What is the Sex Offender Registry?
What is the Sex Offender Registry?
Every state and U.S. territory requires those convicted of sex offenses to be added to a registry to be monitored and tracked after their release back into the community. Information about the offender is collected and shared with local and federal authorities, as well as the general public. Requirements and restrictions are often placed on registered sex offenders. That registration process is unique in each state and U.S. territory.
What is SORNA?
The Sex Offender Registration and Notification Act (SORNA) was passed in 2006 as part of the Adam Walsh Child Protection and Safety Act to provide federal standards for jurisdictions to follow. SORNA calls for states and U.S. territories to meet minimum requirements for sex offender registration and notification.
Why Are the Requirements for Sex Offender Registration Different Everywhere?
While SORNA’s guidelines streamlined registration and notification requirements across the country, these requirements are far from uniform. Each jurisdiction determines the details of their own registration process. This leaves a patchwork of rules for sex offenders that vary widely depending on where a registrant lives or works.
Where PIN Comes In
Probation Information Network developed a list of questions regarding the sex offender registration requirements across the country. These are questions that might concern the public, victims and their advocates, or those who are facing registration or are currently registered and their loved ones. We then searched the statutes or code of each jurisdiction for the laws surrounding sex offender registration and notification. Where necessary, we consulted with the law enforcement agency in charge of the jurisdiction’s registry to provide clear and concise answers to the following questions:
- What is the duration of registration?
How long must a sex offender remain on the registry? The length of time a sex offender must comply with registration requirements varies widely depending on the jurisdiction where the registrant lives, and the level of the offense committed. All but 2 jurisdictions offer a path for eventual removal from the registry for at least some of their registrants.
- Must the immediate community be notified directly, either by the offender or law enforcement?
Every jurisdiction has passive community notification in the form of a public sex offender registry website. Concerned citizens are free to search the website and can sign up for email notifications if a sex offender moves into their neighborhood. Some jurisdictions go even further and require active notification, where either law enforcement or the offender themselves is required to directly notify the immediate community that a sex offender is in the area. This can take many forms, including electronic, mail, or in-person notification, publication in local newspapers, and community meetings.
- What are the residence distance restrictions?
Are there any restrictions on where a registered sex offender can live? Some jurisdictions restrict registrants from living within a measured distance of certain places. This restriction could be for all registrants, or only for higher-level offenders or those under supervision. Some jurisdictions do not have a state-wide restriction but do allow local jurisdictions to enact their own.
- What are the employment distance restrictions?
Registered sex offenders are usually restricted from certain types of employment, and from working at establishments that specifically cater to minors. Some jurisdictions go even further and restrict registrants from working within a measured distance of certain places.
- Is an employer’s information included on the public registry?
Returning citizens of every type need to find employment upon reentry, and sex offenders are no exception. Some jurisdictions include registrants’ employment information on the public registry website. This could be the employer’s address or in some cases the name of the employer.
- Are online identifiers included on the public registry?
Some jurisdictions require registered sex offenders to report any identifiers they use online, such as email addresses and social media user names. In some jurisdictions that information is included on the public registry website, separate from the registrant’s profile, in a feature that allows the public to search by specific identifiers.
- Is a state-issued ID required to be labeled?
Some jurisdictions require a state-issued ID, such as a driver’s license, to be labeled to identify the holder as a registered sex offender. This label could be the words “Sex Offender” printed on the ID in a prominent place or a more subtle designation known to law enforcement.
- What is the cost of registration?
Is there a fee to register as a sex offender? Some jurisdictions pass on some of their administrative costs to the registrants. This could be a one-time fee paid only upon initial registration, or an ongoing fee paid annually or quarterly. Some jurisdictions charge a fee every time a registrant updates their information.
- How long can a registrant be in the state for work or education before registration is required?
Does a sex offender have to register if they work or go to school in a different state? It depends on the state, and how long the registrant will be there. Some jurisdictions require registrants to notify authorities immediately, while others allow limited stays without requiring registration. Registrants currently under supervision usually need permission from their Parole or Probation Officer before traveling and should always consult their supervising officer.
- How long can a registrant visit the state before registration is required?
Can a registered sex offender go on vacation? Does a sex offender have to register if they visit a different state? It depends on the state, and how long the registrant will be there. Some jurisdictions require registrants to notify authorities immediately, while others allow limited stays without requiring registration. Registrants currently under supervision usually need permission from their Parole or Probation Officer before traveling and should always consult their supervising officer.
The answers provided are taken directly from the laws found on the state or territory’s legislative website or, where necessary, from the website of the law enforcement agency in charge of the jurisdiction’s registry. In some cases, we contacted state or territory officials for clarification and have directly quoted those conversations.
Disclaimer
While we stand by our research, it is for informational purposes only. It should not be considered legal advice and, while we strive to provide accurate and up to date information, it is not guaranteed to be complete or correct. We provide links to each jurisdiction’s legislative and law enforcement websites and maintain a directory of lawyers who specialize in sex offender registration laws. For those currently under supervision, consult with your Parole or Probation Officer for guidance.
Must the immediate community be notified directly, either by the offender or law enforcement?
Every jurisdiction has passive community notification in the form of a public sex offender registry website. Concerned citizens are free to search the website and can sign up for email notifications if a sex offender moves into their neighborhood. Some jurisdictions go even further and require active notification, where either law enforcement or the offender themselves is required to directly notify the immediate community that a sex offender is in the area. This can take many forms, including electronic, mail, or in-person notification, publication in local newspapers, and community meetings.
30 states and territories require direct community notification, either by the offender or law enforcement.
