Connecticut AED requirements at a glance
Here is what Connecticut 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 general rule. |
| Train expected users | Limited | No general rule. |
| Notify agencies of AEDs | No | Not in state law. |
| Register the program | No | No current rule. A state AED registry law (§ 19a-197) was repealed effective October 1, 2008. |
| Report AED locations | No | Not in state law. |
| Physician medical direction | No | Not in state law. |
| Report each AED use | Limited | No general rule. |
| Written plan or records | Limited | No general rule. |
| Call 911 when an AED is used | No | No rule requires calling 911 on each use. |
| School cardiac emergency plan | Yes | Since July 1, 2010, every school must have an emergency action response plan for sudden cardiac arrest, and schools with athletic programs a separate one (§ 10-212d(b)-(c)). |
| Other requirements | Limited | No general rule. |
| AEDs required at specific sites | Yes | Schools, school sports, colleges, public golf courses, health clubs and nursing homes or assisted living. See the list below. |
Compare nearby states: New York, Massachusetts, Rhode Island and New Jersey, or see every state on the AED laws by state table.
Is medical direction required in Connecticut?
No. Connecticut law doesn’t require a physician to oversee an AED program.
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. Connecticut doesn’t require training for AED owners in general, but the law names some settings that must train people.
No general rule.
Schools must have staff trained in AED use and CPR (§ 10-212d(a)(2)); health clubs need a CPR/AED-trained employee on site during staffed hours (§ 21a-223(a)(2)(B)); college athletics need a trained person present at practices and games (§ 10a-55l(b)(2)); staff named in school sports emergency plans must be CPR-certified (§ 10-212i(d)).
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
Only in certain settings. Connecticut sets maintenance rules for some AED owners, not all.
No general rule.
Health clubs, college athletic departments, and nursing homes and managed residential communities must maintain and test their AEDs per the manufacturer's guidelines (Conn. Gen. Stat. §§ 21a-223(a)(2)(C), 10a-55l(b)(3), 19a-563i(b)(3)).
Written plan and records: No general rule. Public and nonpublic schools must distribute their sports emergency action plans, post them at athletic sites and put them online (§ 10-212i(e)); every school needs a cardiac emergency action response plan (§ 10-212d(b)-(c)). College athletic departments must adopt an AED policy (§ 10a-55l(a)).
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. Connecticut 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
Only in some settings. Connecticut doesn’t require every AED owner to report uses.
Reporting the use: No general rule. Health clubs and college athletic departments must tell a local EMS provider promptly each time the AED is used (Conn. Gen. Stat. §§ 21a-223(a)(2)(D), 10a-55l(b)(4)).
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 Connecticut
Yes. Connecticut law requires AEDs at six kinds of sites.
- Every public school (unless no funding is available for the AED and training) Conn. Gen. Stat. § 10-212d (P.A. 09-94)
- School-sponsored athletic practices and events on school grounds (same funding condition) Conn. Gen. Stat. § 10-212d (P.A. 09-94)
- College and university athletic departments (within a quarter mile of intercollegiate practice and play) Conn. Gen. Stat. § 10a-55l (P.A. 12-197)
- Public golf courses (nine holes or more) Conn. Gen. Stat. § 19a-197c (P.A. 06-195)
- Licensed health clubs (since October 1, 2022) Conn. Gen. Stat. § 21a-223(a)(2) (2026 Supplement; AED terms added by P.A. 21-26)
- Nursing homes and managed residential communities (by January 1, 2026) Conn. Gen. Stat. § 19a-563i (P.A. 25-168, § 179, effective Oct. 1, 2025)
School cardiac emergency plans: Since July 1, 2010, every school must have an emergency action response plan for sudden cardiac arrest, and schools with athletic programs a separate one (§ 10-212d(b)-(c)). Since 2022-2023, public and nonpublic schools also need sports emergency action plans that cover AED use and are reviewed and rehearsed yearly (§ 10-212i).
See AEDs in schools by state to compare, and our cardiac emergency response plan template for a starting point.
Other Connecticut AED rules
No general rule.
Health clubs must keep the AED in a readily accessible spot known to staff; nursing homes and managed residential communities must keep it central and known to staff, residents and visiting family; college athletics within a quarter mile; school AEDs accessible during school hours and events (§§ 21a-223, 19a-563i, 10a-55l, 10-212d).
Does Connecticut's Good Samaritan law protect AED users?
Yes. Under Connecticut law, anyone using an AED in good faith is protected, and so is the AED’s owner, with only the usual exceptions.
What the Connecticut (CT) Good Samaritan law covers: Connecticut's Good Samaritan law covers listed groups: licensed doctors, dentists and nurses, medical technicians, people trained in CPR and AED operators who help voluntarily and without pay outside their jobs, plus first-aid-trained firefighters, police, teachers, lifeguards and others. It shields ordinary negligence only, never gross, wilful or wanton negligence (Conn. Gen. Stat. § 52-557b).
