Vermont AED requirements at a glance
Here is what Vermont 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 | Anyone who owns or leases an AED, or receives one as a donation, must maintain and test it to the manufacturer's standards (18 V.S.A. § 907(c)(2)). |
| Train expected users | Limited | No general rule for AED owners. |
| Notify agencies of AEDs | Yes | Through AED placement reporting: see that row. |
| Register the program | No | No registry. The owner's notice to the Department of Health is listed under Placement Reporting (18 V.S.A. § 907(c)(1)). |
| Report AED locations | Yes | Anyone who owns, leases or is given an AED must tell the Department of Health and its regional ambulance or first responder service that it has the AED, where it is, and what type it is (18 V.S.A. §§ 2(1), 907(c)(1)). |
| 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. |
| Call 911 when an AED is used | No | Not in state law. |
| School cardiac emergency plan | Yes | Public school districts and approved independent schools need a cardiac emergency response plan ready for the 2026-2027 school year. Each school's emergency plan must cover AED use, placement and maintenance, staff roles, CPR and AED training and drills. Schools with athletics also need an athletic emergency action plan (16 V.S.A. § 1480(d); 2025 Act 72, § 13). |
| Other requirements | Limited | Schools: from July 1, 2026, AEDs at each athletic venue must be clearly marked and easy to reach (16 V.S.A. § 1480(d)(1)(D)). |
| AEDs required at specific sites | Yes | School sports and schools. See the list below. |
Compare nearby states: New Hampshire, Massachusetts, New York and Maine, or see every state on the AED laws by state table.
Is medical direction required in Vermont?
No. Vermont 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. Vermont 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.
Schools: from July 1, 2026, each public and approved independent school's emergency operations plan must include required staff CPR and AED training and practice drills (16 V.S.A. § 1480(a), (b), (d)(1)(E))
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. Vermont law requires AED owners to keep each AED maintained and tested.
Anyone who owns or leases an AED, or receives one as a donation, must maintain and test it to the manufacturer's standards (18 V.S.A. § 907(c)(2)).
School emergency plans must also cover AED maintenance from July 1, 2026 (16 V.S.A. § 1480(d)(1)(A), (D))
Written plan and records: No general rule. Schools: each supervisory union or district, and each approved independent school, must adopt and keep an all-hazards emergency operations plan for every school site, reviewed every year; from July 1, 2026 it must include cardiac protocols (16 V.S.A. § 1480(a), (b), (d)).
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
Yes. Vermont requires AED owners to tell EMS, or another agency the law names, that they have an AED and where it is.
Placement reporting: Anyone who owns, leases or is given an AED must tell the Department of Health and its regional ambulance or first responder service that it has the AED, where it is, and what type it is (18 V.S.A. §§ 2(1), 907(c)(1)).
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. Vermont 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 Vermont
Yes. Vermont law requires AEDs at two kinds of sites.
- Athletic venues for public and approved independent school sports (since July 1, 2026, through each school’s emergency plan) 16 V.S.A. § 1480 (subsection (d) effective July 1, 2026)
- Public and approved independent school buildings (since July 1, 2026) 16 V.S.A. § 1480 (subsection (d) effective July 1, 2026)
School cardiac emergency plans: Public school districts and approved independent schools need a cardiac emergency response plan ready for the 2026-2027 school year. Each school's emergency plan must cover AED use, placement and maintenance, staff roles, CPR and AED training and drills. Schools with athletics also need an athletic emergency action plan (16 V.S.A. § 1480(d); 2025 Act 72, § 13).
See AEDs in schools by state to compare, and our cardiac emergency response plan template for a starting point.
Other Vermont AED rules
Schools: from July 1, 2026, AEDs at each athletic venue must be clearly marked and easy to reach (16 V.S.A. § 1480(d)(1)(D))
Does Vermont's Good Samaritan law protect AED users?
Partly. Vermont protects people who use an AED in good faith, but its protection for the AED’s owner is narrower.