This comparison chart is intended to be a quick reference guide to compare the sex offender registry requirements across jurisdictions. It does not provide enough details for a full and accurate picture and should not be used by itself, but rather as a tool alongside the full-text versions.
| State | Must the immediate community be notified directly, either by the offender or law enforcement? |
|---|---|
| Alabama | Yes |
| Alaska | No |
| Arizona | Yes |
| Arkansas | No |
| California | No |
| Colorado | Yes |
| Connecticut | No |
| Delaware | Yes |
| Florida | Yes |
| Georgia | No |
| Hawaii | No |
| Idaho | No |
| Illinois | No |
| Indiana | No |
| Iowa | No |
| Kansas | No |
| Kentucky | No |
| Louisiana | Yes |
| Maine | No |
| Maryland | No |
| Massachusetts | Yes |
| Michigan | No |
| Minnesota | Yes |
| Mississippi | Yes |
| Missouri | No |
| Montana | No |
| Nebraska | No |
| Nevada | Yes |
| New Hampshire | No |
| New Jersey | Yes |
| New Mexico | No |
| New York | Yes |
| North Carolina | No |
| North Dakota | Yes |
| Ohio | Yes |
| Oklahoma | Yes |
| Oregon | Yes |
| Pennsylvania | Yes |
| Rhode Island | Yes |
| South Carolina | Yes |
| South Dakota | No |
| Tennessee | Yes |
| Texas | Yes |
| Utah | No |
| Vermont | No |
| Virginia | No |
| Washington | Yes |
| West Virginia | Yes |
| Wisconsin | Yes |
| Wyoming | Yes |
| Washington DC | Yes |
| Guam | Yes |
| NMI | Yes |
| Puerto Rico | Yes |
| US Virgin Islands | Yes |
Alabama
AL Code §15-20A-21
(a) Immediately upon the release of an adult sex offender or immediately upon notice of where the adult sex offender plans to establish, or has established a residence, the following procedures shall apply:
(1) In the Cities of Birmingham, Mobile, Huntsville, and Montgomery, the chief of police shall notify all persons who have a legal residence within 1,000 feet of the declared residence of the adult sex offender and all schools and childcare facilities within three miles of the declared residence of the adult sex offender that the adult sex offender will be establishing or has established his or her residence.
(2) In all other cities in Alabama with a resident population of 5,000 or more, the chief of police, or if none, then the sheriff of the county, shall notify all persons who have a legal residence within 1,500 feet of the declared residence of the adult sex offender and all schools and childcare facilities within three miles of the declared residence of the adult sex offender that the adult sex offender will be establishing or has established his or her residence.
(3) In all other municipalities with a resident population of less than 5,000, and in all unincorporated areas, the sheriff of the county in which the adult sex offender intends to reside shall notify all persons who have a legal residence within 2,000 feet of the declared residence of the adult sex offender and all schools and childcare facilities within three miles of the declared residence of the adult sex offender that the adult sex offender will be establishing or has established his or her residence.
(b) A community notification flyer shall be made by regular mail or hand delivered to all legal residences required by this section and include registration information pursuant to Section 15-20A-8. In addition, any other method reasonably expected to provide notification may be utilized, including, but not limited to, posting a copy of the notice in a prominent place at the office of the sheriff and at the police station closest to the declared residence of the released adult sex offender, publicizing the notice in a local newspaper, posting electronically, including the Internet, or other means available.
(c) Nothing in this chapter shall be construed as prohibiting the Director of the Department of Public Safety, a sheriff, or a chief of police from providing community notification under the provisions of this chapter by regular mail, electronically, or by publication or periodically to persons whose legal residence is within the guidelines of this chapter or more than the applicable distance from the residence of an adult sex offender.
Alaska
No.
Arizona
A.R.S. § 13-3825.
C. The community notification requirements are as follows:
1. For level two and level three offenders, the notification must be disseminated in a nonelectronic format to the surrounding neighborhood, area schools, appropriate community groups and prospective employers. The notification must include the offender’s photograph and exact address and a summary of the offender’s status and criminal background. A press release and the notification containing all required offender information must be given to the local electronic and print media to enable information to be placed in a local publication.
2. For level one offenders, the local law enforcement agency that is responsible for notification shall maintain information about the offender. The local law enforcement agency may disseminate this information to other law enforcement agencies and may give notification to the people with whom the offender resides.
I. Information concerning a person who is required to register pursuant to section 13-3821, who is subject to the provisions of community notification and who is a student at a public or private institution of postsecondary education or who is employed or carries on a vocation, with or without compensation, at a public or private institution of postsecondary education shall be promptly made available by the county sheriff to the law enforcement agency having jurisdiction for performing community notification pursuant to subsection C of this section. The law enforcement agency shall notify the institution’s administration and shall complete appropriate campus notification pursuant to subsection C of this section.
N. The court may continue, defer or terminate community notification after a hearing held pursuant to section 13-923.
Arkansas
No.
California
No.
Colorado
CO Rev Stat § 16-13-901
The general assembly hereby finds that persons who are convicted of offenses involving unlawful sexual behavior and who are identified as sexually violent predators pose a high enough level of risk to the community that persons in the community should receive notification concerning the identity of these sexually violent predators. The general assembly also recognizes the high potential for vigilantism that often results from community notification and the dangerous potential that the fear of such vigilantism will drive a sex offender to disappear and attempt to live without supervision. The general assembly therefore finds that sex offender notification should only occur in cases involving a high degree of risk to the community and should only occur under carefully controlled circumstances that include providing additional information and education to the community concerning supervision and treatment of sex offenders.
Connecticut
No.
Delaware
Information regarding tier 1 sex offenders is limited to law enforcement agencies. For tier 2 and tier 3 offenders, schools and daycare centers are notified when an offender registers as residing, being employed, or studying in the area. Additionally, for tier 3 offenders, immediate neighbors are notified.
– Delaware Sex Offender Central Registry
11 DE Code § 4121
(i) When a sex offender assigned to Risk Assessment Tier II or III provides registration information as provided by § 4120 of this title, the chief law-enforcement officer of the local jurisdiction where the offender intends to reside, or the Superintendent of the State Police if no local police agency exists, shall provide public notification as follows:
(1) For sex offenders assigned to Risk Assessment Tier II, notification shall consist of searchable records available to the public, and may also consist of community notification pursuant to paragraph (l)(3) of this section; or
(2) For sex offenders assigned to Risk Assessment Tier III, notification shall consist of searchable records available to the public as well as community notification.
(3) For sex offenders assigned to Tier II or III, notice shall be given to any school the offender plans to attend and/or to the chief law-enforcement officer of the local jurisdiction where the offender plans to study or be employed.