AED-specific protection: Anyone who voluntarily and without pay operates an AED in an emergency is shielded from claims of ordinary negligence. A person or entity that provides or maintains an AED is likewise shielded for ordinary negligence in providing or maintaining it. Gross, wilful or wanton negligence is never covered.
Statutes and sources
Every answer on this page comes from these laws, read on Connecticut’s official legislature or code website.
- Conn. Gen. Stat. § 52-557b (2026 Supplement; as amended through P.A. 25-143): 'Good samaritan law'; immunity from liability re automatic external defibrillators
- Conn. Gen. Stat. § 10-212d (P.A. 09-94): Availability of automatic external defibrillators in schools; emergency action response plans
- Conn. Gen. Stat. § 10-212i (P.A. 21-92): Emergency action plans for serious and life-threatening sports-related injuries
- Conn. Gen. Stat. § 10a-55l (P.A. 12-197): Automatic external defibrillator requirements for institutions of higher education athletic departments
- Conn. Gen. Stat. § 19a-197c (P.A. 06-195): Automatic external defibrillators required on public golf courses
- Conn. Gen. Stat. § 30-33 (definition of 'public golf course'): Concession permit (defines public golf course)
- Conn. Gen. Stat. § 21a-223(a)(2) (2026 Supplement; AED terms added by P.A. 21-26): Health club license conditions
- Conn. Gen. Stat. § 19a-563i (P.A. 25-168, § 179, effective Oct. 1, 2025): Provision and maintenance of an automated external defibrillator by nursing homes and managed residential communities
- Conn. Gen. Stat. § 19a-197 (repealed effective Oct. 1, 2008): Automatic external defibrillators; registry (repealed)
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 Connecticut
AED Log keeps the records Connecticut 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.
Connecticut AED laws FAQ
Are businesses required to have an AED in Connecticut?
Only certain kinds. Connecticut law requires AEDs at public golf courses, health clubs and nursing homes or assisted living. Other businesses aren’t required to have one by Connecticut law, and federal OSHA has no AED standard.
Where does Connecticut law require an AED?
Connecticut law requires AEDs in schools, school sports, colleges, public golf courses, health clubs and nursing homes or assisted living. See the full list, with each statute, on this page.
Do you need medical direction for an AED in Connecticut?
No. Connecticut 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 Connecticut?
Only in certain settings. Schools must have staff trained in AED use and CPR; health clubs need a CPR/AED-trained employee on site during staffed hours; college athletics need a trained person present at practices and games; staff named in school sports emergency plans must be CPR-certified.
Does Connecticut law require AED inspections?
Only for some AED owners. Health clubs, college athletic departments, and nursing homes and managed residential communities must maintain and test their AEDs per the manufacturer's guidelines (Conn. Gen. Stat. §§ 21a-223(a)(2)(C), 10a-55l(b)(3), 19a-563i(b)(3)).
Do you have to register an AED in Connecticut?
No. Connecticut 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 Connecticut law require after an AED is used?
Only in some settings. Health clubs and college athletic departments must tell a local EMS provider promptly each time the AED is used (Conn. Gen. Stat. §§ 21a-223(a)(2)(D), 10a-55l(b)(4)).
Are AEDs required in Connecticut schools?
Connecticut law requires AEDs at every public school (unless no funding is available for the AED and training) and school-sponsored athletic practices and events on school grounds (same funding condition).
Do Connecticut schools need a cardiac emergency response plan?
Yes. Since July 1, 2010, every school must have an emergency action response plan for sudden cardiac arrest, and schools with athletic programs a separate one (§ 10-212d(b)-(c)).
Do gyms in Connecticut need an AED?
Connecticut law requires AEDs at licensed health clubs (since October 1, 2022).
Are AEDs required in nursing homes in Connecticut?
Connecticut law requires AEDs at nursing homes and managed residential communities (by January 1, 2026).
Are AEDs required at colleges in Connecticut?
Connecticut law requires AEDs at college and university athletic departments (within a quarter mile of intercollegiate practice and play).
What does the Connecticut Good Samaritan law cover?
Connecticut's Good Samaritan law covers listed groups: licensed doctors, dentists and nurses, medical technicians, people trained in CPR and AED operators who help voluntarily and without pay outside their jobs, plus first-aid-trained firefighters, police, teachers, lifeguards and others.
Does the Connecticut Good Samaritan law protect someone who uses an AED?
Yes. Anyone who voluntarily and without pay operates an AED, and anyone who provides or maintains one, is shielded from ordinary negligence, with no training or program duties attached (Conn. Gen. Stat. § 52-557b(a)(1)).