Most AED failures at the moment of cardiac arrest aren’t device defects, they’re consumables that quietly expired while nobody was watching the calendar. Pads in particular are the most predictable failure mode and the most preventable. Every set ships with a printed expiration date, every device runs a daily self-test, and every brand publishes a precise replacement window. The only thing standing between a working AED and a paperweight is whether someone scheduled the replacement before the gel dried out.
This guide is the operational replacement schedule for every major AED brand sold in the United States, when pads expire, why they expire, and the calendar workflow that keeps a fleet of devices rescue-ready without scrambling at the last minute.
AED pads expiration and replacement schedule, by brand
Replace AED pads on the printed use-by date, never by age of the device: Philips OnSite and FRx pads last about 2 years from manufacture ($99 M5071A), ZOLL CPR-D-padz 5 years ($230) and AED 3 Uni-padz 5 years ($234), HeartSine Pad-Pak 4 years ($236, pads and battery together), Defibtech Lifeline pads 2 years ($75.15). The brand-by-brand table below lists every model, interval and price, with AED Leader prices from 30 September 2026.
Why AED pads expire
The pad itself is more chemistry than electronics. Each adult pad contains:
- Conductive hydrogel, a water-based gel matrix that transmits electrical current from the device into the patient’s chest while spreading it evenly enough to avoid skin burns.
- Pressure-sensitive adhesive, a tackifier that holds the pad against the chest during CPR compressions without lifting.
- Foil-laminated sealed pouch, protects gel + adhesive from atmospheric moisture loss.
Over time, all three layers degrade. The hydrogel slowly loses water through the pouch seal; the adhesive’s tack diminishes; the foil pouch can develop micro-leaks. Once gel viscosity changes, the pad’s resistance changes, and at the moment of defibrillation, that can mean a failed shock or an uneven energy delivery that injures skin without restoring rhythm.
The 2026 brand-by-brand pad replacement schedule
| Brand & model | Pad shelf life | Replacement frequency | Replacement count over 10 years |
|---|---|---|---|
| Philips HeartStart OnSite / Home (M5071A) | 2 years | Every 24 months | 5 sets |
| Philips HeartStart FRx (SMART Pads II) | 2 years | Every 24 months | 5 sets |
| Philips FR3 (clinical) | 2 years | Every 24 months | 5 sets |
| ZOLL AED Plus (CPR-D Padz) | 5 years | Every 60 months | 2 sets |
| ZOLL AED 3 (CPR Uni-padz) | 5 years | Every 60 months | 2 sets |
| HeartSine 350P / 360P / 450P (PAD-PAK combined) | 4 years | Every 48 months (pads + battery together) | 2.5 sets |
| Defibtech Lifeline (DDP-100) | 2 years | Every 24 months | 5 sets |
| Cardiac Science Powerheart G3 / G5 | 2 years | Every 24 months | 5 sets |
| Physio-Control LIFEPAK CR2 (Quik-Step) | 2 years | Every 24 months | 5 sets |
| Physio-Control LIFEPAK 1000 | 2 years | Every 24 months | 5 sets |
For complete pad cost comparisons across brands, see our AED Pad Replacement Cost by Brand guide.
The “pre-expiration window” framework
The expiration date printed on the pad pouch is the last day the pads are guaranteed safe, not the day to start ordering. Best practice is a tiered pre-expiration window for every deployed AED:
T-minus 90 days · Procurement window
Add replacement to the next month’s purchase order. Confirm budget allocation. Verify supplier inventory for the exact brand/model.
T-minus 60 days · Order placed
Order replacement pads from an authorized reseller. Confirm shipping lead time. For fleet orders, batch multiple AEDs into one PO for a bulk discount.
T-minus 30 days · Pads in hand
Replacement pads arrive on-site. Inspect packaging for damage. Verify expiration date stamped on new pouch (should be ~24 months from receipt for 2-year pads).
T-minus 7 days · Replacement installed
Designated maintainer installs new pads. Log replacement date in the maintenance log. Sets next reminder. Disposes of old pads via approved channel.
