Not legal advice. This guide explains how AED registration requirements generally work. Confirm current statute text for your state, and consult a licensed attorney for decisions about your specific organization.
Quick answer
There is no single federal AED registration law. Aed registration requirements by state range from a mandatory statewide registry to a simple duty to notify local EMS to fully voluntary.
Skipping registration rarely triggers a fine, but it can narrow the liability protection tied to your AED program in several states.
1. Do I Need to Register My AED With EMS?
In most states, yes, in some form. The exact duty ranges from a formal state registry to a simple notification to your local emergency medical services agency or 911 center.
California, Texas, and Illinois require the AED owner to notify local EMS of the device's existence, location, and type, though none of the three run a centralized public registry for this.
New York is different: Public Health Law 3000-b requires every owner to register the AED with the state Department of Health, which keeps a public database.
Florida and Pennsylvania sit at the other end. Both encourage notifying local EMS or 911, but neither makes it mandatory for most private owners.
2. Are AEDs Required to Be Registered in the US?
Not universally. No federal statute requires AED registration nationwide.
The federal Cardiac Arrest Survival Act, 42 U.S.C. §238q, conditions the device acquirer's own immunity on notifying local emergency response personnel of the AED's placement, which functions like a registration duty without formally being one.
Why this gets confusing: a state can require registration as a legal duty on its own, or condition liability protection on notification, or do neither and leave it voluntary. All three patterns exist among the states we cover below.
3. AED Registration Requirements by State: A Comparison
Here is how six states we cover handle AED registration, ranging from mandatory to fully voluntary.
| State | Registration duty | Source |
|---|---|---|
| New York | Mandatory registration with the Department of Health, which keeps a public database | Public Health Law §3000-b |
| California | Mandatory notification to local EMS agency, no centralized state registry | Health & Safety Code §1797.196 |
| Texas | Mandatory notification to local EMS provider at acquisition and after use | HSC §779.004, §779.005 |
| Illinois | Mandatory notification to local emergency dispatch or 911 center | 410 ILCS 4/20 |
| Florida | Encouraged, not mandatory for most owners; mandatory for FHSAA member schools | F.S. §401.2915 |
| Pennsylvania | No mandatory registry; voluntary notice to the county 911 center | No statute on point |
Full detail on each state's broader AED obligations, including training and workplace rules beyond registration, is in our guides to California AED laws, Texas AED laws, Florida AED laws, New York AED laws, Pennsylvania AED laws, and Illinois AED laws.
4. What Happens If You Don't Register Your AED?
The consequence depends entirely on which state you are in, and it is rarely a fine.
- In New York, skipping registration means you are out of compliance with a direct statutory requirement under PHL 3000-b.
- In California, Texas, and Illinois, notification is a condition tied to the statutory or Good Samaritan immunity extended to the AED's acquirer.
- In Florida and Pennsylvania, skipping voluntary notice carries no legal penalty, but it does mean 911 dispatch cannot direct a caller to your device.
The liability angle matters most. Several states and the federal Cardiac Arrest Survival Act condition the AED acquirer's own immunity on having notified EMS.
If your program skipped that step, your business's own liability protection can be narrower than you assume, even if the rescuer who used the device is still covered.
5. Who Is Responsible for AED Registration?
The device owner or acquirer, not the manufacturer or the person who eventually uses it in an emergency. Every state statute above places this duty on whoever purchased and maintains the AED, typically the business, school, or property owner.
For an organization with multiple locations, this usually means one designated coordinator tracking registration, maintenance, and training records across every site.
Our AED program management service is built around keeping that single record current.
6. Do Good Samaritan Laws Require AED Registration?
Not for the rescuer. A bystander's own Good Samaritan protection generally does not depend on whether the device was registered, as our Good Samaritan AED protections guide explains.
The owner's separate immunity is a different story. Several states, plus the federal statute, condition the acquirer's own protection on having notified EMS.
That notification duty functions as a registration-adjacent condition even where it is not formally labeled a registry.
7. How Do I Find My Local EMS Agency for AED Registration?
Start with your county or municipal EMS agency, which most states list on a public health or emergency services website. A local 911 dispatch center or county fire department can usually point you to the right office if a direct listing is hard to find.
A free, voluntary option also exists nationally. The PulsePoint National Emergency AED and Resource Registry lets any owner add a device through a mobile app, a browser form at aed.new, or an agency's own embedded form, at no charge.
It integrates with major 911 dispatch systems, including ProQA Paramount, APCO Intellicomm, ZOLL Dispatch, and RapidSOS Unite, so a dispatcher can direct a 911 caller to the nearest registered device during a cardiac arrest.
Voluntary does not mean optional if your state requires it. Registering with PulsePoint's national registry is a smart addition, but it does not replace a state-mandated duty like New York's.
It also does not replace the EMS notification duty owners face in California, Texas, and Illinois.
8. A Practical AED Registration Checklist
- Check your state's specific duty using the comparison table above or your state's own AED statute.
- Notify or register with the correct agency, whether that is a state Department of Health, a county EMS agency, or your local 911 center.
- Re-notify after any device relocation, since several states tie the duty to the AED's current location, not just its original placement.
- Add the device to the PulsePoint NEAR Registry as a free, nationwide layer on top of any state duty.
- Keep a dated record of every registration and notification, since this documentation supports your program's own liability protection.
9. Frequently Asked Questions
Do I need to register my AED with EMS?
In most states, yes, in some form. California, Texas, and Illinois require notifying local EMS. New York requires formal registration with the Department of Health. Florida and Pennsylvania only encourage it for most owners.
Are AEDs required to be registered in the US?
Not under a single federal law. Registration requirements are set state by state, and several states have no mandatory registry at all, relying instead on voluntary notice or no duty for most private owners.
What happens if I don't register my AED?
Usually no fine, but the consequence varies by state. New York treats registration as a direct legal requirement. Several other states condition the AED acquirer's liability immunity on notification, so skipping it can narrow your program's own protection.
Who is responsible for AED registration?
The device owner or acquirer, typically the business, school, or property owner, not the manufacturer or the person who eventually uses the AED in an emergency.
Do Good Samaritan laws require AED registration?
Not for the rescuer's own protection. Several states do condition the separate owner or acquirer immunity on having notified EMS, which functions similarly to a registration duty even where it isn't labeled a registry.
How do I find my local EMS agency for AED registration?
Start with your county or municipal EMS agency, or ask your local 911 dispatch center or fire department. The PulsePoint NEAR Registry also offers a free, nationwide option through aed.new.
Related Resources
Sources: 42 U.S.C. §238q (Cardiac Arrest Survival Act); Cal. Health & Safety Code §1797.196; Tex. Health & Safety Code §779.004, §779.005; 410 ILCS 4/20; Fla. Stat. §401.2915; N.Y. Public Health Law §3000-b.
Also: PulsePoint National Emergency AED and Resource Registry (pulsepoint.org); state statutes cited in full on our national AED compliance guide.