What the Vermont (VT) Good Samaritan law covers: Vermont requires anyone who knows another person faces grave physical harm to give reasonable help if it is safe and no one else is helping, with a fine of up to $100 for willfully refusing. A person who helps is not liable unless grossly negligent or paid or expecting pay; the rules for health practitioners in normal practice are unchanged.
AED-specific protection: Anyone other than a health care provider or EMS worker on duty who uses an AED in good faith is protected unless grossly negligent or willful and wanton, with no training needed. People who acquire an AED or own the premises where it sits share that protection, but it does not extend to how they maintain and test the device.
Statutes and sources
Every answer on this page comes from these laws, read on Vermont’s official legislature or code website.
- 18 V.S.A. § 907: Automated external defibrillators
- 18 V.S.A. § 2(1): Definitions ("Department" means the Department of Health)
- 12 V.S.A. § 519: Emergency medical care (duty to assist and Good Samaritan immunity)
- 16 V.S.A. § 1480 (subsection (d) effective July 1, 2026): Emergency operations plans (school all-hazards plans; acute cardiac event protocols)
- 2025 Acts and Resolves No. 72, Secs. 12, 13 and 19 (H.480): Miscellaneous amendments to education law (cardiac emergency response plans; implementation in 2026-2027)
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 Vermont
AED Log keeps the records Vermont 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.
Vermont AED laws FAQ
Are businesses required to have an AED in Vermont?
No. Vermont law requires AEDs only at school sports and schools, not at businesses in general, and federal OSHA has no AED standard.
Where does Vermont law require an AED?
Vermont law requires AEDs in school sports and schools. See the full list, with each statute, on this page.
Do you need medical direction for an AED in Vermont?
No. Vermont 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 Vermont?
Only in certain settings. Schools: from July 1, 2026, each public and approved independent school's emergency operations plan must include required staff CPR and AED training and practice drills (16 V.S.A. § 1480(a), (b), (d)(1)(E)).
Does Vermont law require AED inspections?
Yes. Anyone who owns or leases an AED, or receives one as a donation, must maintain and test it to the manufacturer's standards (18 V.S.A. § 907(c)(2)). School emergency plans must also cover AED maintenance from July 1, 2026 (16 V.S.A. § 1480(d)(1)(A), (D)).
Do you have to register an AED in Vermont?
There’s no formal registration, but you must report the AED. Anyone who owns, leases or is given an AED must tell the Department of Health and its regional ambulance or first responder service that it has the AED, where it is, and what type it is (18 V.S.A. §§ 2(1), 907(c)(1)).
What does Vermont law require after an AED is used?
Vermont 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 Vermont schools?
Vermont law requires AEDs at athletic venues for public and approved independent school sports (since July 1, 2026, through each school’s emergency plan), plus public and approved independent school buildings (since July 1, 2026).
Do Vermont schools need a cardiac emergency response plan?
Yes. Public school districts and approved independent schools need a cardiac emergency response plan ready for the 2026-2027 school year. Each school's emergency plan must cover AED use, placement and maintenance, staff roles, CPR and AED training and drills.
Do gyms in Vermont need an AED?
No. Vermont law doesn’t require health clubs or gyms to have an AED.
What does the Vermont Good Samaritan law cover?
Vermont requires anyone who knows another person faces grave physical harm to give reasonable help if it is safe and no one else is helping, with a fine of up to $100 for willfully refusing.
Does the Vermont Good Samaritan law protect someone who uses an AED?
Yes for the rescuer, less so for the owner. Good-faith users, acquirers and premises owners are protected unless grossly negligent, but the owner's protection expressly excludes maintaining and testing the AED, so it stays liable for its own negligence there (18 V.S.A. § 907(d)).
Which Vermont laws cover AEDs?
Vermont’s AED rules come from 18 V.S.A. § 907; 18 V.S.A. § 2(1); 12 V.S.A. § 519; 16 V.S.A. § 1480 (subsection (d) effective July 1, 2026); and 2025 Acts and Resolves No. 72, Secs. 12, 13 and 19 (H.480), each linked to its official text on this page.