What to check on an AED every month
A monthly AED inspection confirms four things: the AED says it’s ready, its pads and battery are in date, it’s clean and undamaged, and it’s where it should be with its cabinet working. It takes a few minutes per AED.
An AED tests its own battery and circuits automatically, but it can’t tell you that it was moved, that its cabinet is blocked or that someone took the rescue kit. The monthly check is the human half. ZOLL recommends monthly visual inspections and notes that some states require them more often, and the American Heart Association’s guide to AED programs says to assign people to perform monthly AED checks.
State law usually backs this up. The AED law data in AED Log lists 34 states that require AED owners to properly inspect and maintain their AEDs, and in 28 of them the rule ties that duty to the manufacturer’s guidelines. See AED inspection requirements for the details.
The monthly AED inspection checklist
These are the seven questions in AED Log’s monthly AED inspection, the same ones on our free PDF. Each shows the answer that passes: any other answer fails the inspection.
| Question | Passes | What to look for |
|---|---|---|
| 1. Is the status indicator light green or flashing green? | Yes | The indicator shows the last self-test passed: a green check, a green light or “OK”, depending on the model. |
| 2. Is the AED chirping or beeping? | No | Stand still and listen for a few seconds. A beep or chirp means the AED has found a problem. |
| 3. Are the pads expired? | No | Read the use-by date on the pads package, cartridge or lid window. Check pediatric pads too. |
| 4. Is the battery expired? | No | Read the install-by or expiration date on the battery label. |
| 5. Is the AED visibly damaged? | No | Look for cracks, a broken lid, or damaged cables and connectors. |
| 6. Is the AED clear of debris and moisture? | Yes | The AED and its case are clean and dry, with no dust or condensation. |
| 7. If there is an AED wall cabinet with an alarm, is the door alarm working? | Yes | Open the cabinet door briefly: the alarm should sound. Skip it if there’s no alarmed cabinet. |
Many programs also check the rescue kit (gloves, a razor, trauma shears and a CPR mask), the AED sign and whether a spare set of pads is on hand. In AED Log you can add those as extra questions; past inspections keep the questions they were answered against.
How to fill in an AED inspection tag or log sheet
For every check, write the date, your initials and the result, and note any problem and what you did about it. A tag hangs on the AED itself; a log sheet keeps a year of checks on one page.
- Fill in the header once: the AED’s location and serial number, and the pads’ and battery’s expiration dates.
- Each month, answer the seven questions, then write the date and your initials in that month’s row.
- If anything fails, mark it, take the AED out of service and write down what you did and when it was fixed.
- When pads or a battery are replaced, update the expiration dates in the header.
- At year end, start a new sheet and keep the old one with the AED’s records.
Philips ships a maintenance tag with its HeartStart AEDs for recording the pads’ expiration date and the battery’s install-by date, and our free AED log sheet and inspection tag work with any brand.
Inspection checklists by brand: ZOLL, Philips, HeartSine and more
Every manufacturer asks owners to check the status indicator and the pads’ and battery’s dates regularly, but they differ on how often and on what else to look at. Your AED’s manual is the final word.
- ZOLL (AED Plus, AED 3): monthly visual inspections. ZOLL’s checklist covers knowing your state’s law, a clean and undamaged unit, a passing status indicator, an uncracked housing, sealed and in-date electrodes, intact cables, an in-date battery, and storage that’s visible, accessible and within the temperature range. ZOLL publishes it as a web page rather than a PDF.
- Philips (HeartStart OnSite, FRx): check the Ready light, the supplies and the outside of the unit periodically, and log each check.
- HeartSine (samaritan PAD): check the status indicator weekly, and check for damage and the Pad-Pak’s expiration date monthly. A 2026 recall added a maintenance supplement with an extra check every three months for some 350P, 360P and 450P units.
- Stryker (LIFEPAK CR2): verify readiness at least monthly. The LIFEPAK 1000 manual includes a user’s checklist and suggests a weekly look at units that are rarely used.
- ZOLL Powerheart G5: at least monthly: the Rescue Ready indicator, battery, display, pads and their expiration date, and buttons.
- Defibtech (Lifeline): a daily look at the status indicator, and a monthly check of condition and expiration dates.
- Avive Connect: check the status light periodically and keep the battery charged.
Looking for a ZOLL AED inspection checklist PDF? Our free PDF covers the same points as ZOLL’s web checklist and works for every brand on this list.
What to do when a check fails
Take the AED out of service, tell the people responsible, fix the cause or call the manufacturer, and record what you did. Don’t leave a failed AED on the wall looking ready.
- Mark it. Put a note on the cabinet and point responders to the nearest working AED.
- Fix what you can. Most failures are expired pads or a low battery, which you can replace yourself.
- Call the manufacturer for anything else, such as a red indicator that won’t clear or physical damage.
- Re-inspect once it’s fixed, and record the result.
Our self-test and status indicator guide explains what each brand’s warning lights and beeps mean. In AED Log, a failed answer opens a corrective action, marks the AED not safe to use and alerts the people responsible; a passing inspection clears it.
Download the free AED inspection checklist PDF
Our free AED inspection checklist PDF puts the seven monthly checks on one page, with space to record the inspection. No email required.
Download the AED inspection checklist PDFPDF, letter size. No email required.
Print one for each inspection, or use the AED inspection log sheet to record twelve months on one page. Both ask the same questions as AED Log, so moving from paper later doesn’t change your routine. More on the AED inspection checklist PDF page.
AED inspection checklist FAQ
What should an AED monthly checklist include?
The status indicator shows ready, the AED isn’t chirping, the pads and battery are in date, it’s undamaged, clean and dry, and any cabinet alarm works. Then record the date, your initials and the result.
Who should do the monthly AED inspection?
Anyone you assign and show how, often the site contact, a facilities lead or a trained responder. The American Heart Association’s AED program guide says to assign people to perform monthly AED checks. Name a backup for vacations.
What is an AED log sheet?
A one-page record of an AED’s inspections: the AED’s location, serial number and pad and battery dates at the top, then a row for each month with the date, initials and result. Download our free AED log sheet.
Is there a ZOLL AED inspection checklist PDF?
ZOLL publishes its AED maintenance checklist as a web page rather than a PDF. Our free AED inspection checklist PDF covers the same points and works for ZOLL, Philips, HeartSine, Stryker and other AEDs.
What happens when an AED fails an inspection?
AED Log opens a corrective action, marks the AED not safe to use and raises an alert for the people responsible. Resolve the corrective action or record a passing inspection, and the flag and the alert clear on their own.