Arkansas AED requirements at a glance
Here is what Arkansas 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 guidelines and instructions (Ark. Code § 20-13-1304(a)(2)). |
| Train expected users | Yes | Anyone who acquires an AED must make sure expected users take a CPR and AED course at least once every two years, based on American Heart Association guidelines (Ark. Code § 20-13-1304(a)(1)). |
| Notify agencies of AEDs | Yes | Through AED placement reporting: see that row. |
| Register the program | No | Not in state law. |
| Report AED locations | Yes | Anyone who acquires an AED must tell an agent of an emergency communications center, 911 center or vehicle dispatch center that the AED exists, where it is and what type it is (Ark. Code § 20-13-1304(b)). |
| Physician medical direction | Limited | No general rule. |
| Report each AED use | Yes | The acquirer must make sure the user immediately reports any clinical use to the responding medical provider (Ark. Code § 20-13-1304(a)(3)). |
| Written plan or records | Limited | No general rule. |
| Call 911 when an AED is used | Yes | The acquirer must make sure anyone who uses the AED on a person in cardiac arrest gets EMS on the way as soon as possible (Ark. Code § 20-13-1304(a)(3)). |
| School cardiac emergency plan | Yes | Starting in 2025-2026, each school must build a cardiac emergency response protocol into its emergency operations plan, at its next plan revision and no later than 2026-2027. The plan needs a response team, AED placement and upkeep, staff CPR/AED training, annual drills and EMS integration (Ark. Code § 6-18-713(g); Act 352 of 2025). |
| Other requirements | Limited | Health spas must place the AED where staff, members and guests can best reach it; unstaffed spas need a 911 phone, a warning about working out alone, and signs showing the AED's location and CPR/AED instructions (§ 20-13-1306(b)). |
| AEDs required at specific sites | Yes | Health clubs, schools, school sports, colleges and some government buildings. See the list below. |
Compare nearby states: Missouri, Tennessee, Mississippi and Louisiana, or see every state on the AED laws by state table.
Is medical direction required in Arkansas?
Only in some settings. Arkansas doesn’t require medical direction for AED owners in general.
No general rule.
Public school AED programs need health care provider oversight of AED selection, placement and maintenance, and a program coordinator who is not a health care provider must be overseen by one (Ark. Code § 6-10-123(a)(1); 6 CAR § 155-107(b)).
State colleges have the same rule (Ark. Code § 6-60-121; ADHE Rules 8.02).
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
Yes. Arkansas law requires CPR and AED training for the people expected to use an AED.
Anyone who acquires an AED must make sure expected users take a CPR and AED course at least once every two years, based on American Heart Association guidelines (Ark. Code § 20-13-1304(a)(1)).
Health spas need a trained employee on duty during staffed hours (§ 20-13-1306(b)(3)).
School coaches must hold BLS certification in CPR and AED (§ 6-18-708(b)(2)).
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. Arkansas 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 guidelines and instructions (Ark. Code § 20-13-1304(a)(2)).
Public schools and state colleges also need a qualified technician to inspect each AED at least yearly and must keep pads and batteries current (6 CAR §§ 155-105, 155-107; ADHE Rules 6.00, 8.01).
Written plan and records: No general rule. Public schools and state colleges must keep written records of all AED maintenance, repairs and inspections (6 CAR § 155-105(e); ADHE Rules 6.05). Each school's cardiac emergency response plan is defined as a written document (Ark. Code § 6-18-713(a)(4), (g)).
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. Arkansas requires AED owners to tell EMS, or another agency the law names, that they have an AED and where it is.
Placement reporting: Anyone who acquires an AED must tell an agent of an emergency communications center, 911 center or vehicle dispatch center that the AED exists, where it is and what type it is (Ark. Code § 20-13-1304(b)).
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 Arkansas, the rescuer must call 911, and each use has to be reported.
Calling 911: The acquirer must make sure anyone who uses the AED on a person in cardiac arrest gets EMS on the way as soon as possible (Ark. Code § 20-13-1304(a)(3)).
Reporting the use: The acquirer must make sure the user immediately reports any clinical use to the responding medical provider (Ark. Code § 20-13-1304(a)(3)). Public schools file an AED Incident Report Form with the School Health Services Director within 30 days (6 CAR § 155-110(c)); state colleges report each use to the Division of Higher Education (ADHE Rules 7.03).