Florida
FL Stat § 775.21
(7) (a) Law enforcement agencies must inform members of the community and the public of a sexual predator’s presence. Upon notification of the presence of a sexual predator, the sheriff of the county or the chief of police of the municipality where the sexual predator establishes or maintains a permanent or temporary residence shall notify members of the community and the public of the presence of the sexual predator in a manner deemed appropriate by the sheriff or the chief of police. Within 48 hours after receiving notification of the presence of a sexual predator, the sheriff of the county or the chief of police of the municipality where the sexual predator temporarily or permanently resides shall notify each licensed child care facility, elementary school, middle school, and high school within a 1-mile radius of the temporary or permanent residence of the sexual predator of the presence of the sexual predator. Information provided to members of the community and the public regarding a sexual predator must include:
1. The name of the sexual predator;
2. A description of the sexual predator, including a photograph;
3. The sexual predator’s current permanent, temporary, and transient addresses, and descriptions of registered locations that have no specific street address, including the name of the county or municipality if known;
4. The circumstances of the sexual predator’s offense or offenses; and
5. Whether the victim of the sexual predator’s offense or offenses was, at the time of the offense, a minor or an adult.
This paragraph does not authorize the release of the name of any victim of the sexual predator.
Georgia
No.
Hawaii
No.
Idaho
No.
Illinois
No.
Indiana
No.
Iowa
No.
Kansas
No.
Kentucky
No.
Louisiana
LA Rev Stat § 15:542.1
A. Any adult residing in this state who has pled guilty to, has been convicted of, or where adjudication has been deferred or withheld for the perpetration or attempted perpetration of, or conspiracy to commit, a sex offense as defined in R.S. 15:541 or a criminal offense against a minor as defined in R.S. 15:541 shall be required to provide the following notifications
(1) Give notice of the crime for which he was convicted, his name, residential address, a description of his physical characteristics as provided in R.S. 15:542(C)(1), and a photograph or copy thereof to all of the following:
(a) At least one person in every residence or business within a one-mile radius in a rural area and a three-tenths of a mile radius in an urban or suburban area of the address of the residence where the offender will reside upon release, including all adults residing in the residence of the offender.
(b)
(i) The superintendent of the school district where the offender will reside, who shall notify the principal of every school located within a one-mile radius of the address where the offender will reside and may notify the principals of other schools as he deems appropriate. The notice sent by the superintendent shall be accompanied by two clear, recent photographs, or a clear photocopy thereof, of the offender. The photographs, which shall be provided by the offender, shall be taken after release and within sufficient time to accompany the notification which is required under the provisions of this Chapter. The principal of any such school, upon receipt of the notification from the superintendent pursuant to the provisions of this Subparagraph, shall post notices at the school, in conspicuous areas accessible by all students attending the school, which contain a photograph of the offender and which state the offender’s name, address, and a statement on the notice, commensurate with the education level of the school, which in the discretion of the principal, appropriately notifies the students of the potential danger of the offender.
(ii) Failure of the superintendent or principal to comply with the provisions of this Subparagraph shall not be construed to impose civil liability on any person.
(c) The lessor, landlord, or owner of the residence or the property on which he resides.
(d) The superintendent of any park, playground, or recreation districts within the designated area where the offender will reside, who shall notify the custodians of the parks, playgrounds, and recreational facilities in the designated area and may notify the custodians of other parks, playgrounds, and recreational facilities as he deems appropriate. The custodian of any such park, playground, and recreational facility, upon receipt of the notification, shall post notices in conspicuous areas at the park, playground, or recreational facility which state the offender’s name, address, and the crime for which he was convicted. Failure of the superintendent or custodian to comply with the provisions of this Subparagraph shall not be construed to impose civil liability on any person. The notice sent by the superintendent shall be accompanied by two clear, recent photographs, or a clear photocopy thereof, of the offender. The photographs, which shall be provided by the offender, shall be taken after release and within sufficient time to accompany the notification which is required under the provisions of this Chapter.
(e) Notwithstanding the provisions of Paragraph (1) of this Subsection, persons convicted of R.S. 14:89 shall not be required to furnish a photograph as required by that Paragraph.
(2)
(a) Give notice of the crime for which he was convicted, his name, jurisdiction of conviction, a description of his physical characteristics as required by this Section, and his physical address by mail to all people residing within the designated area within twenty-one days of the date of conviction, if the offender is not taken into custody at the time of conviction, or within twenty-one days of the date of release from confinement or within twenty-one days of establishing residency in the locale where the offender plans to have his domicile, and the notice shall be published on two separate days within the applicable period provided for herein, without cost to the state, in the official journal of the governing authority of the parish where the defendant plans to reside and, if ordered by the sheriff or police department or required by local ordinance, in a newspaper which meets the requirements of R.S. 43:140(3) for qualification as an official journal and which has a larger or smaller circulation in the parish than the official journal. The notice provided to the official journal or other designated newspaper pursuant to this Subparagraph shall also include a recent photograph of the offender or a clear photocopy of a recent photograph of the offender.
(b) Those persons required to provide community notification pursuant to the provisions of this Section shall provide such community notification every five years from the date of the previous notification.
(3) Give any other notice deemed appropriate by the court in which the defendant was convicted of the offense that subjects him to the duty to register, including but not limited to signs, handbills, bumper stickers, or clothing labeled to that effect.
B.
(1) Any person required to register pursuant to R.S. 15:542 who provides recreational instruction to persons under the age of seventeen years shall post a notice in the building or facility where such instruction is being given. This notice shall contain the name and photograph of the sex offender, the date and jurisdiction of conviction, and the crime for which he was convicted. Such notification shall be prominently displayed and shall be of sufficient size to alert persons entering such building or facility that the recreational instructor is a convicted sex offender.
(2) For purposes of this Subsection, “recreational instruction” refers to instruction or lessons on noneducational activities, including but not limited to martial arts, dancing, theater, and music.
D.
(1) Any person who is required to register pursuant to the provisions of this Chapter, who is otherwise not prohibited from using a networking website, and who creates a profile or who uses the functionality of a networking website to contact or attempt to contact other networking website users shall include in his profile for the networking website an indication that he is a sex offender or child predator and shall include notice of the crime for which he was convicted, the jurisdiction of conviction, a description of his physical characteristics as required by this Section, and his residential address. The person shall ensure that this information is displayed in his profile for the networking website and that such information is visible to, or is able to be viewed by, other users and visitors of the networking website.
(2)
(a) For purposes of this Subsection, “networking website” means an Internet website, the purpose of which is social interaction with other networking website users, which contains profile web pages of the members of the website that include the names or nicknames of such members, that allows photographs and any other personal or personally identifying information to be placed on the profile web pages by such members, and which provides links to other profile web pages on the networking website of friends or associates of such members that can be accessed by other members or visitors to the website. A networking website provides members of, or visitors to, such website the ability to leave messages or comments on the profile web page that are visible to all or some visitors to the profile web page and may also include a form of electronic mail for members of the networking website.
