Michigan AED requirements at a glance
Here is what Michigan 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 for AED owners. |
| Train expected users | Limited | No general rule for AED owners. |
| Notify agencies of AEDs | No | Not in state law. |
| Register the program | No | Not in state law. |
| Report AED locations | No | No rule to report AED locations. School cardiac plans must be integrated into local emergency response protocols, which is not an AED location report (MCL 29.19b(6)). |
| Physician medical direction | No | No physician oversight duty. A physician who gives medical authorization for AED use appears only in the immunity clause (MCL 691.1504(4)). |
| Report each AED use | No | Not in state law. |
| Written plan or records | Limited | No general rule for AED owners. |
| Call 911 when an AED is used | No | Not in state law. |
| School cardiac emergency plan | Yes | From the 2025-26 school year, every public and nonpublic school must adopt a cardiac emergency response plan based on AHA or similar guidelines: response team, AED placement and upkeep, training, yearly drills, EMS integration and review every 3 years, including athletic events. Schools need not comply unless the Legislature appropriates sufficient funds (MCL 29.19b). |
| Other requirements | Limited | No general rule for AED owners. |
| AEDs required at specific sites | Yes | Health clubs. See the list below. |
Compare nearby states: Ohio, Indiana, Wisconsin and Minnesota, or see every state on the AED laws by state table.
Is medical direction required in Michigan?
No. Michigan law doesn’t require a physician to oversee an AED program.
No physician oversight duty. A physician who gives medical authorization for AED use appears only in the immunity clause (MCL 691.1504(4)).
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. Michigan doesn’t require training for AED owners in general, but the law names some settings that must train people.
No general rule for AED owners.
Health clubs need at least one employee with first aid, CPR and AED training (MCL 333.26312(a)).
Since 2025-26, high school coaches must hold valid CPR and AED certification (MCL 380.1319).
School cardiac plan staff must be trained in CPR, first aid and AED use, if funded (MCL 29.19b(4), (7)).
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. Michigan sets maintenance rules for some AED owners, not all.
No general rule for AED owners.
From 2025-26, each public and nonpublic school's cardiac emergency response plan must provide for routine maintenance of the school's AEDs, but schools need not comply unless the Legislature appropriates enough money (MCL 29.19b(3)(d), (7)).
Written plan and records: No general rule for AED owners. Health clubs must develop and carry out an emergency plan for emergency services during open hours; the act does not say written (MCL 333.26312(c)). School cardiac emergency response plans are written documents, subject to the funding condition (MCL 29.19b(8)(b), (7)).
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. Michigan 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
No. Michigan law doesn’t require a report after an AED is used.
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 Michigan
Yes. Michigan law requires AEDs at one kind of site.
- Health clubs (fitness centers, studios and clubs) (hotel gyms, single-sport training sites and weight-loss centers are exempt) MCL 333.26311-333.26314 (2006 PA 23, health club AED act)
School cardiac emergency plans: From the 2025-26 school year, every public and nonpublic school must adopt a cardiac emergency response plan based on AHA or similar guidelines: response team, AED placement and upkeep, training, yearly drills, EMS integration and review every 3 years, including athletic events. Schools need not comply unless the Legislature appropriates sufficient funds (MCL 29.19b).
See AEDs in schools by state to compare, and our cardiac emergency response plan template for a starting point.
Other Michigan AED rules
No general rule for AED owners.
School cardiac plans must place AEDs where they are easy to retrieve, not locked, and clearly marked with signs, ideally reachable within 1 to 3 minutes as funding allows (MCL 29.19b(3)(c)).
Health club AEDs must be obvious and readily accessible to staff, members and guests (MCL 333.26312(b)).
Does Michigan's Good Samaritan law protect AED users?
Partly. Michigan protects people who use an AED in good faith, but its protection for the AED’s owner is narrower.
What the Michigan (MI) Good Samaritan law covers: MCL 691.1501 protects physicians, PAs, nurses and licensed EMS providers who give unpaid emergency care at the scene with no prior patient relationship, unless grossly negligent or willful and wanton. MCL 691.1504 protects anyone with no duty to act who voluntarily gives CPR in good faith, with the same exceptions.
