Colorado AED requirements at a glance
Here is what Colorado law asks of an AED program, row by row, with the statute behind each answer.
| Requirement | Required? | What the law says |
|---|---|---|
| Inspect and maintain AEDs | Yes | Anyone who acquires an AED must have it maintained and tested per the manufacturer's guidelines, with written records of that work (C.R.S. § 13-21-108.1(3)(a)(II)). The site's immunity depends on this (§ 13-21-108.1(4)(c)). |
| Train expected users | Yes | Anyone who acquires an AED must make sure expected users get CPR and AED training on a course that meets national standards and has the state health department’s approval (C.R.S. § 13-21-108.1(3)(a)(I)). |
| Notify agencies of AEDs | Yes | Through AED placement reporting: see that row. |
| Register the program | No | No owner duty. |
| Report AED locations | Yes | Anyone who acquires an AED must tell the local 911 or emergency dispatch center that it has an AED, where it is and what type it is (C.R.S. § 13-21-108.1(3)(b)). |
| Physician medical direction | No | No physician requirement since May 5, 2025, when SB 25-191 removed the rule that a licensed physician review and approve the written AED plan. The plan must still address 'medical oversight' (C.R.S. § 13-21-108.1(3)(a)(IV)). |
| Report each AED use | No | No rule requires reporting each use to a named person or agency. |
| Written plan or records | Yes | Owners must keep written maintenance and testing records and have written plans covering AED placement, staff training, coordination with EMS, medical oversight, maintenance and reporting of AED use (C.R.S. § 13-21-108.1(3)(a)(II), (IV)). |
| Call 911 when an AED is used | Yes | The acquirer must make sure anyone who uses the AED on a person in cardiac arrest gets EMS on the way as soon as possible (C.R.S. § 13-21-108.1(3)(a)(V)). |
| School cardiac emergency plan | No | No school cardiac emergency response plan mandate. |
| Other requirements | Limited | Public schools and public places (areas holding 100 or more people) must accept donated AEDs that meet FDA standards and are current on maintenance; a public place may refuse unless the donor handles training, installation and upkeep (C.R.S. § 25-53-102(3)). |
| AEDs required at specific sites | No | Not in state law. |
Compare nearby states: Wyoming, Nebraska, Kansas and Oklahoma, or see every state on the AED laws by state table.
Is medical direction required in Colorado?
No. Colorado law doesn’t require a physician to oversee an AED program.
No physician requirement since May 5, 2025, when SB 25-191 removed the rule that a licensed physician review and approve the written AED plan. The plan must still address 'medical oversight' (C.R.S. § 13-21-108.1(3)(a)(IV)).
Some programs choose a medical director anyway, for example to write the response protocol or review each use. If you want one, AED Log’s Medical Direction add-on is $65 per AED per year.
Training requirements
Yes. Colorado law requires CPR and AED training for the people expected to use an AED.
Anyone who acquires an AED must make sure expected users get CPR and AED training on a course that meets national standards and has the state health department’s approval (C.R.S. § 13-21-108.1(3)(a)(I)).
Public school athletic coaches must be CPR-certified within the last two years and trained in AED use (§ 22-1-125.5(2)).
Training still matters: an AED talks the rescuer through each step, but people who have practiced start CPR sooner and hesitate less. Keep each responder’s card current, since most CPR and AED cards last two years. See how long CPR and AED certification lasts.
Inspection and maintenance
Yes. Colorado law requires AED owners to keep each AED maintained and tested.
Anyone who acquires an AED must have it maintained and tested per the manufacturer's guidelines, with written records of that work (C.R.S. § 13-21-108.1(3)(a)(II)). The site's immunity depends on this (§ 13-21-108.1(4)(c)).
From January 1, 2026, any school that has AEDs must place and maintain them under national cardiovascular care standards (§ 22-1-129.7).
Written plan and records: Owners must keep written maintenance and testing records and have written plans covering AED placement, staff training, coordination with EMS, medical oversight, maintenance and reporting of AED use (C.R.S. § 13-21-108.1(3)(a)(II), (IV)).
In practice, that means check the status indicator, the pads’ and battery’s expiration dates and the cabinet on a regular schedule, replace anything used or expired, and keep a dated record of each check. Our AED inspection requirements guide covers the routine, and the free AED inspection checklist is a printable version.
Other Colorado AED rules
Public schools and public places (areas holding 100 or more people) must accept donated AEDs that meet FDA standards and are current on maintenance; a public place may refuse unless the donor handles training, installation and upkeep (C.R.S. § 25-53-102(3)).
AEDs bought by public schools must work on children and adults (§ 25-53-102(3)(c)).
EMS notification, registration and placement reporting
Yes. Colorado requires AED owners to tell EMS, or another agency the law names, that they have an AED and where it is.
Placement reporting: Anyone who acquires an AED must tell the local 911 or emergency dispatch center that it has an AED, where it is and what type it is (C.R.S. § 13-21-108.1(3)(b)). By July 1, 2030, school key boxes for police must hold maps that mark AED locations (§ 22-1-151).
Keep the confirmation with your program records, and update it when an AED moves or is replaced. AED Log’s document library keeps registrations, letters and notices with the AEDs they cover.
Notification after an AED is used
Yes. Colorado law requires the person who uses an AED to call 911 or notify EMS.
Calling 911: The acquirer must make sure anyone who uses the AED on a person in cardiac arrest gets EMS on the way as soon as possible (C.R.S. § 13-21-108.1(3)(a)(V)).