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 Arkansas
Yes. Arkansas law requires AEDs at six kinds of sites.
- Health spas, including gyms, YMCA-type groups, martial arts schools and country clubs (with a trained employee on duty during staffed hours) Ark. Code § 20-13-1306 (Act 1199 of 2005, first codified as § 17-95-606; amended by Acts 1606 and 827 of 2007)
- Every public and charter school campus 6 CAR pt. 155 (Rules Governing Emergency Response Equipment and Training in Arkansas Public Schools)
- School sporting events for grades 7 to 12 (since 2023) Ark. Code § 6-10-122 (as amended by Act 737 of 2023)
- State college and university campuses (at locations set by state higher education rules) Ark. Code § 6-60-121 (enacted as § 6-60-119 by Act 737 of 2023, § 2; number as cited in the Division of Higher Education rule)
- State college and university sporting events (since 2023) Ark. Code § 6-60-121 (enacted as § 6-60-119 by Act 737 of 2023, § 2; number as cited in the Division of Higher Education rule)
- County and city jails (under the state’s detention facility standards) Arkansas Minimum Standards for Adult Criminal Detention Facilities (Nov. 2022), § 10-1009
School cardiac emergency plans: Starting in 2025-2026, each school must build a cardiac emergency response protocol into its emergency operations plan, at its next plan revision and no later than 2026-2027. The plan needs a response team, AED placement and upkeep, staff CPR/AED training, annual drills and EMS integration (Ark. Code § 6-18-713(g); Act 352 of 2025).
See AEDs in schools by state to compare, and our cardiac emergency response plan template for a starting point.
Other Arkansas AED rules
Health spas must place the AED where staff, members and guests can best reach it; unstaffed spas need a 911 phone, a warning about working out alone, and signs showing the AED's location and CPR/AED instructions (§ 20-13-1306(b)).
School AEDs must have signage and sit unlocked, never in a locked room (§ 6-18-713(g)(2)(D); 6 CAR § 155-106(d)).
Does Arkansas's Good Samaritan law protect AED users?
Partly. Arkansas protects people who use an AED in good faith, but its protection for the AED’s owner is narrower.
What the Arkansas (AR) Good Samaritan law covers: Arkansas's Good Samaritan law protects health care professionals who give free emergency care in good faith, and anyone else at an emergency scene who helps in good faith to reduce an immediate threat. Neither is covered for gross negligence or willful misconduct (Ark. Code § 17-95-101).
AED-specific protection: A person who uses an AED in good faith without being paid is immune if they acted as a reasonably prudent person would, unless grossly negligent or willful. The same immunity reaches the physician involved in placement, the trainer and whoever is responsible for the AED's location. Health spas have a separate shield for using or not using their AED.
Statutes and sources
Every answer on this page comes from these laws, read on Arkansas’s official legislature or code website.
- Ark. Code §§ 20-13-1301 to 20-13-1305 (Public Access to Automated External Defibrillation Act; Act 273 of 2005): Public Access to Automated External Defibrillation Act: definitions, owner duties (§ 20-13-1304) and immunity (§ 20-13-1305)
- Ark. Code § 20-13-1306 (Act 1199 of 2005, first codified as § 17-95-606; amended by Acts 1606 and 827 of 2007): Automated external defibrillators in health spas
- Act 1199 of 2005 (HB 1970): An act to require all health spas to purchase automated external defibrillators
- Ark. Code § 17-95-101 (as amended by Act 47 of 2023): 'Good Samaritan' law
- Ark. Code § 6-10-122 (as amended by Act 737 of 2023): Automated external defibrillators required (public schools)
- Ark. Code § 6-10-123 (Act 496 of 2009, the Antony Hobbs III Act; amended by Act 544 of 2021): School-based automated external defibrillator and cardiopulmonary resuscitation programs
- Ark. Code § 6-60-121 (enacted as § 6-60-119 by Act 737 of 2023, § 2; number as cited in the Division of Higher Education rule): Automated external defibrillators required: institutions of higher education
- Ark. Code § 6-18-713(g) (added by Act 352 of 2025): Student sudden cardiac arrest education; cardiac emergency response plan
- Ark. Code § 6-18-708(b) (as amended by Act 247 of 2025): Professional development for school athletics coaches: CPR and AED certification
- 6 CAR pt. 155 (Rules Governing Emergency Response Equipment and Training in Arkansas Public Schools): Division of Elementary and Secondary Education rule on school AEDs and CPR programs
- Division of Higher Education Rules Governing Emergency Response Equipment and Training at Arkansas Institutions of Higher Education (effective Dec. 1, 2024): Higher education AED, CPR and opioid rescue kit rule
- Arkansas Minimum Standards for Adult Criminal Detention Facilities (Nov. 2022), § 10-1009: Emergency and life saving techniques and equipment 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 Arkansas
AED Log keeps the records Arkansas 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)
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.