(b) For purposes of this Subsection, “networking website” shall not include any of the following:
(i) An Internet website the primary purpose of which is the facilitation of commercial transactions involving goods or services between its members or visitors.
(ii) An Internet website the primary purpose of which is the dissemination of news.
(iii) An Internet website of a governmental entity.
Maine
Pre-2013 applies to a person sentenced prior to January 1, 2013.
Post-2013 applies to a person who commits criminal conduct and is sentenced on or after January 1, 2013.
Pre- and Post-2013 No.
Maryland
MD. Crim Pro Code Ann. § 11-718
(a) (1) If the Department or a local law enforcement unit finds that, to protect the public from a specific registrant, it is necessary to give notice of a registration statement, a change of address of the registrant, or a change in a county in which the registrant habitually lives to a particular person not otherwise identified under § 11-709 of this subtitle, then the Department or a local law enforcement unit shall give notice of the registration statement to that person.
Massachusetts
MGL c.6 § 178K
(2) (c) Where the board determines that the risk of reoffense is high and the degree of dangerousness posed to the public is such that a substantial public safety interest is served by active dissemination, it shall give a level 3 designation to the sex offender. In such case, the board shall transmit the registration data and designation to the police departments in the municipalities where the sex offender lives, has a secondary address and works and attends an institution of higher learning or, if in custody, intends to live and work and attend an institution of higher learning upon release and where the offense was committed and to the Federal Bureau of Investigation. A level 3 community notification plan shall require the police department to notify organizations in the community which are likely to encounter such sex offender and individual members of the public who are likely to encounter such sex offender. The sex offender shall be required to register and to verify registration information pursuant to sections 178F1/2. Neighboring police districts shall share sex offender registration information of level 3 offenders and may inform the residents of their municipality of a sex offender they are likely to encounter who resides in an adjacent city or town. The police or the board shall actively disseminate in such time and manner as such police department or board deems reasonably necessary the following information:
(i) the name of the sex offender;
(ii) the offender’s home address and any secondary address;
(iii) the offender’s work address;
(iv) the offense for which the offender was convicted or adjudicated and the date of the conviction or adjudication;
(v) the sex offender’s age, sex, race, height, weight, eye and hair color; and
(vi) a photograph of the sex offender, if available; provided, that such active dissemination may include publication of such information on the internet by the police department at such time and in such manner as the police or the board deem reasonably necessary; and provided further, that the police or the board shall not release information identifying the victim by name, address or relation to the sex offender. All notices to the community shall include a warning regarding the criminal penalties for use of sex offender registry information to commit a crime or to engage in illegal discrimination or harassment of an offender and the punishment for threatening to commit a crime under section 4 of chapter 275.
(vii) the name and address of the institution of higher learning that the sex offender is attending.
Michigan
No.
Minnesota
MN Stat § 244.052
4. (a) The law enforcement agency in the area where the predatory offender resides, expects to reside, is employed, or is regularly found, shall disclose to the public any information regarding the offender contained in the report forwarded to the agency under subdivision 3, paragraph (f), that is relevant and necessary to protect the public and to counteract the offender’s dangerousness, consistent with the guidelines in paragraph (b). The extent of the information disclosed and the community to whom disclosure is made must relate to the level of danger posed by the offender, to the offender’s pattern of offending behavior, and to the need of community members for information to enhance their individual and collective safety.
(b) The law enforcement agency shall employ the following guidelines in determining the scope of disclosure made under this subdivision:
(1) if the offender is assigned to risk level I, the agency may maintain information regarding the offender within the agency and may disclose it to other law enforcement agencies. Additionally, the agency may disclose the information to any victims of or witnesses to the offense committed by the offender. The agency shall disclose the information to victims of the offense committed by the offender who have requested disclosure and to adult members of the offender’s immediate household;
(2) if the offender is assigned to risk level II, the agency also may disclose the information to agencies and groups that the offender is likely to encounter for the purpose of securing those institutions and protecting individuals in their care while they are on or near the premises of the institution. These agencies and groups include the staff members of public and private educational institutions, day care establishments, and establishments and organizations that primarily serve individuals likely to be victimized by the offender. The agency also may disclose the information to individuals the agency believes are likely to be victimized by the offender. The agency’s belief shall be based on the offender’s pattern of offending or victim preference as documented in the information provided by the department of corrections or human services;
(3) if the offender is assigned to risk level III, the agency shall disclose the information to the persons and entities described in clauses (1) and (2) and to other members of the community whom the offender is likely to encounter, unless the law enforcement agency determines that public safety would be compromised by the disclosure or that a more limited disclosure is necessary to protect the identity of the victim.
(j) When a school, day care facility, or other entity or program that primarily educates or serves children receives notice under paragraph (b), clause (3), that a level III predatory offender resides or works in the surrounding community, notice to parents must be made as provided in this paragraph. If the predatory offender identified in the notice is participating in programs offered by the facility that require or allow the person to interact with children other than the person’s children, the principal or head of the entity must notify parents with children at the facility of the contents of the notice received pursuant to this section. The immunity provisions of subdivision 7 apply to persons disclosing information under this paragraph.
Mississippi
Miss. Code Ann. § 45-33-36
(3) From and after July 1, 2015, local jurisdictions receiving notification and that have the ability may notify residents when a sex offender begins residing, lodges, becomes employed, volunteers or attends school or intends to reside, lodge, work, attend school or volunteer in the area by using a website, social media, print media, e-mail or may provide a link to the Department of Public Safety website.
Miss. Code Ann. § 45-33-59
(1) Any person convicted of a sex offense who is employed in any position, or who contracts with a person to provide personal services, where the employment position or personal services contract will bring the person into close regular contact with children shall notify in writing the employer or the person with whom the person has contracted of his sex offender status.
(2) This section applies to all registered sex offenders regardless of the date of conviction.
Missouri
No.
Montana
No.
Nebraska
No.
Nevada
NRS 179D.475
2. Except as otherwise provided in subsection 3, a local law enforcement agency:
(a) Shall immediately provide all updated information obtained from the Central Repository pursuant to subsection 1 to:
(1) Each school, religious organization, youth organization and public housing authority in which the offender or sex offender resides or is a student or worker;
(2) Each agency which provides child welfare services as defined in NRS 432B.030;
(3) Volunteer organizations in which contact with children or other vulnerable persons might occur; and
(4) If the offender or sex offender is a Tier III offender, members of the public who are likely to encounter the offender or sex offender;
New Hampshire
No.
