Not legal advice. This guide explains how Pennsylvania AED laws are structured. Confirm current statute text, and consult a Pennsylvania-licensed attorney for decisions about your organization.
Quick answer
Pennsylvania does not require most businesses to own an AED. Schools, assisted living residences, underground coal mines, and unstaffed health clubs are the settings with AED rules.
If you own an AED, the Good Samaritan law (42 Pa.C.S. 8331.2) protects you when you train expected users, maintain and test the device, and make sure 911 is called on every use.
Pennsylvania AED Law at a Glance
| Setting or topic | What Pennsylvania law says | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Offices and general businesses | No AED mandate | No statute |
| Staffed health clubs | A CPR-certified employee on site during all hours | 73 P.S. 2174 |
| Unstaffed health clubs | At least one AED, plus panic button and 911 phone | 73 P.S. 2174 |
| Schools | AED access for athletics, trained staff, response plans | Act 17 of 2026 |
| Assisted living residences | An AED in each building | 55 Pa. Code 2800.96 |
| Underground coal mines | AEDs at the mine entry and near each working face | 25 Pa. Code 208.70 |
| Liability protection | Immune unless grossly negligent, if program duties are met | 42 Pa.C.S. 8331.2 |
| Statewide registry | None for businesses; schools report to the state | 24 P.S. 14-1423 |
Pennsylvania AED Requirements for Businesses
No Pennsylvania law requires a general office, store, restaurant, or warehouse to have an AED. For most employers, an AED is a voluntary safety decision. The law's job is to protect a public access defibrillation program once you start one.
A few regulated settings are different. Assisted living residences must keep an AED in each building.
Underground coal mines must keep one on the surface near the mine entry and another within 1,000 feet of each active working face, with yearly AED training for mine personnel.
For industrial employers weighing a voluntary program, our manufacturing site AED packages cover high-risk floors. Offices can start with the best AEDs for offices or the best AED for small business.
Do Pennsylvania Gyms Need an AED?
Pennsylvania's Health Club Act (73 P.S. 2174, added in 2012) takes a different approach than most states. A staffed health club must have a CPR-certified employee on the premises during all hours of operation.
Clubs open more than eight hours a day and five days a week need more than one.
The AED requirement applies to unstaffed clubs, such as 24-hour key-fob gyms. A club operating without CPR-certified staff on site must provide at least one AED, a panic button, a 911 telephone, personal security devices, and warning signage.
Staffed clubs are not required to have an AED, but CPR alone cannot restore a normal heart rhythm in cardiac arrest. A defibrillator can. Our business AED packages suit fitness facilities.
Good Samaritan Law and Civil Immunity in Pennsylvania
Under 42 Pa.C.S. 8331.2, anyone who in good faith acquires and maintains an AED, or uses one in an emergency, is not liable for civil damages. The exception is conduct intentionally designed to cause harm, or grossly negligent acts or omissions.
Good faith includes a reasonable belief that the emergency is too urgent to delay using the AED. Immunity is lost by anyone who obstructs or interferes with care being given by EMS personnel or a health professional.
The four duties that keep your business protected
- Train expected users under American Heart Association, American Red Cross, or other national standards approved by the Department of Health.
- Maintain and test the AED according to the manufacturer's operational guidelines.
- Require users to call 911 and activate emergency medical services immediately.
- Share the AED's data with EMS or the treating health provider on request.
The statute does not require a physician's involvement or an EMS location filing. For classroom training, AED trainers and CPR manikins let staff practice without touching the live unit.
Pennsylvania AED Maintenance Laws
Pennsylvania does not set a fixed inspection interval for private owners. The standard is the manufacturer's operational guidelines, and meeting it is a condition of your civil immunity. Schools under Act 17 must also meet Department of Health specifications.
In practice, a sound maintenance program means a documented readiness check on the schedule in your owner's manual.
It also means replacing AED replacement pads and AED replacement batteries before their printed dates. A dated Avid Safety AED inspection tag makes each check visible.
Also check your model against current AED safety notices, and see when to replace an AED once a unit reaches the end of its service life.
PA AED Registry Requirements
Pennsylvania has no statewide AED registry that businesses must join. Section 8331.2 requires users to activate EMS during an emergency, but it does not require owners to file the AED's location.
Schools are the exception. Under Act 35 of 2014, school entities already report the number, condition, age, and placement of their AEDs to the Department of Education. Act 17 of 2026 expands this, with the first report under the new law due June 30, 2027.
Voluntary registration is still smart. Telling your county 911 center where your AED hangs lets a dispatcher direct a caller to it during a cardiac arrest.
