A plain-language breakdown of Minn. Stat. 403.51 (public access AED registration), 604A.01 (Good Samaritan and duty to assist), and 121A.241 (school CERP requirement, effective August 1, 2025).
Minnesota’s AED framework has three distinct layers. The first is a registration and maintenance requirement under Minn. Stat. 403.51 that applies to any AED marked or displayed for public access: the device must be registered with an approved AED registry within 30 working days, maintained with a program that tracks and replaces expiring batteries and pads, and covered by a facility-specific emergency response plan. Public safety agencies have authority to inspect registered devices and can order a non-compliant AED removed from public access.
The second layer is the Good Samaritan statute, Minn. Stat. 604A.01, which is broader than most state equivalents. Minnesota not only protects rescuers from civil liability but also imposes a legal duty to assist anyone in grave physical harm at a scene of emergency, provided doing so doesn’t endanger the rescuer. Failure to assist is a petty misdemeanor. AED use is explicitly covered as emergency care under this statute.
The third layer is a new school requirement. Minn. Stat. 121A.241, enacted via HF No. 5 in 2025 and effective August 1, 2025, requires every school district and charter school to adopt a Cardiac Emergency Response Plan beginning the 2026-2027 school year. Those plans must cover AED placement, emergency response team formation, and annual drills, including response to cardiac emergencies at athletic events on and off school grounds. The Minnesota State High School League must adopt a matching plan and ensure a cardiac emergency response team is present at each interscholastic athletic event it governs.
Not legal advice. This page summarizes publicly available statutes for informational purposes. Laws change and individual circumstances vary — consult a qualified attorney or the Minnesota Department of Health before relying on this for compliance decisions.
⚠️ Minnesota has a legal duty to assist — unique among most states
Minn. Stat. 604A.01 requires anyone who knows another person is in grave physical harm at a scene of emergency to give reasonable assistance. Failing to help is a petty misdemeanor. Minnesota is one of a small number of states that criminalize bystander inaction at emergency scenes.
Every school district and charter school must adopt a Cardiac Emergency Response Plan covering AED placement, team formation, drills, and athletic event response (Minn. Stat. 121A.241, effective August 1, 2025).
Bystander failure to assist someone in grave physical harm is a petty misdemeanor under Minn. Stat. 604A.01. Most states only provide immunity; Minnesota also imposes a duty.
Any AED marked or displayed for public access must be registered with an approved AED registry within 30 working days. Mobile and private-use AEDs are exempt.
Minnesota AED Requirements at a Glance
| Requirement | Summary |
|---|---|
| Public access AED registration | Any AED marked or displayed for public access must be registered with an approved AED registry within 30 working days. Mobile AEDs and private-use AEDs are exempt but encouraged to maintain. |
| Maintenance program | The AED registry used must include a maintenance program that alerts the owner when batteries and pads are due to expire, or replaces them. |
| Emergency response plan | The owner of one or more public access AEDs must develop an emergency response plan appropriate for the nature of the facility. |
| Public safety agency inspection | A public safety agency with jurisdiction over the AED’s location may inspect it during regular business hours and may order the AED removed from public access if it is not ready for immediate use. |
| Duty to assist MN-specific | A person who knows another person is exposed to or has suffered grave physical harm must give reasonable assistance to the extent they can do so without danger to themselves or others. Failure is a petty misdemeanor. |
| Good Samaritan immunity | Any person who renders emergency care, including AED use, without compensation is not liable for civil damages unless they acted in a willful and wanton or reckless manner. |
| School CERP (2026-2027) New — 2025 | School districts and charter schools must adopt a Cardiac Emergency Response Plan beginning the 2026-2027 school year, covering AED placement, team formation, annual drills, and athletic event response. |
| Minnesota State High School League | Must adopt a CERP and ensure a cardiac emergency response team is present at each interscholastic athletic activity it governs. |
| Student CPR/AED instruction | School districts must provide one-time CPR and AED instruction as part of the grades 7 through 12 curriculum. Certification is not required. |
Minnesota AED Statutes
Minn. Stat. 403.51
Automatic external defibrillation — registration
Public access AED registration, maintenance program, emergency response plan, inspection authority
▾
Subdivision 1 — Definitions. A public access AED is one intended, by its markings or display, to be used by the general public. It excludes AEDs owned by hospitals, clinics, businesses, or organizations that are intended for staff use only and are not marked to encourage public access. Mobile AEDs (kept in vehicles or used at athletic events without stationary storage) and private-use AEDs (including those in private residences) are separately defined and are exempt from registration requirements, though encouraged to maintain in similar fashion.