After any use, replace the pads, check the AED and its rescue kit, and write down what happened while it’s fresh. AED Log’s incident reports record whether a shock was advised, how many were delivered, whether CPR was given and when EMS arrived.
AEDs required at specific locations in Colorado
No. Colorado law doesn’t require AEDs at any particular kind of site.
That doesn’t make an AED optional everywhere: insurers, landlords, accreditors and other rules can still ask for one, and an AED is the only treatment that can restart a heart in cardiac arrest.
Does Colorado's Good Samaritan law protect AED users?
Yes, with conditions. Colorado protects people who use an AED in good faith, but some of that protection depends on the AED program meeting the law’s duties.
What the Colorado (CO) Good Samaritan law covers: Colorado's general Good Samaritan law protects physicians and any other person who gives free emergency care in good faith at an emergency or accident scene, unless grossly negligent or willful and wanton. It does not cover care for someone the person is already obligated to treat (C.R.S. § 13-21-108).
AED-specific protection: A good-faith, unpaid rescuer whose job is not health care is protected even if the owner skipped the program rules, unless grossly negligent or willful and wanton. The person or entity responsible for the AED's site is protected only if it kept the AED maintained and tested with written records.
Statutes and sources
Every answer on this page comes from these laws, read on Colorado’s official legislature or code website.
- C.R.S. § 13-21-108.1 (as amended by SB 25-191, effective May 5, 2025): Persons rendering emergency assistance through the use of automated external defibrillators - limited immunity
- C.R.S. § 13-21-108: Persons rendering emergency assistance exempt from civil liability (general Good Samaritan law)
- SB 25-191, Session Laws 2025, ch. 164 (signed May 5, 2025): Concerning cardiac emergency preparedness (amended § 13-21-108.1; added § 22-1-129.7)
- C.R.S. § 22-1-125.5: Requirement for certification of public school athletic coaches in CPR - use of automated external defibrillators
- C.R.S. § 22-1-129.7 (added by SB 25-191): Placement and maintenance of automated external defibrillator (schools)
- C.R.S. § 22-1-151 (added by SB 26-104, effective Aug. 12, 2026): Key boxes required at schools - contents
- C.R.S. §§ 25-53-101, 25-53-102, 25-53-201, 25-53-202: Automated external defibrillators in public places and schools; Office of Cardiac Arrest Management
Last reviewed against each statute on the state’s official website. This is a plain-language summary for general information, not legal advice. Laws change, so read the statute or ask a lawyer before you rely on it.
Managing a compliant AED program in Colorado
AED Log keeps the records Colorado law asks for, and reminds you before anything lapses.
- Monthly AED inspections on a phone, with a dated record of every check (inspection tracking)
- Pad and battery expiration dates, with a warning before each one (expiration tracking)
- Responders’ CPR and AED cards, with an alert before each expires (certification tracking)
- A report for every AED use, so the details are on record (incident reporting)
- Registrations, EMS notices and your written plan, filed with the AEDs they cover (document management)
Plans start at $114 a year for one AED, with unlimited users and locations. Start a free trial (no credit card) or talk to us.
Colorado AED laws FAQ
Are businesses required to have an AED in Colorado?
No. Neither Colorado law nor federal OSHA requires businesses to have an AED. An insurer, landlord or accreditor may still ask for one.
Do you need medical direction for an AED in Colorado?
No. Colorado law doesn’t require a physician to oversee an AED program. You can still choose one: AED Log’s Medical Direction add-on is $65 per AED per year.
Is AED training required in Colorado?
Yes. Anyone who acquires an AED must make sure expected users get CPR and AED training on a course that meets national standards and has the state health department’s approval. Public school athletic coaches must be CPR-certified within the last two years and trained in AED use.
Does Colorado law require AED inspections?
Yes. Anyone who acquires an AED must have it maintained and tested per the manufacturer's guidelines, with written records of that work. The site's immunity depends on this. From January 1, 2026, any school that has AEDs must place and maintain them under national cardiovascular care standards.
Do you have to register an AED in Colorado?
There’s no formal registration, but you must report the AED. Anyone who acquires an AED must tell the local 911 or emergency dispatch center that it has an AED, where it is and what type it is. By July 1, 2030, school key boxes for police must hold maps that mark AED locations.
What does Colorado law require after an AED is used?
The acquirer must make sure anyone who uses the AED on a person in cardiac arrest gets EMS on the way as soon as possible (C.R.S. § 13-21-108.1(3)(a)(V)).
Are AEDs required in Colorado schools?
No. Colorado law doesn’t require AEDs in schools or at school sports.
Do gyms in Colorado need an AED?
No. Colorado law doesn’t require health clubs or gyms to have an AED.
What does the Colorado Good Samaritan law cover?
Colorado's general Good Samaritan law protects physicians and any other person who gives free emergency care in good faith at an emergency or accident scene, unless grossly negligent or willful and wanton. It does not cover care for someone the person is already obligated to treat.
Does the Colorado Good Samaritan law protect someone who uses an AED?
Yes, with conditions. Unpaid good-faith rescuers whose job is not health care are protected even if program rules were skipped, but the AED's site is protected only if the AED was maintained and tested with written records (C.R.S. § 13-21-108.1(4)(c)).
Which Colorado laws cover AEDs?
Colorado’s AED rules come from C.R.S. § 13-21-108.1 (as amended by SB 25-191, effective May 5, 2025); C.R.S. § 13-21-108; SB 25-191, Session Laws 2025, ch. 164 (signed May 5, 2025); C.R.S. § 22-1-125.5; and three more, each linked to its official text on this page.