AED-specific protection: A person with no duty to act who uses an AED voluntarily and in good faith is protected unless grossly negligent or willful and wanton. The premises owner, the authorizing physician and the instructor are protected only from liability for that rescuer's acts or omissions, so an owner's own negligence is not covered. Health club staff have no duty to use the club's AED.
Statutes and sources
Every answer on this page comes from these laws, read on Michigan’s official legislature or code website.
- MCL 691.1504 (1963 PA 17, § 4): Civil immunity for CPR and AED use; physicians, instructors and premises owners
- MCL 691.1501 (1963 PA 17, § 1): Good Samaritan immunity for physicians, PAs, nurses and licensed EMS providers
- MCL 333.26311-333.26314 (2006 PA 23, health club AED act): Medical emergencies in health clubs
- MCL 29.19b (Fire Prevention Code § 19b, added by 2024 PA 36): School cardiac emergency response plans
- MCL 380.1319 (Revised School Code § 1319, added by 2024 PA 37): CPR and AED certification for high school athletic coaches
- 2024 PA 36 (HB 5527), approved April 27, 2024: Fire Prevention Code amendments: cardiac emergency response plans
- 2024 PA 37 (HB 5528), approved April 27, 2024: Revised School Code: CPR and AED certification for athletic coaches
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 Michigan
AED Log keeps the records Michigan 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)
- 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.
Michigan AED laws FAQ
Are businesses required to have an AED in Michigan?
Only certain kinds. Michigan law requires AEDs at health clubs. Other businesses aren’t required to have one by Michigan law, and federal OSHA has no AED standard.
Where does Michigan law require an AED?
Michigan law requires AEDs in health clubs. See the full list, with each statute, on this page.
Do you need medical direction for an AED in Michigan?
No. Michigan 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 Michigan?
Only in certain settings. Health clubs need at least one employee with first aid, CPR and AED training. Since 2025-26, high school coaches must hold valid CPR and AED certification. School cardiac plan staff must be trained in CPR, first aid and AED use, if funded.
Does Michigan law require AED inspections?
Only for some AED owners. From 2025-26, each public and nonpublic school's cardiac emergency response plan must provide for routine maintenance of the school's AEDs, but schools need not comply unless the Legislature appropriates enough money (MCL 29.19b(3)(d), (7)).
Do you have to register an AED in Michigan?
No. Michigan 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 Michigan law require after an AED is used?
Michigan law doesn’t require a report after an AED is used. Call 911 anyway, then replace the pads, check the AED and its rescue kit, and write down what happened while it’s fresh.
Are AEDs required in Michigan schools?
No. Michigan law doesn’t require AEDs in schools or at school sports. It does require schools to have a cardiac emergency response plan.
Do Michigan schools need a cardiac emergency response plan?
Yes. From the 2025-26 school year, every public and nonpublic school must adopt a cardiac emergency response plan based on AHA or similar guidelines: response team, AED placement and upkeep, training, yearly drills, EMS integration and review every 3 years, including athletic events.
Do gyms in Michigan need an AED?
Michigan law requires AEDs at health clubs (fitness centers, studios and clubs; hotel gyms, single-sport training sites and weight-loss centers are exempt).
What does the Michigan Good Samaritan law cover?
MCL 691.1501 protects physicians, PAs, nurses and licensed EMS providers who give unpaid emergency care at the scene with no prior patient relationship, unless grossly negligent or willful and wanton.
Does the Michigan Good Samaritan law protect someone who uses an AED?
Yes for the rescuer, less so for the owner. A volunteer with no duty to act is protected unless grossly negligent, but premises owners are shielded only from liability for the rescuer's acts, not their own negligence (MCL 691.1504).
Which Michigan laws cover AEDs?
Michigan’s AED rules come from MCL 691.1504 (1963 PA 17, § 4); MCL 691.1501 (1963 PA 17, § 1); MCL 333.26311-333.26314 (2006 PA 23, health club AED act); MCL 29.19b (Fire Prevention Code § 19b, added by 2024 PA 36); and three more, each linked to its official text on this page.