Delaware AED requirements at a glance
Here is what Delaware 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 | Any entity that receives AEDs must make sure each one is maintained and tested to the maker's guidelines (16 Del. C. § 3003C(a)(2)). |
| Train expected users | Yes | Each prospective AED user must get CPR and AED training from the Red Cross, the American Heart Association, the Delaware State Fire School or another national provider, on a course the State EMS Medical Director has approved (16 Del. C. § 3003C(a)(1)). |
| Notify agencies of AEDs | Limited | Through program registration and AED placement reporting: see those rows. |
| Register the program | Limited | Organizations that set up an early defibrillation service under the state program must apply to the Office of EMS first, name a service coordinator, and report changes within 14 days (16 Del. Admin. Code 4303 §§ 6.1, 6.3). The rule covers program participants; the statute has no registration duty. |
| Report AED locations | Limited | No general duty on owners; AED makers tell the Office of EMS about each sale and placement, which alerts the local 911 center (16 Del. Admin. Code 4303 §§ 4.4, 4.5). |
| Physician medical direction | No | No physician oversight is required of AED owners. |
| Report each AED use | Yes | Whoever uses an AED on a person in cardiac arrest must report any clinical use to the appropriate licensed physician or medical authority (16 Del. C. § 3003C(a)(3)). |
| Written plan or records | Limited | No general rule. |
| Call 911 when an AED is used | Yes | Entities that receive AEDs must make sure anyone who uses one on a person in cardiac arrest calls EMS as soon as possible (16 Del. C. § 3003C(a)(3)). |
| School cardiac emergency plan | Yes | Every DIAA member school with an interscholastic athletic program must keep a written, venue-specific emergency action plan for sudden cardiac arrest, give it to athletic staff yearly, post it at each venue and rehearse it at least yearly (14 Del. Admin. Code 1034 § 9.0, rule text of March 1, 2026; 14 Del. C. § 303(f)(2), added 2025). |
| Other requirements | Limited | No general rule. |
| AEDs required at specific sites | Yes | School sports. See the list below. |
Compare nearby states: Maryland, Pennsylvania, New Jersey and Virginia, or see every state on the AED laws by state table.
Is medical direction required in Delaware?
No. Delaware law doesn’t require a physician to oversee an AED program.
No physician oversight is required of AED owners.
The State EMS Medical Director must approve the CPR and AED training (16 Del. C. § 3003C(a)(1)) and, in the state program, approves device types and protocol changes (16 Del. Admin. Code 4303 §§ 10.1.2, 10.2.2).
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. Delaware law requires CPR and AED training for the people expected to use an AED.
Each prospective AED user must get CPR and AED training from the Red Cross, the American Heart Association, the Delaware State Fire School or another national provider, on a course the State EMS Medical Director has approved (16 Del. C. § 3003C(a)(1)).
School coaches must keep current CPR, AED and first aid certification (14 Del. Admin. Code 1034 § 8.0).
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. Delaware law requires AED owners to keep each AED maintained and tested.
Any entity that receives AEDs must make sure each one is maintained and tested to the maker's guidelines (16 Del. C. § 3003C(a)(2)).
DIAA member schools must test and maintain their AEDs to the maker's guidelines and keep maintenance records on file (14 Del. Admin. Code 1034 §§ 11.1, 11.3).
Written plan and records: No general rule. State program users complete a public access AED use report after each use (16 Del. Admin. Code 4303 § 12.5). DIAA member schools keep a written emergency action plan, records of its yearly review and rehearsal, and records of AED notice and maintenance (14 Del. Admin. Code 1034 §§ 9.1, 9.4, 11.3).
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. Delaware doesn’t require every AED owner to register or report AED locations.
Registration: Organizations that set up an early defibrillation service under the state program must apply to the Office of EMS first, name a service coordinator, and report changes within 14 days (16 Del. Admin. Code 4303 §§ 6.1, 6.3). The rule covers program participants; the statute has no registration duty.
Placement reporting: No general duty on owners; AED makers tell the Office of EMS about each sale and placement, which alerts the local 911 center (16 Del. Admin. Code 4303 §§ 4.4, 4.5). DIAA member schools must tell the Office of EMS about each AED and its location (14 Del. C. § 303(f)(5); 14 Del. Admin. Code 1034 § 11.2).
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 Delaware, the rescuer must call 911, and each use has to be reported.
Calling 911: Entities that receive AEDs must make sure anyone who uses one on a person in cardiac arrest calls EMS as soon as possible (16 Del. C. § 3003C(a)(3)). State program rules tell lay rescuers to keep up CPR and redial 911 until help is confirmed (16 Del. Admin. Code 4303 § 12.4).
Reporting the use: Whoever uses an AED on a person in cardiac arrest must report any clinical use to the appropriate licensed physician or medical authority (16 Del. C. § 3003C(a)(3)). State program users file a public access AED use report and send any downloaded data to the State AED Coordinator (16 Del. Admin. Code 4303 § 12.5).
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 Delaware
Yes. Delaware law requires AEDs at one kind of site.
- Athletic venues at Delaware Interscholastic Athletic Association member schools (during all practices and contests, and reachable during the school day) 14 Del. Admin. Code 1034 §§ 8.0-11.0 (29 DE Reg. 766, Mar. 1, 2026)
School cardiac emergency plans: Every DIAA member school with an interscholastic athletic program must keep a written, venue-specific emergency action plan for sudden cardiac arrest, give it to athletic staff yearly, post it at each venue and rehearse it at least yearly (14 Del. Admin. Code 1034 § 9.0, rule text of March 1, 2026; 14 Del. C. § 303(f)(2), added 2025).