Subdivision 2 — Registration. Each public access AED must be registered with an approved registry within 30 working days of receiving the device. Registration must include the AED’s manufacturer, model, and serial number; the specific location where it will be kept; and the title, address, and telephone number of a management contact. Any changes must be reported to the registry within 30 working days.
Subdivision 5 — Public access AED requirements. The device must be kept at the registered location, reasonably maintained including timely replacement of dead batteries and pads, and must comply with all manufacturer recall and safety notices. It may be inspected during regular business hours by a public safety agency with jurisdiction over the location.
Subdivision 10 — Emergency response plan. The owner of one or more public access AEDs must develop an emergency response plan appropriate for the nature of the facility the AED is intended to serve.
Subdivision 11 clarifies that this section does not itself create civil liability for an AED owner.
Minn. Stat. 604A.01
Good Samaritan law — duty to assist and civil immunity
Broader than most states: imposes a duty to assist + provides immunity for AED use
▾
Subdivision 2 — Civil immunity. Any person who, without compensation or the expectation of compensation, renders emergency care, advice, or assistance at the scene of an emergency or during transit to medical care is not liable for civil damages. Immunity does not apply if the person acted in a willful and wanton or reckless manner, or if they were rendering care in the course of regular employment while receiving or expecting compensation for that care.
Minn. Stat. 121A.241
Cardiac emergency response plan for schools (effective August 1, 2025)
Required beginning 2026-2027 school year — includes MSHSL athletic events
▾
Each plan must address AED placement on school grounds according to recognized cardiovascular care guidelines, how school personnel will respond to cardiac emergencies including at school-sponsored athletic events on and off school grounds, establishment of a cardiac emergency response team, and annual CERP drills for staff and students.
Minn. Stat. 121A.035
Commissioner’s model crisis management policy
Schools may adopt the MDE model CERP in lieu of developing one independently
▾
Directs the Commissioner of Education to maintain and make available to school boards and charter schools a model crisis management policy that includes, among other items, cardiac emergency response plans. A school board or charter school may adopt the model CERP provided by the commissioner in lieu of developing one independently.
Minn. Stat. 120B.236
CPR and AED instruction for students
One-time instruction in grades 7 through 12 — certification not required
▾
School districts must provide one-time CPR and AED instruction as part of the grades 7 through 12 health or physical education curriculum for all students, beginning with the 2014-2015 school year. The instruction is not required to result in CPR certification.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does Minnesota require AED registration?+
Yes, for public access AEDs specifically. Any AED that is marked or displayed to encourage use by the general public must be registered with an approved AED registry within 30 working days of acquisition. Private-use and mobile AEDs are exempt, though encouraged to maintain in similar fashion.
What qualifies as a public access AED in Minnesota?+
An AED is a public access AED if its markings or display indicate it is intended for use by the general public in the vicinity of the device. Staff-only AEDs in hospitals, clinics, businesses, or organizations that are not marked for public access are not public access AEDs under Minn. Stat. 403.51.
Does Minnesota have a duty to assist law?+
Yes. Minn. Stat. 604A.01 requires anyone who knows another person is in grave physical harm at a scene of emergency to give reasonable assistance, as long as doing so doesn’t endanger them. Failing to help is a petty misdemeanor, making Minnesota one of a small number of states that criminalize bystander inaction.
Who is protected by Minnesota’s Good Samaritan law?+
Any person who renders emergency care, including AED use, without compensation is protected from civil liability under Minn. Stat. 604A.01, unless they acted with willful and wanton or reckless conduct. The law covers unpaid volunteers, members of nonprofit organizations, and others acting outside their regular employment.
Do Minnesota schools need AEDs?+
Minn. Stat. 121A.241 requires school districts and charter schools to adopt a Cardiac Emergency Response Plan beginning the 2026-2027 school year. That plan must include AED placement on school grounds according to cardiovascular care guidelines. State grant funding is available to help schools purchase AEDs and implement their plans.
Can a public safety agency remove an AED from service?+
Yes. Under Minn. Stat. 403.51, subdivision 6, an authorized agent of a public safety agency with jurisdiction over the AED’s location may direct the owner to remove the device from public access and cover any public signage if the AED is determined not to be ready for immediate use.
Keep your Minnesota AED program compliant
Minnesota’s 30-day registration window, maintenance program requirement, and the 2026-2027 school CERP deadline all create ongoing documentation needs. AED Log tracks registration status, expiration alerts, and inspection records across every device in one dashboard.
Statutes cited from the Minnesota Office of the Revisor of Statutes. This page reflects legislation through the 2025 legislative session.
This page is for informational purposes only and is not legal advice. For guidance specific to your situation, consult a qualified attorney or the Minnesota Department of Health.