Arkansas AED laws FAQ
Are businesses required to have an AED in Arkansas?
Only certain kinds. Arkansas law requires AEDs at health clubs. Other businesses aren’t required to have one by Arkansas law, and federal OSHA has no AED standard.
Where does Arkansas law require an AED?
Arkansas law requires AEDs in health clubs, schools, school sports, colleges and some government buildings. See the full list, with each statute, on this page.
Do you need medical direction for an AED in Arkansas?
Not for AED owners in general. Public school AED programs need health care provider oversight of AED selection, placement and maintenance, and a program coordinator who is not a health care provider must be overseen by one. State colleges have the same rule.
Is AED training required in Arkansas?
Yes. Anyone who acquires an AED must make sure expected users take a CPR and AED course at least once every two years, based on American Heart Association guidelines. Health spas need a trained employee on duty during staffed hours. School coaches must hold BLS certification in CPR and AED.
Does Arkansas law require AED inspections?
Yes. Anyone who acquires an AED must make sure it is maintained and tested following the manufacturer's guidelines and instructions. Public schools and state colleges also need a qualified technician to inspect each AED at least yearly and must keep pads and batteries current.
Do you have to register an AED in Arkansas?
There’s no formal registration, but you must report the AED. Anyone who acquires an AED must tell an agent of an emergency communications center, 911 center or vehicle dispatch center that the AED exists, where it is and what type it is (Ark. Code § 20-13-1304(b)).
What does Arkansas law require after an AED is used?
The acquirer must make sure anyone who uses the AED on a person in cardiac arrest gets EMS on the way as soon as possible (Ark. Code § 20-13-1304(a)(3)). The acquirer must make sure the user immediately reports any clinical use to the responding medical provider (Ark. Code § 20-13-1304(a)(3)).
Are AEDs required in Arkansas schools?
Arkansas law requires AEDs at every public and charter school campus and school sporting events for grades 7 to 12 (since 2023).
Do Arkansas schools need a cardiac emergency response plan?
Yes. Starting in 2025-2026, each school must build a cardiac emergency response protocol into its emergency operations plan, at its next plan revision and no later than 2026-2027. The plan needs a response team, AED placement and upkeep, staff CPR/AED training, annual drills and EMS integration.
Do gyms in Arkansas need an AED?
Arkansas law requires AEDs at health spas, including gyms, YMCA-type groups, martial arts schools and country clubs (with a trained employee on duty during staffed hours).
Are AEDs required at colleges in Arkansas?
Arkansas law requires AEDs at state college and university campuses (at locations set by state higher education rules) and state college and university sporting events (since 2023).
Do government facilities in Arkansas need an AED?
Arkansas law requires AEDs at county and city jails (under the state’s detention facility standards).
What does the Arkansas Good Samaritan law cover?
Arkansas's Good Samaritan law protects health care professionals who give free emergency care in good faith, and anyone else at an emergency scene who helps in good faith to reduce an immediate threat. Neither is covered for gross negligence or willful misconduct (Ark. Code § 17-95-101).
Does the Arkansas Good Samaritan law protect someone who uses an AED?
Yes for the rescuer, less so for the owner. An unpaid good-faith AED user and the AED's site are immune only if the rescuer acted as a reasonably prudent person would, so ordinary negligence is not clearly covered (Ark. Code § 20-13-1305).