Not legal advice. This guide explains how Florida AED statutes are structured. Confirm current statute text, and consult a Florida-licensed attorney for decisions about your organization.
Quick answer
Florida does not require most businesses or gyms to own an AED. The mandates cover dental offices, assisted living facilities with 17 or more beds, and public schools.
If you own an AED, Florida's Cardiac Arrest Survival Act protects you from civil liability, provided you maintain and test it and train employees expected to use it.
Florida AED Law at a Glance
| Setting or topic | What Florida law says | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Private businesses and gyms | No general AED mandate | No statute |
| Dental offices | Every office location must have an AED | F.A.C. 64B5-17.015 |
| Assisted living facilities | A functioning AED on premises at all times if 17 or more beds | F.S. 429.255 |
| FHSAA member schools | AED available at every athletic contest, practice, and workout | F.S. 1006.165 |
| All public schools | At least one AED by July 1, 2027, plus a PULSE plan | F.S. 1003.457 |
| EMS notification | Encouraged for most owners, required for FHSAA schools | F.S. 401.2915, 1006.165 |
| Liability protection | Users and acquirers immune, with conditions | F.S. 768.1325 |
| Tampering | Disabling an AED is a first degree misdemeanor | F.S. 401.2915 |
Who Is Required to Have an AED in Florida?
Florida mandates AEDs in specific settings only. Every dental office location has needed one since February 28, 2006, under Board of Dentistry rule 64B5-17.015. A dentist practicing without one is practicing below the minimum standard of care.
Assisted living facilities licensed with 17 or more beds must keep a functioning AED on the premises at all times. Public schools have their own rules, covered below.
There is no statewide mandate for offices, retail, gyms, hotels, golf courses, or pools.
Florida has no fitness facility AED statute. Its health studio law (F.S. 501.012 to 501.019) regulates membership contracts, not emergency equipment.
For high-traffic Florida settings, see our hotel AED packages, golf course AED packages, and swimming pool AED packages. Offices can start with the best AEDs for offices.
Florida Good Samaritan and AED Liability Protection
Florida has two statutes. The Good Samaritan Act (F.S. 768.13) protects anyone who gives emergency care in good faith and without pay, acting as an ordinary reasonably prudent person would.
The Cardiac Arrest Survival Act (F.S. 768.1325) covers AEDs specifically. Anyone who uses or attempts to use an AED on a victim of a perceived medical emergency, without the victim's objection, is immune from civil liability for resulting harm.
The conditions on your business's protection
The organization that acquired the AED is also immune, but not if the harm resulted from its failure to properly maintain and test the device.
Protection is also lost if the acquirer failed to give appropriate training to an employee who used the AED.
Three exceptions apply: the device has audible, visual, or written instructions; the employee was not reasonably expected to use it; or too little time had passed since they started.
What immunity never covers. Willful or criminal misconduct, gross negligence, reckless disregard, or conscious, flagrant indifference to the victim's safety.
It also excludes licensed health professionals acting within their scope of practice, and harm caused by hospital and clinic staff.
For condo and HOA boards: an insurer may not require a community association that acquires an AED to buy medical malpractice coverage as a condition of issuing its other coverage.
The practical takeaway: log your maintenance and testing, and train the staff you expect to respond. Our business AED packages bundle the device, pads, battery, and a wall sign so the program starts complete.
What Florida AED Owners Should Do
- Maintain and test the AED per the manufacturer's instructions. This is the condition your liability protection depends on.
- Notify local EMS. Florida encourages every owner to tell the local EMS medical director or 911 center where the AED is located.
- Train likely responders. Florida encourages every AED user to complete CPR training, and appropriate training protects the acquirer.
- Call 911 on every use. Anyone who uses an AED must activate the EMS system as soon as possible.
Florida sets no inspection interval, so follow your manufacturer. A monthly visual check logged on an Avid Safety AED inspection tag is the simplest proof of maintenance. Track expiration dates for AED replacement pads and AED replacement batteries.
Is a prescription required?
