California AED laws: what AED owners need to know

Is an AED required at my organization?

California does not require an AED in every building. The main statute says nothing in it or in Civil Code § 1714.21 requires a building owner or manager to install one (HSC § 1797.196(f)). Specific laws do require AEDs in these places:

• Certain buildings. Occupied buildings constructed on or after January 1, 2017, or older buildings renovated past set thresholds on or after January 1, 2020, must have an AED. This covers assembly buildings with an occupancy over 300, and business, educational, factory, institutional, mercantile and some residential buildings with an occupancy of 200 or more. Buildings owned or operated by local government and certain licensed health facilities (such as general acute care hospitals and skilled nursing facilities) are excluded, and an AED in a common area counts (HSC § 19300). Your building official can confirm whether your building is covered.
• Health studios (membership gyms; hotel guest gyms are excluded) must acquire and maintain an AED and train staff (HSC § 104113).
• Schools with sports. A school district or charter school that offers interscholastic athletics must acquire at least one AED for each participating school (Educ. Code § 35179.6).
• Electric utility worksites. Since January 1, 2026, utilities and their contractors must have an AED at worksites where two or more workers are on lines of 601 volts or more (PUC § 8310).

Inspection and maintenance

Section 1797.196 applies to any "person or entity that acquires an AED." It requires that the AED is maintained and tested according to the manufacturer's guidelines, and that it is "tested at least biannually and after each use." The statute also says to "ensure that an inspection is made of all AEDs on the premises at least every 90 days," looking for things like a blinking light or other obvious defect. Records of this maintenance and testing must be kept (HSC § 1797.196(b)(1)). The law doesn't define "biannually"; follow your manufacturer's schedule. Section 1797.196 does not apply to certain licensed health facilities, such as general acute care hospitals and skilled nursing facilities (§ 1797.196(h)).

Health studios have a stricter rule: the AED must be checked for readiness after each use and at least every 30 days if it hasn't been used, and the studio must keep records of these checks (HSC § 104113(e)(2)(B)).

Training

There is no general training requirement for every AED owner. Where an AED is placed in a building, the building owner must, at least once a year, tell tenants where the AEDs are and whom to contact for voluntary training, and offer a demonstration to at least one person associated with the building (HSC § 1797.196(b)(2)). In K-12 schools with an AED, the principal must make sure staff receive yearly information on sudden cardiac arrest, the emergency response plan and AED use (§ 1797.196(c)).

Health studios must train at least one employee per AED for the first five units, then one more for each additional five, in a CPR and AED course meeting state EMS Authority rules and American Heart Association or Red Cross standards (HSC § 104113(e)(2)(D)). A health studio that lets members in when no employee is there must also have every employee who works on its premises trained within 30 days of starting, have a trained employee on the premises at least 50 hours a week, tell members when they sign up that a trained employee won't always be there, and deny access when no employee is present if it is larger than 6,000 square feet (HSC § 104113(e)(3)). Electric utilities must train all employees and contractors on AED use (PUC § 8310).

Medical direction

No. The statute says: "A medical director or other physician and surgeon is not required to be involved in the acquisition or placement of an AED" (HSC § 1797.196(b)(3)).

Separately from state law, many AED models are sold on a prescription under FDA labeling; your supplier can tell you.

EMS notification

Yes. Anyone who acquires an AED must "notify an agent of the local EMS agency of the existence, location, and type of AED acquired" (HSC § 1797.196(b)(1)(B)).

After the AED is used

For every owner, the AED must be tested after each use (HSC § 1797.196(b)(1)(D)). Section 1797.196 does not add a reporting step. Health studios must make sure the rescuer activates EMS as soon as possible and reports the use to the licensed physician and the local EMS agency (HSC § 104113(e)(2)(C)). Electric utilities must have a written procedure for activating EMS and reporting each use to the local EMS agency (PUC § 8310(a)(2)).

Signs and posted instructions

Yes. When an AED is placed in a building, the building owner must post instructions on how to use it next to the AED, "in no less than 14-point type." K-12 principals have the same duty, must tell employees each year where every AED is on campus, and in grades 6 to 12 must also tell pupils (HSC § 1797.196(b)(2), (c)).

Good Samaritan immunity

California's AED immunity law protects a person who, "in good faith and not for compensation," uses an AED in an emergency. It also covers people who provide CPR and AED training, and physicians involved in selecting or placing the AED. A person or entity that acquires an AED is protected only "if that person or entity has complied with subdivision (b) of Section 1797.196," which covers following the regulations on where AEDs are placed (§ 1797.196(b)(1)(A)) and the maintenance, testing, inspection, records, EMS notification and building-owner duties above. None of these protections apply to gross negligence or willful or wanton misconduct (Civ. Code § 1714.21). Similar protections appear for covered buildings (HSC § 19300(c)) and schools (Educ. Code § 49417).

What this means for your AED program

• Tell an agent of your local EMS agency the AED's existence, location and type.
• Inspect every AED at least every 90 days (at least every 30 days for health studios), and test it as the statute and the manufacturer describe.
• Keep a record of each test and maintenance task (the law requires this); recording each 90-day inspection too shows it happened.
• Test the AED after every use.
• If you own the building where the AED is placed, post the usage instructions next to it in 14-point type or larger, and send the yearly tenant notice and demonstration offer. If you lease your space, ask your building owner.
• Keep these records together: owner protection under Civil Code § 1714.21 depends on following § 1797.196(b).

Sources

All read on 2026-11-13.

• Cal. Health & Safety Code § 1797.196 (amended by Stats. 2024, ch. 19, effective January 1, 2025)
• Cal. Civ. Code § 1714.21 (amended by Stats. 2015, ch. 264, effective January 1, 2016)
• Cal. Health & Safety Code § 19300 (amended by Stats. 2018, ch. 1014, effective January 1, 2019)
• Cal. Health & Safety Code § 104113 (amended by Stats. 2019, ch. 637, effective January 1, 2020)
• Cal. Educ. Code § 35179.6 (amended by Stats. 2021, ch. 679, effective January 1, 2022)
• Cal. Educ. Code § 49417 (added by Stats. 2014, ch. 812, effective January 1, 2015)
• Cal. Pub. Util. Code § 8310 (added by Stats. 2025, ch. 361, effective January 1, 2026)

All are statutes. We found no current state regulation on lay-rescuer AED programs. Your local EMS agency may have its own rules.

Get the free AED inspection checklist, or track your 90-day inspections automatically with AED Keeper.

FAQ

Is an AED required in California gyms?

Yes, for health studios. California law requires every health studio (a membership-based exercise facility) to acquire and maintain an AED and train staff in its use. Hotel gyms for registered guests are excluded (HSC § 104113).

How often must an AED be inspected in California?

The statute requires an inspection of all AEDs on the premises at least every 90 days. It also requires testing at least biannually and after each use, plus maintenance per the manufacturer (HSC § 1797.196). Health studios must check theirs at least every 30 days.

Do I need a doctor's prescription or medical director for an AED in California?

California law says a medical director or other physician is not required to be involved in acquiring or placing an AED (HSC § 1797.196(b)(3)). Separately from state law, many AED models are sold on a prescription under FDA labeling; your supplier can tell you.

Does every California office building need an AED?

No. The law doesn't require AEDs in all buildings. It does require them in certain occupied buildings constructed since January 1, 2017, or renovated or tenant-improved since January 1, 2020 (for example, $100,000 of work in one calendar year, or any tenant improvement in a place of assembly), based on building type and occupancy (HSC § 19300).