New Jersey
N.J.S.A. 2C:7-8
3. c. The regulations shall provide for three levels of notification depending upon the risk of re-offense by the offender as follows:
(1) If risk of re-offense is low, law enforcement agencies likely to encounter the person registered shall be notified;
(2) If risk of re-offense is moderate, organizations in the community including schools, religious and youth organizations shall be notified in accordance with the Attorney General’s guidelines, in addition to the notice required by paragraph (1) of this subsection;
(3) If risk of re-offense is high, the public shall be notified through means in accordance with the Attorney General’s guidelines designed to reach members of the public likely to encounter the person registered, in addition to the notice required by paragraphs (1) and (2) of this subsection.
If the risk level is low (Tier 1), law enforcement agencies are notified. If the risk level is moderate (Tier 2), in addition to law enforcement agencies, schools, licensed day care centers, summer camps, and registered community organizations are notified of sex offenders that they are likely to encounter because of the possibility that pedophiles and sexual predators will be drawn to these places. If the risk level is high (Tier 3), in addition to law enforcement agencies, schools, licensed day care centers, summer camps, registered community organizations, and members of the public are notified.
You will receive personal notification of the location of all high risk (Tier 3) offenders that you are likely to encounter in your neighborhood. A law enforcement officer, such as a police officer, state police trooper, or investigator from your county prosecutor’s office, will come to your door and deliver a notice to an adult member of your household.
You may share and discuss the information you have received with those residing in your household or with anyone caring for your children at your residence in your absence. You may NOT share this information with anyone outside your household or not in your care. You may NOT copy or post the notice. Law enforcement will notify all appropriate community members, schools, organizations, residences, and businesses.
– New Jersey State Police
New Mexico
No.
New York
The local law enforcement agency where the offender currently resides, can, if it chooses, release information on sex offenders residing in the community to “entities with vulnerable populations related to the nature of the offense.” The law enforcement agency can only release information on level 1, level 2 and level 3 offenders through community notification. Therefore, there is no community notification for sex offenders whose status is Pending. Also, while the exact address of level 3 offenders can be provided, the law provides that only an approximate address based on zip code can be provided for level 1 offenders. Please note that a federal court injunction currently prohibits the release of information through this method concerning sex offenders who committed their crime prior to January 21, 1996 and were assigned a risk level prior to January 1, 2000.
– New York State Division of Criminal Justice Services
Refer to NY Corr L § 168-L. 6 for more details.
North Carolina
No.
North Dakota
N.D.C.C. § 12.1-32-15
14. Relevant and necessary conviction and registration information must be disclosed to the public by a law enforcement agency if the individual is a moderate or high risk and the agency determines that disclosure of the conviction and registration information is necessary for public protection. The attorney general shall develop guidelines for public disclosure of offender registration information. Public disclosure may include internet access if the offender:
a. Is required to register for a lifetime under subsection 8;
b. Has been determined to be a high risk to the public by the department, the attorney general, or the courts, according to guidelines developed by those agencies; or
c. Has been determined to be a high risk to the public by an agency of another state or the federal government.
If the offender has been determined to be a moderate risk, public disclosure must include, at a minimum, notification of the offense to the victim registered under chapter 12.1-34 and to any agency, civic organization, or group of persons who have characteristics similar to those of a victim of the offender. Upon request, law enforcement agencies may release conviction and registration information regarding low-risk, moderate-risk, or high-risk offenders.
Ohio
ORC § 2950.11
(A) The sheriff shall provide the notice to all of the following persons:
(1)(a) Any occupant of each residential unit that is located within one thousand feet of the offender’s or delinquent child’s residential premises, that is located within the county served by the sheriff, and that is not located in a multi-unit building. Division (D)(3) of this section applies regarding notices required under this division.
(b) If the offender or delinquent child resides in a multi-unit building, any occupant of each residential unit that is located in that multi-unit building and that shares a common hallway with the offender or delinquent child. For purposes of this division, an occupant’s unit shares a common hallway with the offender or delinquent child if the entrance door into the occupant’s unit is located on the same floor and opens into the same hallway as the entrance door to the unit the offender or delinquent child occupies. Division (D)(3) of this section applies regarding notices required under this division.
(c) The building manager, or the person the building owner or condominium unit owners association authorizes to exercise management and control, of each multi-unit building that is located within one thousand feet of the offender’s or delinquent child’s residential premises, including a multi-unit building in which the offender or delinquent child resides, and that is located within the county served by the sheriff. In addition to notifying the building manager or the person authorized to exercise management and control in the multi-unit building under this division, the sheriff shall post a copy of the notice prominently in each common entryway in the building and any other location in the building the sheriff determines appropriate. The manager or person exercising management and control of the building shall permit the sheriff to post copies of the notice under this division as the sheriff determines appropriate. In lieu of posting copies of the notice as described in this division, a sheriff may provide notice to all occupants of the multi-unit building by mail or personal contact; if the sheriff so notifies all the occupants, the sheriff is not required to post copies of the notice in the common entryways to the building. Division (D)(3) of this section applies regarding notices required under this division.
(d) All additional persons who are within any category of neighbors of the offender or delinquent child that the attorney general by rule adopted under section 2950.13 of the Revised Code requires to be provided the notice and who reside within the county served by the sheriff;
(F)(1) Except as provided in division (F)(2) of this section, the duties to provide the notices described in divisions (A) and (C) of this section apply regarding any offender or delinquent child who is in any of the following categories:
(a) The offender is a tier III sex offender/child-victim offender, or the delinquent child is a public registry-qualified juvenile offender registrant, and a juvenile court has not removed pursuant to section 2950.15 of the Revised Code the delinquent child’s duty to comply with sections 2950.04, 2950.041, 2950.05, and 2950.06 of the Revised Code.
(b) The delinquent child is a tier III sex offender/child-victim offender who is not a public registry-qualified juvenile offender registrant, the delinquent child was subjected to this section prior to January 1, 2008, as a sexual predator, habitual sex offender, child-victim predator, or habitual child-victim offender, as those terms were defined in section 2950.01 of the Revised Code as it existed prior to January 1, 2008, and a juvenile court has not removed pursuant to section 2152.84 or 2152.85 of the Revised Code the delinquent child’s duty to comply with sections 2950.04, 2950.041, 2950.05, and 2950.06 of the Revised Code.