Florida adds no prescription rule of its own. Federal FDA rules require one for every AED except the three cleared for over-the-counter sale: the Philips HeartStart OnSite AED, the Philips HeartStart Home, and the HeartSine samaritan PAD 350P.
Our AED value packages include the prescription at no charge.
Florida School AED Requirements
Florida now has two school AED laws. Many online guides only cover the first.
Athletics: F.S. 1006.165
Every public school that is an FHSAA member must have an operational AED on school grounds. It must be in a clearly marked and publicized location for each athletic contest, practice, workout, or conditioning session, including those outside the school year.
Since June 1, 2021, an employee or volunteer with current CPR and AED training must be present at each athletic event. The AED's location must be registered with the local EMS medical director, and trained staff must be notified of it in writing every year.
Under HB 865 (2024), athletic coaches at all public schools, not only FHSAA members, must hold and maintain CPR, first aid, and AED certification.
Every public school: F.S. 1003.457 (2025)
By July 1, 2027, every public school, including charter schools, must have at least one operational AED on school grounds in a clearly marked and publicized location.
Each school must also adopt a PULSE plan (Plan for Urgent Lifesaving Emergencies) for sudden cardiac arrest response, train appropriate staff in first aid, CPR, and AED use, and keep maintenance verification records.
Students also receive CPR training that includes AED use once in middle school and once in high school under F.S. 1003.453. See our school AED packages, the best AEDs for schools, and AED trainers for hands-on classes.
Frequently Asked Questions
Who is required to have an AED in Florida?
Dental offices, assisted living facilities with 17 or more beds, and FHSAA member public schools. By July 1, 2027, every public school, including charter schools, must also have one. Most other businesses have no state mandate.
Does Florida require AEDs in gyms?
No. Florida has no fitness facility AED statute. Its health studio law (F.S. 501.012 to 501.019) covers membership contracts, not emergency equipment.
Are there different AED requirements for a private office versus a public gym in Florida?
No. Neither has a state AED mandate, and the same Cardiac Arrest Survival Act protections and conditions apply to both. A dental office is the exception, since every dental office location must have an AED.
Are AEDs required in Florida schools?
Yes. FHSAA member schools must have an AED available at every athletic contest, practice, and workout. By July 1, 2027, every public school, including charter schools, must have at least one AED and a PULSE plan.
What is the Florida Good Samaritan Act?
F.S. 768.13 protects people who give emergency care in good faith and without pay, if they act as a reasonably prudent person would. AED use is covered separately by F.S. 768.1325, which grants immunity to users and to the organizations that acquire AEDs.
How often should AEDs be inspected in Florida?
Florida law sets no fixed interval. It requires proper maintenance and testing for liability protection, so follow your manufacturer's schedule. A logged monthly visual check is common practice.
Is a prescription required for an AED in Florida?
Yes, for most models, under federal FDA rules rather than Florida law. Only the Philips HeartStart OnSite, Philips HeartStart Home, and HeartSine samaritan PAD 350P are sold over the counter.
Does Florida law require me to register my AED with local emergency services?
Not for most owners. F.S. 401.2915 encourages notifying the local EMS medical director or 911 center of the AED's location. Registration is mandatory for FHSAA member schools under F.S. 1006.165.
What signage do I need to post near my AED in a Florida business?
Florida sets no signage rule for private businesses. Schools must keep AEDs in a clearly marked and publicized location. A visible AED sign still helps a bystander find the unit fast.
Is online-only AED training valid for Florida workplace requirements?
Florida sets no training format for private workplaces. Its liability law asks for appropriate training, and a hands-on skills check is the safer standard. Public school coaches need certification that follows national evidence-based guidelines.
Related Resources
Sources: F.S. 768.1325; F.S. 401.2915; F.S. 1006.165; F.S. 1003.457; F.S. 768.13, 429.255, 1003.453.
Also: Fla. Admin. Code 64B5-17.015; HB 865 (2024); F.S. 501.012 to 501.019 (health studios).