See AEDs in schools by state to compare, and our cardiac emergency response plan template for a starting point.
Other Delaware AED rules
No general rule.
At DIAA member schools the AED must be clearly marked, unlocked, and placed to meet national retrieval-time guidance (14 Del. Admin. Code 1034 § 10.0).
State program services must name a service coordinator, use approved device types, and not modify AEDs from the maker's specifications (16 Del. Admin. Code 4303 §§ 6.3, 10.0).
Does Delaware's Good Samaritan law protect AED users?
Yes. Under Delaware law, anyone using an AED in good faith is protected, and so is the AED’s owner, with only the usual exceptions.
What the Delaware (DE) Good Samaritan law covers: A lay person who gives emergency care or rescue help in good faith, without expecting pay from the person helped, is not liable unless the harm was willful, wanton, reckless or grossly negligent. No one has to give care to a person who objects (16 Del. C. § 6801).
AED-specific protection: A person who uses an AED in good faith without being paid is immune from injury claims, though the AED law asks that the rescuer act as a reasonably prudent person; a lay rescuer can also rely on the general law, which only excludes gross negligence, recklessness and willful harm. The person who authorized the purchase and whoever runs the AED's site are immune unless grossly negligent or willful, with no upkeep or training condition.
Statutes and sources
Every answer on this page comes from these laws, read on Delaware’s official legislature or code website.
- 16 Del. C. ch. 30C (§§ 3001C-3005C): Automatic External Defibrillators (AEDS)
- 16 Del. C. § 6801: Persons rendering emergency care exempt from liability
- 16 Del. Admin. Code 4303 (as amended, 29 DE Reg. 131, Aug. 1, 2025): Automatic External Defibrillation (Delaware Early Defibrillation Program)
- 14 Del. C. § 303(f) (added by 85 Del. Laws c. 108, HB 71, approved July 30, 2025): Interscholastic athletics: regulations, policies, and procedures
- 14 Del. Admin. Code 1034 §§ 8.0-11.0 (29 DE Reg. 766, Mar. 1, 2026): DIAA Health and Safety Requirements
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 Delaware
AED Log keeps the records Delaware 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.
Delaware AED laws FAQ
Are businesses required to have an AED in Delaware?
No. Delaware law requires AEDs only at school sports, not at businesses in general, and federal OSHA has no AED standard.
Where does Delaware law require an AED?
Delaware law requires AEDs in school sports. See the full list, with each statute, on this page.
Do you need medical direction for an AED in Delaware?
No. Delaware 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 Delaware?
Yes. Each prospective AED user must get CPR and AED training from the Red Cross, the American Heart Association, the Delaware State Fire School or another national provider, on a course the State EMS Medical Director has approved (16 Del. C. § 3003C(a)(1)).
Does Delaware law require AED inspections?
Yes. Any entity that receives AEDs must make sure each one is maintained and tested to the maker's guidelines (16 Del. C. § 3003C(a)(2)). DIAA member schools must test and maintain their AEDs to the maker's guidelines and keep maintenance records on file (14 Del. Admin. Code 1034 §§ 11.1, 11.3).
Do you have to register an AED in Delaware?
Only in some cases. Organizations that set up an early defibrillation service under the state program must apply to the Office of EMS first, name a service coordinator, and report changes within 14 days. The rule covers program participants; the statute has no registration duty.
What does Delaware law require after an AED is used?
Entities that receive AEDs must make sure anyone who uses one on a person in cardiac arrest calls EMS as soon as possible (16 Del. C. § 3003C(a)(3)). State program rules tell lay rescuers to keep up CPR and redial 911 until help is confirmed (16 Del. Admin. Code 4303 § 12.4).
Are AEDs required in Delaware schools?
Delaware law requires AEDs at athletic venues at Delaware Interscholastic Athletic Association member schools (during all practices and contests, and reachable during the school day).
Do Delaware schools need a cardiac emergency response plan?
Yes. Every DIAA member school with an interscholastic athletic program must keep a written, venue-specific emergency action plan for sudden cardiac arrest, give it to athletic staff yearly, post it at each venue and rehearse it at least yearly.
Do gyms in Delaware need an AED?
No. Delaware law doesn’t require health clubs or gyms to have an AED.
What does the Delaware Good Samaritan law cover?
A lay person who gives emergency care or rescue help in good faith, without expecting pay from the person helped, is not liable unless the harm was willful, wanton, reckless or grossly negligent. No one has to give care to a person who objects (16 Del. C. § 6801).
Does the Delaware Good Samaritan law protect someone who uses an AED?
Yes. A lay rescuer is protected unless grossly negligent, reckless or willful, and whoever authorized the purchase or runs the AED's site is protected unless grossly negligent, with no upkeep or training conditions (16 Del. C. §§ 6801, 3005C).
Which Delaware laws cover AEDs?
Delaware’s AED rules come from 16 Del. C. ch. 30C (§§ 3001C-3005C); 16 Del. C. § 6801; 16 Del. Admin. Code 4303 (as amended, 29 DE Reg. 131, Aug. 1, 2025); and two more, each linked to its official text on this page.