Replacing your AED pads or battery
AED pads and batteries expire on a fixed schedule whether the device is ever used or not, and they are the single most common reason an AED fails when it is needed. In the largest published analysis of FDA-reported AED events, 40,787 cases, batteries accounted for 23.2 per cent of failures and pads and connectors for 23.7 per cent, so 46.9 per cent of all AED failures are consumables (DeLuca et al., Annals of Emergency Medicine, 2012, PMID 21872969). Below is every current replacement part with its price and service life, verified against seller product data on 18 September 2026.
| Model | Adult pads | Battery | Pediatric option | 10 year consumable cost |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Philips HeartStart OnSite | M5071A $99.00, 2 years | M5070A $249.00, 4 years | Separate M5072A cartridge, prescription only | About $894 |
| Philips HeartStart FRx | SMART Pads II 989803139261 $89.00, 2 years | M5070A $249.00, 4 years | Infant/Child Key $139.00, reusable | About $854 |
| ZOLL AED Plus | CPR-D Padz 8900-0800-01 $230.00, 5 years | Lithium set of 10 $100.00, 5 years | Pedi-padz II $155.00, 2 years | About $330, the lowest we track |
| ZOLL AED 3 | CPR Uni-padz 8900-000280-01 $234.00, 5 years | 8000-000696 $201.00, 5 years | None needed, Uni-padz cover children | About $435 |
| Defibtech Lifeline | DDP-100 $75.15 | DBP-1400, part DCF-200 $229.10 | DDP-200P $130.25 | About $530 |
| Defibtech Lifeline VIEW | DDP-2001 $83.05 | DCF-2003 $240.45 | DDP-2002 $136.40 | About $813 |
| HeartSine Samaritan PAD | Pad-Pak-01 $236.00, pads and battery in one cartridge | Included in the Pad-Pak, there is no separate battery | Pediatric Pad-Pak PAD-PAK-02 $279.00 | About $472 |
| Cardiac Science Powerheart G5 | XELAED001C $88.00 | XBTAED001A $495.00, 4 years | XELAED003C $127.00 | About $1,342, the highest we track |
| Physio-Control LIFEPAK CR2 | Quik-Step 11101-000021 $196.00, adult and child in one set | LIFEPAK CR2 lithium battery $341.00, about 4 years | None needed, the Quik-Step set covers children | Not published per part |
Prices verified against the public product data of AED Leader on 30 September 2026. Service life is the manufacturer figure where one is published; where it is not, check the expiry date printed on the part itself. Ten year consumable cost is our own calculation from those part prices and service lives.
Three things owners get wrong
- Buying the wrong Philips pad. The FRx uses SMART Pads II, part 989803139261. SMART Pads III belong to the FR3, a different device. The OnSite uses M5071A and the two are not interchangeable.
- Assuming the pediatric part is optional. On a ZOLL AED Plus, Pedi-padz II cost $155.00 and last two years, which is about $775 across a ten year life. On a ZOLL AED 3 or a LIFEPAK CR2 the pads already cover children and that cost is zero.
- Tracking the wrong date. HeartSine combines the pads and battery into one Pad-Pak cartridge, so there is a single expiry to track. Every other model here has two parts on two separate clocks.
Full replacement schedule by model is on our AED pads and batteries page. If you are still choosing a device, the ten year running cost is usually a bigger number than the discount you are negotiating: see every AED brand ranked by price and ten year cost.
T-zero · Expiration date
By this date, replacement is complete. The daily self-test indicator should show green throughout. No gap in readiness.
Calendar workflow that actually works
Three common pad-replacement workflows in U.S. facilities:
Workflow A, Single AED, household or small business
At install, set a recurring digital calendar reminder for the expiration date minus 90 days. Use a shared calendar accessible to multiple household members or employees so the reminder doesn’t depend on one person.
Workflow B, Small fleet (2 to 10 AEDs)
Consolidate all AED expiration dates into a single spreadsheet. Sort by next-expiring. Run a quarterly review, every quarter, check which devices have replacements due in the next 6 months and bulk-order those together. Captures ~10% bulk discount and ensures no device falls through the cracks.
Workflow C, Large fleet (10+ AEDs)
Use AED fleet-management software (AEDTS, Atrus, AED Sentinel, similar). Every device is tagged with model, serial, location, install date, and consumable expiration dates. Software sends automated email reminders to the designated maintainer 90/60/30/7 days before expiration. For multi-site organizations, this is the difference between a controlled program and a chronic firefighting cycle. Learn more about AED program management at AED Leader.
