, staff training, EMS coordination and yearly review, covering athletics too. Private schools that play public schools must comply for those teams. Applies from the 2027-28 school year (S.C. Code § 59-17-165, Act 108). |
| Other requirements | Limited | No general rule. |
| AEDs required at specific sites | Yes | Schools and school sports. See the list below. |
Compare nearby states: North Carolina, Georgia, Tennessee and Florida, or see every state on the AED laws by state table.
Is medical direction required in South Carolina?
Yes. South Carolina law requires a physician (or another licensed practitioner it names) to be involved in an AED program.
Owners must employ or engage a licensed physician, surgeon, physician assistant, nurse practitioner or nurse as AED liaison, and the liaison must approve the AED program (training, protocol, deployment and maintenance plan) (S.C. Code §§ 44-76-20(2), 44-76-30(3)-(4)).
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. South Carolina law requires CPR and AED training for the people expected to use an AED.
Owners must require their designated AED users to hold current CPR/AED training from AHA, Red Cross, ASHI, NSC or an equal program (S.C. Code § 44-76-30(1))
High school programs must train everyone reasonably expected to use the AED (§ 59-17-155)
From 2027-28, all public school athletics coaches must keep CPR, first aid and AED training (Act 108).
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. South Carolina law requires AED owners to keep each AED maintained and tested.
Anyone who acquires an AED must maintain and test it per the manufacturer's guidelines and keep written records (S.C. Code § 44-76-30(2)). Meeting all § 44-76-30 duties is also the owner's condition for immunity (§ 44-76-40(3))
From 2027-28, every public school AED must be tested and maintained per the manufacturer (§ 59-17-155, as amended by Act 108).
Written plan and records: Owners must keep written records of AED maintenance and testing (S.C. Code § 44-76-30(2)). They must also have a liaison-approved program with a protocol, deployment strategy and maintenance plan (§ 44-76-30(4)).
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
Only in some cases. South Carolina doesn’t require every AED owner to register or report AED locations.
Placement reporting: No general rule for AED owners. Starting with the 2027-28 school year, each public and charter school must tell the local EMS provider what type of AED it has and where it is, subject to state funding (S.C. Code § 59-17-155(B)(3), as amended by Act 108).
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 South Carolina, the rescuer must call 911, and each use has to be reported.
Calling 911: The owner's AED protocol must say that anyone who uses the AED on a person in cardiac arrest must call EMS or 911 as soon as possible (S.C. Code § 44-76-30(5)).
Reporting the use: Owners must report every clinical use of the AED to their AED liaison (S.C. Code § 44-76-30(6)). The law does not say what the report must contain.
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 South Carolina
Yes. South Carolina law requires AEDs at three kinds of sites.
- Every public high school (subject to state funding) S.C. Code § 59-17-155 (codified text before the 2026 amendment)
- On-campus athletic venues at public and charter schools (from 2027-28, subject to funding) 2026 S.C. Act No. 108 (H. 3831, Smart Heart Act), adding § 59-17-165 and amending § 59-17-155; effective July 1, 2026, applies from the 2027-2028 school year
- Off-site school athletic events (from 2027-28, provided by the host team) 2026 S.C. Act No. 108 (H. 3831, Smart Heart Act), adding § 59-17-165 and amending § 59-17-155; effective July 1, 2026, applies from the 2027-2028 school year
School cardiac emergency plans: Each public school district and charter school board has to adopt a cardiac emergency response plan with a response team, drills, AED placement and upkeep, staff training, EMS coordination and yearly review, covering athletics too. Private schools that play public schools must comply for those teams. Applies from the 2027-28 school year (S.C. Code § 59-17-165, Act 108).
See AEDs in schools by state to compare, and our cardiac emergency response plan template for a starting point.
Other South Carolina AED rules
No general rule.
From 2027-28, a public school's athletic-venue AED must be kept unlocked, with signage, and reachable during the school day and all school games and practices, subject to funding (S.C. Code § 59-17-155(B)(1), as amended by Act 108).
Does South Carolina's Good Samaritan law protect AED users?
Yes, with conditions. South Carolina 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 South Carolina (SC) Good Samaritan law covers: Anyone who gives emergency care at an accident or emergency in good faith without being paid can’t be held liable for civil damages. The protection does not cover gross negligence or wilful or wanton misconduct.
