New Hampshire AED requirements at a glance
Here is what New Hampshire 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 | Yes | Anyone who acquires an AED must require the people expected to use it to be trained in CPR and AED use. Others may still use the AED (RSA 153-A:30). |
| Notify agencies of AEDs | Yes | Through program registration and AED placement reporting: see those rows. |
| Register the program | Yes | AED owners must register each AED with the state Department of Safety registry within 30 days of getting it. AEDs bought for use in a private home are exempt (RSA 153-A:32, 153-A:33). |
| Report AED locations | Yes | The same Department of Safety registration must give the AED's address and exact location. The department may share it with first responders through enhanced 911 during an emergency (RSA 153-A:32, 153-A:33). |
| Physician medical direction | No | Not in state law. |
| 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 | Every school district and nonpublic school with any of grades 4 to 12 must have an emergency action plan for serious sports injuries. It must list AED locations and CPR/AED-trained staff. It covers athletics only, not the whole school (RSA 200:40-c, I; in effect since Sept. 1, 2022, amended 2024 and 2025). |
| Other requirements | Limited | Schools with AEDs must keep at least one at each athletic venue, well marked and easy to reach, not locked in an office (RSA 200:40-c, I(f)(2)-(3)). |
| AEDs required at specific sites | No | Not in state law. |
Compare nearby states: Maine, Vermont, Massachusetts and New York, or see every state on the AED laws by state table.
Is medical direction required in New Hampshire?
No. New Hampshire 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
Yes. New Hampshire law requires CPR and AED training for the people expected to use an AED.
Anyone who acquires an AED must require the people expected to use it to be trained in CPR and AED use. Others may still use the AED (RSA 153-A:30).
In grades 6 to 12, a CPR-trained person must supervise organized school sports (RSA 200:40-c, I(h)).
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. New Hampshire sets maintenance rules for some AED owners, not all.
No general rule for AED owners.
Schools with any of grades 4 to 12 that have AEDs must check and maintain them regularly, following the manufacturer's instructions (RSA 200:40-c, I(f)(1)).
The AED immunity covers an owner that "acquires and maintains" an AED, but sets no maintenance standard (RSA 153-A:31).
Written plan and records: No general rule for AED owners. School districts and nonpublic schools with any of grades 4 to 12 must keep an emergency action plan for serious sports injuries that documents procedures, trained staff, and AED locations (RSA 200:40-c, I).
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
Yes. New Hampshire requires AED programs to register and to report where their AEDs are.
Registration: AED owners must register each AED with the state Department of Safety registry within 30 days of getting it. AEDs bought for use in a private home are exempt (RSA 153-A:32, 153-A:33).
Placement reporting: The same Department of Safety registration must give the AED's address and exact location. The department may share it with first responders through enhanced 911 during an emergency (RSA 153-A:32, 153-A:33).
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
No. New Hampshire 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 New Hampshire
No. New Hampshire law doesn’t require AEDs at any particular kind of site.
That doesn’t make an AED optional everywhere: insurers, landlords, accreditors and other rules can still ask for one, and an AED is the only treatment that can restart a heart in cardiac arrest.
School cardiac emergency plans: Every school district and nonpublic school with any of grades 4 to 12 must have an emergency action plan for serious sports injuries. It must list AED locations and CPR/AED-trained staff. It covers athletics only, not the whole school (RSA 200:40-c, I; in effect since Sept. 1, 2022, amended 2024 and 2025).
See AEDs in schools by state to compare, and our cardiac emergency response plan template for a starting point.
Other New Hampshire AED rules
Schools with AEDs must keep at least one at each athletic venue, well marked and easy to reach, not locked in an office (RSA 200:40-c, I(f)(2)-(3)).
Sellers, not owners, must tell buyers in writing about the registration duty (RSA 153-A:33, II).
Does New Hampshire's Good Samaritan law protect AED users?