Pennsylvania AED Laws for Schools
Greg Moyer's Law, Act 17 of 2026, was signed May 13, 2026. It applies to public school districts, charter and cyber charter schools, intermediate units, career and technical schools, and nonpublic schools. Schools have until May 13, 2029, to comply.
- AED access: AEDs must be readily accessible whenever students take part in athletic events or practices.
- Daily coverage: at least one CPR and AED trained person must be present in each school building during every school day.
- Staff training: CPR and AED instruction must be offered to employees and volunteers at least every two years. Nurses, coaches, athletic trainers, PE teachers, and marching band directors must hold certification.
- Response plans: schools with interscholastic athletics need a written cardiac emergency response plan and an annual sudden cardiac arrest drill.
- Support: the Department of Education will run an AED purchasing program, and nonpublic schools can receive grant funding.
Athletics are also covered by the Sudden Cardiac Arrest Prevention Act (Act 59 of 2012, updated by Act 73 of 2020). Coaches complete annual SCA training.
A student showing warning signs must be removed from play until cleared in writing by a physician, CRNP, or cardiologist.
For equipment, see our school AED packages and the best AEDs for schools. For AED placement in hallways, schools can compare AED wall cabinets.
Do You Need a Prescription for an AED in Pennsylvania?
Pennsylvania adds no prescription rule of its own. Federal FDA rules require a prescription for every AED except three sold over the counter: 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, along with the pads, battery, and sign a new program needs.
Frequently Asked Questions
Are Pennsylvania businesses mandated to have an AED?
No. For most businesses an AED is recommended, not required. The mandates cover schools, assisted living residences, underground coal mines, and health clubs that operate without CPR-certified staff on site.
Does Pennsylvania require AEDs in schools?
Yes. Greg Moyer's Law (Act 17 of 2026) requires AEDs to be readily accessible during athletic events and practices, with a CPR and AED trained person in every building each school day. Schools must comply by May 13, 2029.
What is the Good Samaritan Law in PA for AED use?
42 Pa.C.S. 8331.2 protects anyone who in good faith acquires, maintains, or uses an AED from civil damages, unless the conduct was intended to harm or grossly negligent. Owners keep it by training users, maintaining the AED, and requiring a 911 call.
If I use an AED on someone and they don't survive, can I be sued in PA?
Someone can file a claim, but acting in good faith gives you immunity from civil damages. The protection is lost only for intentional harm, gross negligence, or interfering with EMS care.
How often must an AED be inspected in Pennsylvania?
State law sets no fixed interval. It requires maintenance and testing according to the manufacturer's operational guidelines, so the schedule in your owner's manual is the legal standard.
What documentation do I need to keep for AED inspections?
Keep dated inspection records, pad and battery expiration dates, service or repair records, training records for expected users, and a record of every use. These prove you met the duties your immunity depends on.
Does my staff need to be officially certified, or just trained?
For most businesses, training is enough: expected users must be trained to AHA, Red Cross, or other approved national standards. Certification is required for health club CPR staff and for specific school roles under Act 17 of 2026.
How do I register my AED with local emergency services in Pennsylvania?
Pennsylvania has no mandatory AED registry for businesses. You can voluntarily give your county 911 center the AED's location. Schools report their AED inventory to the Department of Education.
Do you need a prescription for an AED in PA?
Yes, for most models, under federal FDA rules. Only the Philips HeartStart OnSite, Philips HeartStart Home, and HeartSine samaritan PAD 350P are sold over the counter.
What are the penalties for non-compliance with PA Act 35?
Act 35 of 2014 amended the School Code's AED program for schools, including annual AED reporting. It does not apply to businesses, and it does not set a penalty schedule.
Are there grants or tax breaks for AEDs in Pennsylvania businesses?
We found no Pennsylvania tax credit or state grant for business AED purchases. Schools get support: a state AED purchasing program and grants for nonpublic schools under Act 17 of 2026.
Does the law cover AEDs in private vehicles used for work?
No Pennsylvania law requires AEDs in work vehicles. If you keep one there, the same Good Samaritan duties apply. Store it in a protective AED carry case within the manufacturer's temperature range.
Related Resources
Sources: 42 Pa.C.S. 8331.2; 73 P.S. 2174 (Health Club Act); 24 P.S. 14-1423 and Act 35 of 2014 via the PA Department of Education AED Program; Act 17 of 2026 (SB 375).
Also: PA Department of Health, Sudden Cardiac Arrest Prevention Act; 55 Pa. Code 2800.96; 25 Pa. Code 208.70.