The “ZOLL discount” on long-life pads
ZOLL CPR-D and CPR Uni-padz are unique among major brands at 5-year shelf life. Across a 10-year deployment lifecycle, ZOLL pads need 2 replacement cycles versus 5 cycles for Philips, Defibtech, Cardiac Science, or LIFEPAK 1000. The downstream effect:
- Fewer purchase orders to process
- Fewer expiration dates to track per device
- Fewer install events where the AED is temporarily out of service
- Lower total administrative burden across the fleet
For organizations that prioritize maintenance simplicity over per-unit features, the operational economics of ZOLL or HeartSine PAD-PAK can meaningfully reduce program friction.
What happens to expired pads?
Used and expired AED pads are technically biohazard-adjacent (potential blood contact in deployment) and contain conductive gel. Best practice for disposal:
- Unused expired pads in sealed pouch: Standard solid waste in most jurisdictions; some manufacturers offer mail-back programs alongside battery returns.
- Used pads after a deployment: Treat as biohazard waste. Some facilities have an existing biohazard contractor; others coordinate with local EMS for disposal.
- Foil pouches: Recyclable as metalized film in some markets; many municipalities require landfill.
See our AED Battery Disposal article for the parallel battery-disposal workflow.
The hidden risk: counterfeit pads sold below MSRP
The FDA Safety Communications page is where the FDA posts device warnings; check it before buying pads from an unfamiliar online seller. Pads sold far below list price by unauthorized sellers may be counterfeit or out of date. Counterfeit pads can fail to conduct properly, separate from the chest during CPR, or cause skin burns. The two red flags:
- Pricing is dramatically below the manufacturer’s MSRP from unauthorized sellers
- Pouches without FDA Unique Device Identifier (UDI) markings
Always purchase replacement pads from manufacturer-authorized resellers, AED Leader and similar specialty retailers maintain authorized distribution.
Related AED Brand Review research
Replacement pages for the three most-bought consumables:
- How long do Philips HeartStart OnSite pads last (M5071A)
- HeartSine Pad-Pak replacement cost and expiration date
- Philips HeartStart battery M5070A: when to replace it
More AED Brand Review research
- Philips HeartStart OnSite pads M5071A replacement: $99, two-year life from manufacture, and the five-step swap.
- how long a Philips HeartStart battery lasts: four years installed, five on the shelf, and the three triggers to replace.
Frequently Asked Questions
How often should AED pads be replaced?
Most AED pads expire every 2 years (Philips, Defibtech, Cardiac Science, LIFEPAK 1000). ZOLL pads last 5 years. HeartSine PAD-PAK combines pads + battery into a 4-year cartridge. Replace on or before the manufacturer-printed expiration date.
Why do AED pads expire?
Conductive hydrogel in the pad slowly loses moisture, adhesive degrades, and the sealed pouch can develop micro-leaks. After expiration, pads can fail to deliver therapy or cause skin burns during defibrillation.
What if I miss the expiration date?
Replace expired pads immediately. An AED with expired pads is not rescue-ready, most state AED laws require owners to maintain the device to the manufacturer's guidelines, and dried gel can stop the shock reaching the heart. Order the pad for your model today and keep a spare with the AED.
When should I order replacement pads?
Order 60 to 90 days before expiration. This builds in shipping time, lets you batch orders for bulk discount, and ensures no gap in device readiness. Set a recurring calendar reminder at install.
Do AED pads have different shelf lives when stored differently?
The printed use-by date assumes storage inside the temperature range on the package. Heat dries the gel and freezing damages it, so pads in unheated outdoor cabinets should be inspected monthly and replaced at the first sign of a dry or lifted edge, whatever the date says.
Can I check the pad expiration without opening the AED?
Partly. Many AEDs self-test daily or weekly and flag missing or expired pads, but the surest check is the date printed on the pad pouch. The expiration date is also printed on the sealed pouch visible through the cabinet window on most cabinet designs.
Are pad replacement schedules different for pediatric pads?
Pediatric pad shelf life is typically the same as adult pads of the same model, 2 years for most brands, 4 years for HeartSine pediatric PAD-PAK. Stock both adult and pediatric pads with synchronized expiration calendars.
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Sources & References
- FDA, Automated External Defibrillators
- FDA, Medical Device Safety Communications
- American Heart Association, Public AED Resources
- Manufacturer documentation: Philips HeartStart, ZOLL AED, Defibtech, HeartSine, Cardiac Science, Physio-Control
- AEDTS, AED Fleet Management
Disclaimer: Pad shelf life is manufacturer-specific. Always verify against the expiration date printed on each pad pouch. AED pads may be prescription-labelled by the manufacturer (OnSite and Home pads are sold without one) and should be purchased through authorized resellers only.