AED-specific protection: A person who uses an AED in good faith without being paid is immune from civil claims unless grossly negligent. The AED's owner is immune for that use only if it has met every program duty in § 44-76-30, including a health care liaison and use reports.
Statutes and sources
Every answer on this page comes from these laws, read on South Carolina’s official legislature or code website.
- S.C. Code §§ 44-76-10 to 44-76-50 (South Carolina Automated External Defibrillator Act): Automated External Defibrillators
- S.C. Code § 15-1-310: Liability for emergency care rendered at scene of accident
- S.C. Code § 59-17-155 (codified text before the 2026 amendment): Automated external defibrillator program; immunity; state contract
- 2026 S.C. Act No. 108 (H. 3831, Smart Heart Act), adding § 59-17-165 and amending § 59-17-155; effective July 1, 2026, applies from the 2027-2028 school year: Smart Heart Act: school cardiac emergency response plans and AEDs
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 South Carolina
AED Log keeps the records South Carolina 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.
South Carolina AED laws FAQ
Are businesses required to have an AED in South Carolina?
No. South Carolina law requires AEDs only at schools and school sports, not at businesses in general, and federal OSHA has no AED standard.
Where does South Carolina law require an AED?
South Carolina law requires AEDs in schools and school sports. See the full list, with each statute, on this page.
Do you need medical direction for an AED in South Carolina?
Yes. Owners must employ or engage a licensed physician, surgeon, physician assistant, nurse practitioner or nurse as AED liaison, and the liaison must approve the AED program (training, protocol, deployment and maintenance plan) (S.C. Code §§ 44-76-20(2), 44-76-30(3)-(4)).
Is AED training required in South Carolina?
Yes. Owners must require their designated AED users to hold current CPR/AED training from AHA, Red Cross, ASHI, NSC or an equal program (S.C. Code § 44-76-30(1)). High school programs must train everyone reasonably expected to use the AED (§ 59-17-155).
Does South Carolina law require AED inspections?
Yes. Anyone who acquires an AED must maintain and test it per the manufacturer's guidelines and keep written records. Meeting all § 44-76-30 duties is also the owner's condition for immunity. From 2027-28, every public school AED must be tested and maintained per the manufacturer.
Do you have to register an AED in South Carolina?
Only in some settings. Starting with the 2027-28 school year, each public and charter school must tell the local EMS provider what type of AED it has and where it is, subject to state funding (S.C. Code § 59-17-155(B)(3), as amended by Act 108).
What does South Carolina law require after an AED is used?
The owner's AED protocol must say that anyone who uses the AED on a person in cardiac arrest must call EMS or 911 as soon as possible. Owners must report every clinical use of the AED to their AED liaison. The law does not say what the report must contain.
Are AEDs required in South Carolina schools?
South Carolina law requires AEDs at every public high school (subject to state funding); on-campus athletic venues at public and charter schools (from 2027-28, subject to funding); and off-site school athletic events (from 2027-28, provided by the host team).
Do South Carolina schools need a cardiac emergency response plan?
Yes. Each public school district and charter school board has to adopt a cardiac emergency response plan with a response team, drills, AED placement and upkeep, staff training, EMS coordination and yearly review, covering athletics too.
Do gyms in South Carolina need an AED?
No. South Carolina law doesn’t require health clubs or gyms to have an AED.
What does the South Carolina Good Samaritan law cover?
Anyone who gives emergency care at an accident or emergency in good faith without being paid can’t be held liable for civil damages. The protection does not cover gross negligence or wilful or wanton misconduct.
Does the South Carolina Good Samaritan law protect someone who uses an AED?
Yes, with conditions. A good-faith unpaid user is protected unless grossly negligent, but the acquirer is protected only if it meets all § 44-76-30 duties, such as trained users, maintenance records, a health care liaison and use reports (S.C. Code § 44-76-40).
Which South Carolina laws cover AEDs?
South Carolina’s AED rules come from S.C. Code §§ 44-76-10 to 44-76-50 (South Carolina Automated External Defibrillator Act), S.C. Code § 15-1-310, S.C. Code § 59-17-155 (codified text before the 2026 amendment) and one more, each linked to its official text on this page.