Maryland AED laws: what AED owners need to know

Maryland's main AED law is the Public Access AED Program (Educ. § 13-517, rewritten effective October 1, 2026), run by the State EMS Board through the Maryland Institute for Emergency Medical Services Systems (MIEMSS), with rules in COMAR 30.06. EMS programs, commercial ambulance services, health care facilities, and doctors' and dentists' offices authorized to use an AED are exempt (§ 13-517(d)(2)).

Is an AED required at my organization?

It depends. We found no Maryland statute requiring AEDs in offices, gyms or other workplaces in general. Maryland law does require them here:

• Public middle and high schools. "Each county board shall develop and implement an automated external defibrillator program that meets the requirements of § 13–517 of this article for each high school and middle school in the county" (Educ. § 7-425). The AED must be within a brief walk of athletic practices and events (Educ. § 7-451(c)); nonpublic middle and high schools that receive State funding have the same rule (§ 7-452).
• Public libraries. Since January 1, 2026, each county library branch and the Enoch Pratt Free Library must place an AED "in a prominent area, accessible to employees and library users" and follow § 13-517 (Educ. § 23-102.2).
• County and municipal swimming pools. Each county or municipality that owns or operates a pool must have an AED program that puts an AED on site and a trained person at each pool (Local Gov't § 1-1310).
• Larger grocery stores and restaurants. Owners and operators must place an AED "in a prominent area, accessible to employees and customers" and follow the AED program. This covers grocery stores grossing over $10 million a year and restaurants grossing over $1 million (excluding off-premises sales) with 100 or more seats (Health-Gen. § 21-330.3).

Inspection and maintenance

Yes. Each registered entity must require its AED coordinator to "maintain the functionality of each AED and all related equipment and supplies in accordance with the standards established by the device manufacturer and the U.S. Food and Drug Administration" (Educ. § 13-517(e)).

Regulations require the AED coordinator to ensure "monthly safety inspections of all supplemental and AED equipment, including assurance of adequate battery charge," following the manufacturer's guidelines, and "maintain written logs of the inspections" (COMAR 30.06.02.01A(3)). Two sets of pads, gloves and report forms must be kept with each AED (COMAR 30.06.02.03B). Public middle and high schools follow the manufacturer's guidelines "including weekly inspection of the AED" (COMAR 13A.05.10.03B(4)).

Training

Yes. Each registered entity's AED coordinator must complete an approved training course and any refreshers the EMS Board requires; covered grocery stores and restaurants are exempt from this coordinator training rule (Educ. § 13-517(f)). The regulations also require expected AED operators to complete CPR and AED training consistent with the American Heart Association's layperson guidelines (COMAR 30.06.02.01F); that rule predates the 2026 rewrite, which dropped the statute's own operator-training rule.

Public middle and high schools must have a trained person on site during the school day and at every school athletic event (COMAR 13A.05.10.03A), and all coaches must be trained in AED use (Educ. § 7-451(c)). County and municipal pools must have a trained person present (Local Gov't § 1-1310(b)).

Medical direction

Not addressed. Neither § 13-517 nor the current COMAR 30.06 rules require a physician's prescription, oversight or medical direction.

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

EMS notification

Yes. Maryland law says "each entity that desires to make automated external defibrillation available shall possess a valid certificate from the EMS Board" (Educ. § 13-517(d)). You apply to MIEMSS, and a certificate is valid for three years (§ 13-517(h)–(i); COMAR 30.06.02.04). Covered grocery stores and restaurants register with MIEMSS so dispatchers know their location (COMAR 10.15.13.04). If you're not sure whether your AED needs a certificate, MIEMSS can tell you.

After the AED is used

Yes. To qualify for a certificate, an entity must have a written plan for AED use that requires it to "notify the emergency medical services system through the use of the 911 universal emergency access number as soon as possible on the use of an AED" (Educ. § 13-517(e)). It must also report each use to MIEMSS on MIEMSS's form (§ 13-517(g)), with the AED's event summary when available (COMAR 30.06.02.03C). The law sets no deadline for the report.

Signs and placement

The regulations require AEDs in "locations which are visible and readily accessible to any person willing to operate the AED in the event of a cardiac arrest" (COMAR 30.06.02.01C). Grocery stores, restaurants and libraries must use a "prominent area" (Health-Gen. § 21-330.3; Educ. § 23-102.2). No law we read requires AED signs. Separately, middle and high schools must post their athletic emergency action plan at each athletic facility (Educ. § 7-451(b)(1)).

Good Samaritan immunity

• Registered entities and AED users. A registered entity is not civilly liable for providing AED care if it has met the section's requirements and holds a valid certificate at the time. An individual is not civilly liable if acting in good faith for a person believed to be in sudden cardiac arrest, in a reasonably prudent manner, and "without fee or other compensation". The law doesn't say whether this covers an employee who uses a workplace AED on the job; ask a lawyer. Neither protection applies to "gross negligence, willful or wanton misconduct, or intentionally tortious conduct" (Educ. § 13-517(k)). Covered grocery stores, restaurants and libraries have similar protection (Health-Gen. § 21-330.3(d); Educ. § 23-102.2(c)).
• General Good Samaritan law. A bystander who helps at an emergency is not civilly liable if the help is reasonably prudent and given "without fee or other compensation", and the bystander hands over care when a licensed or certified provider becomes available (CJP § 5-603(c)).

What this means for your AED program

• Before you make an AED available, get a Public Access AED Program certificate from MIEMSS and renew it every three years; the organization's immunity depends on it.
• Name a trained AED coordinator, train the people you expect to use the AED, and write an AED plan that requires a 911 call as soon as possible on any use.
• Inspect each AED and its supplies monthly, including the battery, and keep a written log, as the regulations require (schools: weekly). Keep two sets of pads, gloves and the report form with each AED.
• After any suspected cardiac arrest, send MIEMSS its report form with the AED's event summary when available.
• Place each AED where it is visible and readily accessible, and tell all staff and volunteers where it is and how it works.

Sources

All read on 2026-11-13: statutes on mgaleg.maryland.gov, regulations (COMAR) on regs.maryland.gov, both official State sites.

• Statutes: Educ. § 13-517 (as rewritten by Chapter 91 of 2026, effective October 1, 2026); Educ. §§ 7-425, 7-451, 7-452 (schools) and 23-102.2 (libraries); Health-Gen. § 21-330.3 (grocery stores and restaurants); Local Gov't § 1-1310 (pools); Cts. & Jud. Proc. § 5-603 (Good Samaritan); Health-Gen. § 24-202 (racket sports facilities)
• Regulations: COMAR 30.06 (AED program; chapter 02 revised 2013); COMAR 13A.05.10 (middle and high schools; amended 2017); COMAR 10.15.13 (grocery stores and restaurants; effective February 16, 2026)

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FAQ

Is an AED required in Maryland gyms?

We found no Maryland statute that requires gyms or health clubs to have an AED. Privately owned indoor racket sports facilities need CPR-certified staff during business hours, not an AED (Health-Gen. § 24-202). A gym that makes an AED available needs a Public Access AED Program certificate (Educ. § 13-517).

Do I have to register my AED in Maryland?

Yes. An organization that makes an AED available must hold a three-year certificate from the State EMS Board, applied for through MIEMSS; health care facilities and a few others are exempt (Educ. § 13-517(d)).

How often do you have to inspect an AED in Maryland?

Monthly, under the program's regulations, including the battery, with a written log of each inspection. Public middle and high schools must inspect weekly (COMAR 30.06.02.01, COMAR 13A.05.10.03).