(c) The delinquent child is a tier III sex offender/child-victim offender who is not a public registry-qualified juvenile offender registrant, the delinquent child was classified a juvenile offender registrant on or after January 1, 2008, the court has imposed a requirement under section 2152.82, 2152.83, or 2152.84 of the Revised Code subjecting the delinquent child to this section, and a juvenile court has not removed pursuant to section 2152.84 or 2152.85 of the Revised Code the delinquent child’s duty to comply with sections 2950.04, 2950.041, 2950.05, and 2950.06 of the Revised Code.
Oklahoma
57 OK Stat § 57-584
O. 3. Upon registration of any person designated as a habitual or aggravated sex offender, pursuant to this subsection, a local law enforcement authority shall notify, by any method of communication it deems appropriate, anyone that the local law enforcement authority determines appropriate, including, but not limited to:
a. the family of the habitual or aggravated sex offender,
b. any prior victim of the habitual or aggravated sex offender,
c. residential neighbors and churches, community parks, schools, convenience stores, businesses and other places that children or other potential victims may frequent, and
d. a nursing facility, a specialized facility, a residential care home, a continuum-of-care facility, an assisted living center, and an adult day care facility.
Oregon
ORS § 163A.215
(2) If the sex offender is classified as a level three sex offender under ORS 163A.100 (3):
(a) The Department of State Police shall release sex offender information on a website maintained by the department; and
(b) The supervising agency or a notifying agency may release sex offender information to:
(A) A person that resides with the sex offender;
(B) A person with whom the sex offender has a significant relationship;
(C) Residential neighbors and churches, community parks, schools and child care centers, convenience stores, businesses and other places that children or other potential victims may frequent;
(D) A long term care facility, as defined in ORS 442.015, or a residential care facility, as defined in ORS 443.400, if the agency knows that the sex offender is seeking admission to the facility; and
(E) Local or regional media sources.
(4) If the sex offender is classified as a level two sex offender under ORS 163A.100 (2), the supervising agency or a notifying agency may release sex offender information to the persons or entities described in subsection (2)(b)(A) to (D) of this section.
(5) If the sex offender is classified as a level one sex offender under ORS 163A.100 (1), the supervising agency or a notifying agency may release sex offender information to a person described in subsection (2)(b)(A) of this section.
Pennsylvania
Post 12/20/12 applies to those whose offense was committed on or after December 20, 2012.
Pre 12/20/12 applies to those whose offense was committed before December 20, 2012.
Notice of the Sexually Violent Predator’s or a Sexually Violent Delinquent Child’s presence in the community is provided to the neighbors of the Sexually Violent Predator or out-of-state offender. Those persons who live or work within 250 feet of Sexually Violent Predator’s or a Sexually Violent Delinquent Child’s residence or the 25 most immediate residences and places of employment in proximity to the predator’s or offender’s residence, whichever is greater.
In the case if a homeless/transient Sexually Violent Predator or homeless/transient Sexually Violent Delinquent Child, notice is given to those persons who live or work within 250 feet of the Sexually Violent Predator or Sexually Violent Delinquent Child’s transient location or the 25 most immediate residences and places of employment in proximity to the Sexually Violent Predator or Sexually Violent Delinquent Child’s transient location, whichever is greater.
– Pennsylvania State Police
Post 12/20/12 42 Pa C.S. § 9799.27
(a) Notwithstanding the provisions of Chapter 63 (relating to juvenile matters) and 18 Pa.C.S. Ch. 91 (relating to criminal history record information), the chief law enforcement officer of the police department of the municipality where a sexually violent predator or sexually violent delinquent child lives or, in the case of a sexually violent predator or sexually violent delinquent child failing to establish a residence and being a transient, the chief law enforcement officer of the police department of the transient’s last known habitat, shall be responsible for providing written notice as required under this section.
Pre 12/20/12 42 Pa C.S. § 9799.62
a) Notwithstanding any of the provisions of 18 Pa.C.S. Ch. 91 (relating to criminal history record information), the chief law enforcement officer of the full-time or part-time police department of the municipality where a sexually violent predator lives shall be responsible for providing written notice as required under this section.
Rhode Island
RI Gen L § 11-37.1-11
(5) Information shall be disclosed by the local police department to the general public in a city or town for those registered offenders determined to be either a level 2 or level 3 offender as determined consistent with parole board guidelines; and
(6) Information shall be disclosed by the local police department to the local school department for those registered offenders determined to be level 3 offenders by the parole board for the purposes of notifying parents of students whose school bus stop is within one thousand feet (1,000′) of a level 3 sex offender’s residence, which distance shall be measured from the nearest boundary line of the real property supporting the residence of the level 3 sex offender to the school bus stop.
RI Gen L § 11-37.1-12
(b)(1) If risk of re-offense is low, law enforcement agencies and any individuals identified in accordance with the parole board guidelines shall be notified;
(2) If risk of re-offense is moderate, organizations in the community likely to encounter the person registered shall be notified in accordance with the parole board’s guidelines, in addition to the notice required by subsection (b)(1);
(3) If risk of re-offense is high, the members of the public likely to encounter the person registered shall be notified through means in accordance with the parole board’s guidelines designed to reach members of the public likely to encounter the person registered, in addition to the notice required by subsections (b)(1) and (b)(2).
(4) The designated state law enforcement agency is authorized and directed to utilize the Rhode Island state police website and the Rhode Island unified court system website for the public release of identifying information of level two and level three sex offenders who have been convicted, provided that no identifying information of a juvenile shall be listed on the website.
There is a process outlined in RI Gen L § 11-37.1-13 through 16 by which a tier 2 or 3 registrant may object to community notification.
South Carolina
SC Code § 23-3-535
(F)(1) At the beginning of each school year, each school district must provide:
(a) the names and addresses of every sex offender who resides within one thousand feet of a school bus stop within the school district to the parents or guardians of a student who boards or disembarks a school bus at a stop covered by this subsection; or
(b) the hyperlink to the sex offender registry web site on the school district’s web site for the purpose of gathering this information.
South Dakota
No.
Tennessee
TN Code § 40-39-217
(a) (1) Any county, metropolitan form of government or municipality may, by a two-thirds (⅔) vote of the legislative body, choose to establish a community notification system whereby certain residences, schools and child-care facilities within the county, metropolitan form of government or municipality are notified when a person required to register pursuant to this part as a sexual offender or violent sexual offender resides, intends to reside, or, upon registration, declares to reside within a certain distance of such residences, schools and child-care facilities.
