Automated External Defibrillator (AED) laws have changed in South Australia. 

From 1 January 2026, the Automated External Defibrillators (Public Access) Act 2022 (the Act) will require certain public buildings, facilities, and vehicles in South Australia to have at least one AED installed and registered.

What you need to know

If you own a public building or facility, you may be legally required to:

  • install and register at least one AED
  • display clear signage for the AED
  • maintain the AED regularly
  • ensure the AED is publicly accessible (where applicable). 

Requirements by building or facility type

You may need more than one AED depending on the use or floor size of your building or facility. Please refer to the Act and the Automated External Defibrillators (Public Access) Regulations 2024 (PDF 192KB) for further details of compliance requirements.

Requirements by building or facility type

Building or facility type One AED is required Additional AEDs may be required The AED must be publicly accessible
Swimming pool ✓ ✓ ✓
Library ✓ N/A ✓
Local government office ✓ N/A ✓
Town hall ✓ ✓ ✓
Relevant building or facility (See ‘What Is a Relevant Building or Relevant Facility?’ below) ✓ ✓ ✓
Prescribed sporting facility ✓ ✓ ✓
School or training facility ✓ N/A ✓
Retirement village with shared amenities ✓ ✓ ✓
Aged care facility ✓ ✓ N/A
Caravan park ✓ ✓ ✓
Residential park (with capacity for 12 or more people) ✓ ✓ ✓
Casino or gambling venue ✓ ✓ ✓
Theatre or performance venue ✓ ✓ ✓
Place of worship ✓ N/A ✓

All AEDs installed for the purpose of the Act must be registered, have adequate signage, and be regularly maintained as per the manufacturer’s instructions. See Next steps section for more information.

Do you need more than one AED?

You may need additional AEDs if:

  • your building or facility is on land used for commercial purposes*; and
  • the publicly accessible floor area is over 1,200m².

If both apply, you must assess the number of AEDs required under Section 10 of the Regulations.

See the AED Best Practice Guide (PDF 417KB) for more information.

What is a ‘relevant building’ or ‘relevant facility’?

Under the Automated External Defibrillators (Public Access) Act 2022:

  • a relevant building is one with a floor area of 600m² or more
  • a relevant facility includes:
    • two or more related buildings within 100m
    • enclosed structures (600m² or more) used for public sports or recreation, such as stadiums or aquatic centres.

If the relevant building or facility meets the above definition, and if the public has access to any part of the building or facility, it will be considered public for the purpose of the Act and at least one AED will be required.

Out of scope buildings or facilities

The Automated External Defibrillators (Public Access) Act 2022 does not apply to:

  • hospitals or other medical facilities
  • carparks (both indoor and outdoor)
  • correctional facilities
  • licensed children’s residential facilities or those established/licensed under the Family and Community Services Act 1972
  • buildings or facilities where no part of the building or facility is accessible to the public (excluding a designated building or facility).
    • buildings or facilities where only part of the building or facility can be accessed by the public may be considered as public under the Act. See the AED Best Practice Guide (PDF 417KB) for more information.

Next steps

AEDs and other related first aid items can be purchased from organisations that sell first aid, office or medical supplies. AEDs installed for the purposes of the Act must be Therapeutic Goods Administration (TGA) approved. In addition to being TGA approved, it is recommended that AEDs meet the Australian and New Zealand Committee on Resuscitation (ANZCOR) Guidelines (Guideline 11.2, Section 2.4).

An AED should be equipped with:

  • two sets of defibrillation pads
  • shears
  • a razor.

Your AED needs to be durable enough to withstand the environment it is placed in. When purchasing an AED, consider the environment in which you are likely to use it. Most AED’s will have an International Protection (IP) rating indicating the AED’s ability to withstand dust, water, extremes of temperature or mechanical impact.

Ideally, an AED should be capable of being used on both adults and children. Some AEDs are fitted with pads and energy levels suitable for children under 8 years of age.
AEDs that provide visual cues and verbal instructions on how to perform CPR and early defibrillation are particularly beneficial and reassuring to those without training.

AEDs can be registered on the SA Ambulance Service website.

The Act requires all AEDs installed in accordance with the Act to be registered on the South Australian AED Register within two weeks of installation. When registering your AED you must record:

  • the location of the AED; and
  • the time during which the AED is publicly accessible.

If your AED is registered and you need to change its location and/ or times during which it is accessible, you must update the information recorded in the AED Register within two weeks of the change.

When someone calls Triple Zero (000) for a cardiac emergency, the SA Ambulance Service use the register to advise them of the nearest AED.

For questions specifically about AED registration, please email health.saasaedregister@sa.gov.au

The AED Register Checker lists all publicly accessible AEDs that are registered on the South Australian AED register.

This is presented in PDF format which can be searched by using the search field in your PDF viewer or right-clicking to show the ‘find’ option. Search using your exact address or your suburb/town.

If an AED is installed inside a prescribed building or facility, the owner of the building or facility must install a sign indicating that an Automated External Defibrillator is nearby, both:

  • near to the Automated External Defibrillator; and
  • outside, and near to an entrance of, the building or facility.

Your AED may come with signage you can use. You can also choose to download and print signage the following A3 posters:

Further information

If you have any questions about your requirements and compliance with the Act, read the AED Best Practice Guide (PDF 417KB) or email Health.AutomatedExternalDefibrillators@sa.gov.au