Yes. Under New Hampshire law, anyone using an AED in good faith is protected, and so is the AED’s owner, with only the usual exceptions.
What the New Hampshire (NH) Good Samaritan law covers: Anyone who gives emergency care in good faith at an emergency or to a crime victim can’t be held liable for civil damages unless willfully or wantonly negligent, as long as the person is not paid by or for the patient. The rescuer must hand the patient to a qualified caregiver as soon as possible.
AED-specific protection: Anyone who uses an AED in good faith without being paid is shielded from civil damages unless grossly negligent or willful and wanton. Training is not a condition. A person or group that “acquires and maintains” an AED for emergencies is protected the same way, and other immunity laws still apply.
Statutes and sources
Every answer on this page comes from these laws, read on New Hampshire’s official legislature or code website.
- N.H. Rev. Stat. Ann. §§ 153-A:28 to 153-A:33: Automated External Defibrillator (intent, definition, training, liability, registry)
- N.H. Rev. Stat. Ann. § 200:40-c: Emergency Plans for Sports Related Injuries
- N.H. Rev. Stat. Ann. § 200:40-d: AED Fund
- N.H. Rev. Stat. Ann. § 508:12: Aid at Scene of Emergency or to Victim of Crime
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 New Hampshire
AED Log keeps the records New Hampshire 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.
New Hampshire AED laws FAQ
Are businesses required to have an AED in New Hampshire?
No. Neither New Hampshire law nor federal OSHA requires businesses to have an AED. An insurer, landlord or accreditor may still ask for one.
Do you need medical direction for an AED in New Hampshire?
No. New Hampshire 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 New Hampshire?
Yes. Anyone who acquires an AED must require the people expected to use it to be trained in CPR and AED use. Others may still use the AED (RSA 153-A:30). In grades 6 to 12, a CPR-trained person must supervise organized school sports (RSA 200:40-c, I(h)).
Does New Hampshire law require AED inspections?
Only for some AED owners. Schools with any of grades 4 to 12 that have AEDs must check and maintain them regularly, following the manufacturer's instructions. The AED immunity covers an owner that "acquires and maintains" an AED, but sets no maintenance standard.
Do you have to register an AED in New Hampshire?
Yes. AED owners must register each AED with the state Department of Safety registry within 30 days of getting it. AEDs bought for use in a private home are exempt (RSA 153-A:32, 153-A:33).
What does New Hampshire law require after an AED is used?
New Hampshire 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 New Hampshire schools?
No. New Hampshire law doesn’t require AEDs in schools or at school sports. It does require schools to have a cardiac emergency response plan.
Do New Hampshire schools need a cardiac emergency response plan?
Yes. Every school district and nonpublic school with any of grades 4 to 12 must have an emergency action plan for serious sports injuries. It must list AED locations and CPR/AED-trained staff. It covers athletics only, not the whole school.
Do gyms in New Hampshire need an AED?
No. New Hampshire law doesn’t require health clubs or gyms to have an AED.
What does the New Hampshire Good Samaritan law cover?
Anyone who gives emergency care in good faith at an emergency or to a crime victim can’t be held liable for civil damages unless willfully or wantonly negligent, as long as the person is not paid by or for the patient. The rescuer must hand the patient to a qualified caregiver as soon as possible.
Does the New Hampshire Good Samaritan law protect someone who uses an AED?
Yes. Any good-faith unpaid AED user, trained or not, and any person or group that acquires and maintains an AED are protected except for gross negligence or willful and wanton conduct (RSA 153-A:31).
Which New Hampshire laws cover AEDs?
New Hampshire’s AED rules come from N.H. Rev. Stat. Ann. §§ 153-A:28 to 153-A:33, N.H. Rev. Stat. Ann. § 200:40-c, N.H. Rev. Stat. Ann. § 200:40-d and N.H. Rev. Stat. Ann. § 508:12, each linked to its official text on this page.