(2) The legislative body of any county, metropolitan form of government or municipality that enacts a community notification system pursuant to this subsection (a) may, at the same time as the system is established, enact a notification fee of not more than fifty dollars ($50.00) per year from each offender in the county, metropolitan form of government or municipality for the purpose of defraying the costs of the community notification. The notification fee shall be collected at the same time as the one-hundred-fifty-dollar administrative fee collected pursuant to § 40-39-204(b).
(b) Forms of notification a county, metropolitan form of government or municipality may elect to establish include:
(1) Notification by the sheriff’s office or police department to residents, schools and child-care facilities located within a specified number of feet from the offender’s residence;
(2) A community notification flyer, whether made by regular mail or hand delivered, to all legal residences within the specified area;
(3) Posting a copy of the notice in a prominent place at the office of the sheriff and at the police station closest to the declared residence of the offender;
(4) Publicizing the notice in a local newspaper, or posting electronically, including the internet;
(5) Notifying homeowners associations within the immediate area of the declared residence of the offender; or
(6) Any other method reasonably expected to provide notification.
(c) Nothing in this section shall be construed as prohibiting the Tennessee bureau of investigation, a sheriff, or a chief of police from providing community notification under this section electronically or by publication or periodically to persons whose legal residence is more than the applicable distance from the residence of an offender.
Texas
TX Code Crim Pro Art. 62.056. ADDITIONAL PUBLIC NOTICE FOR CERTAIN OFFENDERS.
(a) On receipt of notice under this chapter that a person subject to registration is due to be released from a penal institution, has been placed on community supervision or juvenile probation, or intends to move to a new residence in this state, the department shall verify the person’s numeric risk level assigned under this chapter. If the person is assigned a numeric risk level of three, the department shall, not later than the seventh day after the date on which the person is released or the 10th day after the date on which the person moves, provide written notice mailed or delivered to at least each address, other than a post office box, within a one-mile radius, in an area that has not been subdivided, or a three-block area, in an area that has been subdivided, of the place where the person intends to reside. In providing written notice under this subsection, the department shall use employees of the department whose duties in providing the notice are in addition to the employees’ regular duties.
(b) The department shall provide the notice in English and Spanish and shall include in the notice any information that is public information under this chapter. The department may not include any information that is not public information under this chapter.
(c) The department shall establish procedures for a person with respect to whom notice is provided under Subsection (a), other than a person subject to registration on the basis of an adjudication of delinquent conduct, to pay to the department all costs incurred by the department in providing the notice. The person shall pay those costs in accordance with the procedures established under this subsection.
(d) On receipt of notice under this chapter that a person subject to registration under this chapter is required to register or verify registration with a local law enforcement authority and has been assigned a numeric risk level of three, the local law enforcement authority may provide notice to the public in any manner determined appropriate by the local law enforcement authority, including publishing notice in a newspaper or other periodical or circular in circulation in the area where the person intends to reside, holding a neighborhood meeting, posting notices in the area where the person intends to reside, distributing printed notices to area residents, or establishing a specialized local website. The local law enforcement authority may include in the notice only information that is public information under this chapter.
TX Code Crim Pro Art. 62.201. ADDITIONAL PUBLIC NOTICE FOR INDIVIDUALS SUBJECT TO CIVIL COMMITMENT.
(a) On receipt of notice under this chapter that a person subject to registration who is civilly committed as a sexually violent predator is due to be released from a penal institution or intends to move to a new residence in this state, the department shall, not later than the seventh day after the date on which the person is released or the seventh day after the date on which the person moves, provide written notice mailed or delivered to at least each address, other than a post office box, within a one-mile radius, in an area that has not been subdivided, or a three-block area, in an area that has been subdivided, of the place where the person intends to reside.
(b) The department shall provide the notice in English and Spanish and shall include in the notice any information that is public information under this chapter. The department may not include any information that is not public information under this chapter.
(c) The department shall establish procedures for a person with respect to whom notice is provided under this article to pay to the department all costs incurred by the department in providing the notice. The person shall pay those costs in accordance with the procedures established under this subsection.
(d) The department’s duty to provide notice under this article in regard to a particular person ends on the date on which a court releases the person from all requirements of the civil commitment process.
Utah
No.
Vermont
No.
Virginia
No.
Washington
Some cities post the information on their websites while others hand deliver flyers or mail postcards. Call your local police department or sheriff’s office for more information.
– Washington Association of Sheriffs & Police Chiefs
RCW § 4.24.550
(2) Except for the information specifically required under subsection (5) of this section, the extent of the public disclosure of relevant and necessary information shall be rationally related to: (a) The level of risk posed by the offender to the community; (b) the locations where the offender resides, expects to reside, or is regularly found; and (c) the needs of the affected community members for information to enhance their individual and collective safety.
(3) Except for the information specifically required under subsection (5) of this section, local law enforcement agencies shall consider the following guidelines in determining the extent of a public disclosure made under this section: (a) For offenders classified as risk level I, the agency shall share information with other appropriate law enforcement agencies and, if the offender is a student, the public or private school regulated under Title 28A RCW or chapter 72.40 RCW which the offender is attending, or planning to attend. The agency may disclose, upon request, relevant, necessary, and accurate information to any victim or witness to the offense, any individual community member who lives near the residence where the offender resides, expects to reside, or is regularly found, and any individual who requests information regarding a specific offender; (b) for offenders classified as risk level II, the agency may also disclose relevant, necessary, and accurate information to public and private schools, child day care centers, family day care providers, public libraries, businesses and organizations that serve primarily children, women, or vulnerable adults, and neighbors and community groups near the residence where the offender resides, expects to reside, or is regularly found; (c) for offenders classified as risk level III, the agency may also disclose relevant, necessary, and accurate information to the public at large; and (d) because more localized notification is not feasible and homeless and transient offenders may present unique risks to the community, the agency may also disclose relevant, necessary, and accurate information to the public at large for offenders registered as homeless or transient.
(4) The county sheriff with whom an offender classified as risk level III is registered shall release a sex offender community notification that conforms to the guidelines established under RCW 4.24.5501.
(5)(a) When funded by federal grants or other sources, the Washington association of sheriffs and police chiefs shall create and maintain a statewide registered kidnapping and sex offender website, which shall be available to the public. The website shall post all level III and level II registered sex offenders, level I registered sex offenders only during the time they are out of compliance with registration requirements under RCW 9A.44.130 or if lacking a fixed residence as provided in RCW 9A.44.130, and all registered kidnapping offenders in the state of Washington.
