The Arizona Good Samaritan law is actually a set of statutes that protect people who help others during emergencies. The broadest, A.R.S. 32-1471, shields anyone who gives emergency care in good faith and without charge from civil lawsuits, unless they act with gross negligence. A separate statute, A.R.S. 13-3423, protects people who call 911 during a drug overdose from being prosecuted for drug possession or paraphernalia. Additional laws cover the use of automated external defibrillators and the administration of naloxone. Together, they remove most of the legal risk from stepping in when someone’s life is on the line.
Civil Protection When You Help at an Emergency
Under A.R.S. 32-1471, any person who renders emergency care gratuitously and in good faith at a public gathering or at the scene of an emergency is not liable for civil damages resulting from that care. The statute covers licensed healthcare providers acting outside their normal duties, certified ambulance attendants, and ordinary bystanders alike.1Arizona POST. First Aid, Legal Issues Training Document – ARS 32-1471
The protection reaches the full range of first aid: CPR, wound care, moving an injured person out of danger, and similar interventions. It also covers the decision not to arrange further medical treatment after the initial care is done. Two conditions define the protection. The care must be free, and it must not be grossly negligent. Both are covered in more detail below.
Using an AED
A.R.S. 36-2263 addresses automated external defibrillators specifically. A “Good Samaritan” under this law is someone who uses an AED to provide emergency care in good faith and without compensation at the scene of an accident, fire, or other life-threatening emergency. That person is not subject to civil liability for any resulting injury, so long as their conduct does not rise to willful misconduct or gross negligence.2Arizona Legislature. Arizona Code 36-2263 – Civil Liability; Limited Immunity; Good Samaritan
Calling 911 During a Drug Overdose
Arizona’s other main Good Samaritan protection sits in criminal law rather than civil liability. Under A.R.S. 13-3423, a person who calls for medical help during a drug overdose cannot be charged or prosecuted for possessing or using a controlled substance or drug paraphernalia, provided the evidence of those offenses came to light only because the person sought help. The same protection extends to the person experiencing the overdose, as long as someone sought medical help on their behalf.3Arizona Legislature. Arizona Code 13-3423 – Medical Assistance Requests; Prohibited Prosecution of Good Samaritans; Mitigating Factor; Definitions
The statute defines “seeking medical assistance” as calling 911 or otherwise contacting law enforcement, poison control, or a hospital emergency department. “Medical assistance” itself is defined as aid provided by a healthcare professional who is licensed, registered, or certified in Arizona and acting within their scope of practice.3Arizona Legislature. Arizona Code 13-3423 – Medical Assistance Requests; Prohibited Prosecution of Good Samaritans; Mitigating Factor; Definitions
Even when the immunity does not fully apply, calling for help can still help a defendant. Subsection C says that seeking medical assistance for someone experiencing a drug overdose may be used as a mitigating factor during sentencing for any criminal prosecution under Arizona’s drug laws chapter. So even if you face charges beyond simple possession, the fact that you tried to save someone’s life can lead to a lighter sentence. Prosecutors also remain free to offer diversion programs for offenses outside the possession and paraphernalia categories the statute covers.3Arizona Legislature. Arizona Code 13-3423 – Medical Assistance Requests; Prohibited Prosecution of Good Samaritans; Mitigating Factor; Definitions
One date to keep in mind: A.R.S. 13-3423 includes a repeal date of July 1, 2028. Unless the legislature renews or extends it before then, the overdose immunity will expire.3Arizona Legislature. Arizona Code 13-3423 – Medical Assistance Requests; Prohibited Prosecution of Good Samaritans; Mitigating Factor; Definitions
Administering Naloxone
Under A.R.S. 36-2228, emergency medical technicians, peace officers, and certain law enforcement employees who administer naloxone (commonly sold as Narcan) under a physician’s or nurse practitioner’s standing order are immune from both professional liability and criminal prosecution for injuries resulting from that administration. The protection requires that the person act with reasonable care and in good faith, and it does not apply in cases of wanton or willful neglect. The statute expressly does not create a duty for peace officers or law enforcement employees to administer naloxone; carrying and using it stays voluntary.4Arizona Legislature. Arizona Code 36-2228 – Administration of Opioid Antagonists; Training; Immunity
No General Duty to Rescue
Arizona does not require bystanders to help someone in danger. Under longstanding Arizona case law, there is no duty to rescue an endangered stranger. You can walk past a medical emergency without legal consequences. The narrow exception involves motor vehicle accidents: Arizona law requires a driver involved in a crash to render reasonable assistance to anyone injured in the collision.
This shapes how the Good Samaritan statutes work. The state removes legal risk for people who choose to help; it does not punish people who choose not to. Once you do begin providing emergency aid, though, you take on an obligation to continue until the person is stabilized or someone with equal or greater training takes over. Stopping mid-rescue and leaving can create liability for patient abandonment.
Where the Protection Stops
Every Arizona Good Samaritan protection has boundaries, and knowing where they sit matters as much as knowing the protections exist.
Gross Negligence and Willful Misconduct
The civil immunity under A.R.S. 32-1471 does not protect you if you are grossly negligent while providing emergency care.1Arizona POST. First Aid, Legal Issues Training Document – ARS 32-1471 The AED immunity under A.R.S. 36-2263 similarly excludes willful misconduct and gross negligence.2Arizona Legislature. Arizona Code 36-2263 – Civil Liability; Limited Immunity; Good Samaritan Gross negligence goes beyond a simple mistake. A broken rib during CPR is a foreseeable side effect of a legitimate rescue. Performing a procedure you have no training for when less invasive help is available could cross the line.
Charges the Overdose Law Doesn’t Cover
A.R.S. 13-3423 protects against prosecution for drug possession, drug paraphernalia, and related preparatory offenses. It does not create blanket immunity for all criminal conduct. Police can still seize contraband found at the scene and can still arrest for any offense unrelated to the overdose. If officers responding to your 911 call discover evidence of drug trafficking, weapons violations, or outstanding warrants, those matters remain fully prosecutable.3Arizona Legislature. Arizona Code 13-3423 – Medical Assistance Requests; Prohibited Prosecution of Good Samaritans; Mitigating Factor; Definitions
The immunity also follows the specific people the statute names: the person who sought help and the person who overdosed. If three people are present and only one called 911, the other two do not automatically qualify.
The Care Must Be Free
Both the general civil immunity and the AED immunity require that the rescuer act without compensation. Provide emergency care and later seek payment, and the protection no longer applies. This matters most for off-duty healthcare professionals. An off-duty nurse who stops at a car accident and helps for free is protected. The same nurse billing for that roadside care is not.