(i) For level III offenders, the website shall contain, but is not limited to, the registered sex offender’s name, relevant criminal convictions, address by hundred block, physical description, and photograph. The website shall provide mapping capabilities that display the sex offender’s address by hundred block on a map. The website shall allow citizens to search for registered sex offenders within the state of Washington by county, city, zip code, last name, and address by hundred block.
(ii) For level II offenders, and level I sex offenders during the time they are out of compliance with registration requirements under RCW 9A.44.130, the website shall contain, but is not limited to, the same information and functionality as described in (a)(i) of this subsection, provided that it is permissible under state and federal law. If it is not permissible, the website shall be limited to the information and functionality that is permissible under state and federal law.
(iii) For kidnapping offenders, the website shall contain, but is not limited to, the same information and functionality as described in (a)(i) of this subsection, provided that it is permissible under state and federal law. If it is not permissible, the website shall be limited to the information and functionality that is permissible under state and federal law.
West Virginia
WV Code § 15-12-5
(b) (1) When a person has been determined to be a sexually violent predator under the terms of section two-a of this article, the State Police shall notify the prosecuting attorney of the county in which the person resides, owns or leases habitable real property that he or she regularly visits, is employed or attends a school or training facility. The prosecuting attorney shall cooperate with the State Police in conducting a community notification program which is to include publication of the offender’s name, photograph, place of residence, location of regularly visited habitable real property owned or leased by the offender, county of employment and place at which the offender attends school or a training facility, as well as information concerning the legal rights and obligations of both the offender and the community. Information relating to the victim of an offense requiring registration may not be released to the public except to the extent the prosecuting attorney and the State Police consider it necessary to best educate the public as to the nature of sexual offenses: Provided, That no victim’s name may be released in any public notification pursuant to this subsection. No information relating to telephone or electronic paging device numbers a registrant has or uses may be released to the public with this notification program. The prosecuting attorney and State Police may conduct a community notification program in the county where a person who is required to register for life under the terms of subdivision (2), subsection (a), section four of this article resides, owns or leases habitable real property that he or she regularly visits, is employed or attends a school or training facility. Community notification may be repeated when determined to be appropriate by the prosecuting attorney;
Wisconsin
In some circumstances, local law enforcement may wish to send out bulletins and / or conduct a community notification meeting for certain individuals on the Registry moving into their community.
– Wisconsin Department of Corrections SOR
Wyoming
WY Stat § 7-19-303
(c) (ii) If the offender was convicted of an offense specified in W.S. 7-19-302(h) or (j), notification shall be provided by mail, personally or by any other means reasonably calculated to ensure delivery of the notice to residential neighbors within at least seven hundred fifty (750) feet of the offender’s residence, organizations in the community, including schools, religious and youth organizations by the sheriff or his designee. In addition, notification regarding an offender employed by or attending school at any educational institution shall be provided upon request by the educational institution to a member of the institution’s campus community as defined by subsection (h) of this section;
Washington DC
DC Code § 22-4011
(a) The Metropolitan Police Department shall have the authority to release and disseminate the information obtained on sex offenders. The authorized activities of the Metropolitan Police Department under this section include, but are not limited to, active and passive notification to all or parts of the community concerning a sex offender, including but not limited to:
(1) Victims and witnesses;
(2) Public and private educational institutions, day care entities and other institutions or organizations that provide services to or employ individuals who may be victimized by a sex offender;
(3) Members of the public or governmental agencies requesting information on identified individuals for employment or foster care background checks or similar purposes;
(4) The public at large; and
(5) Any unit of the Metropolitan Police Department and other law enforcement agencies.
(b) (1) (A) Active notification under this section refers to affirmatively informing persons or entities about sex offenders. Authorized means of active notification include, but are not limited to, community meetings, flyers, telephone calls, door-to-door contacts, electronic notification, direct mailings, and media releases.
Guam
Title 9 GCA § 89.11
(h) Method of Release of Information. The Judiciary of Guam, Probation Division, shall maintain the Public Sex Offender Registry Website and it shall be updated immediately after a registrant registers, or updates registered information. The community shall have access to the Sex Offender Registry Web Page. The Judiciary of Guam, Probation Division, shall transmit a notice of any updates to registration information concerning any sex offender to the Guam Department of Education, the Guam Community College, the University of Guam, the Department of Administration, the Department of Labor & Agency for Human Resources Development, the Department of Public Health & Social Services, the Department of Youth Affairs, the Child Protective Services Agency, the Office of the Attorney General, all public and private schools, day care centers, victim shelters and victim advocates, within three (3) calendar days with the information in which such registration information can be found. The Judiciary of Guam, Probation Division, may transmit such information and fulfill the requirement of this Section by use of an email notification system described in §89.10(j), below. The Judiciary of Guam, Probation Division, may transmit any information concerning all sex offenders directly to the media for dissemination.
Northern Mariana Islands
The processing DPS personnel must prepare a Public, Private Schools and Day Care Centers Notification and a Community Notification flyer and must mail or hand deliver notifications to the affected areas of the criminal sex offender’s declared residence.
1. These notifications shall include, but not limited to:
a. a current photo of the criminal sex offender
b. criminal history
c. each sex offense history or pre-sentence investigation of the sex offense
d. vehicle registration
2. All legal residents and establishments within 1500 feet of the criminal sex offender’s declared residence must be notified.
3. In addition, any other method reasonably expected to provide notification may be utilized by the processing DPS personnel, including but not limited to, posting a copy of the notice in a prominent place closest to the declared residence of the criminal sex offender, publicizing the notice in a local newspaper, or posting electronically, including the internet, or other means available.
– CNMI Department of Public Safety
Puerto Rico
L.P.R.A. § 536f.
It is further provided that the System shall take the necessary steps to publish such Registry in a newspaper of general circulation in Puerto Rico at least once a year.
U.S. Virgin Islands
14 V.I.C. § 1727
(d) Whenever a person who is required to register under this chapter lives within a one-mile radius of a child-care facility, a public school, a private school or a parochial school in the Territory, the Attorney General shall notify the owner or operator of that child-care facility, private school, parochial school, or the Department of Education.
Some states offer the possibility for registrants to be removed from the registry after meeting certain requirements. Visit the Collateral Consequences Resource Center for a state by state comparison of relief from sex offender registration obligations.
If your state offers a path off the registry, search our directory for a lawyer with experience in registry removal applications.