Sex Offender Registration Laws by State (2026)
How each state handles sex offender registration and the penalties, from each state's code.
| State | Sex offender registration |
|---|---|
| Alabama | Every adult convicted of a listed sex offense must register under the Alabama Sex Offender Registration and Community Notification Act, and an adult sex offender is subject to the Act for life. Adults must register in person immediately on release (or conviction if not jailed) in each county where they live, work, volunteer or attend school, update changes immediately, and verify in person in their birth month and every three months after that. Juveniles adjudicated delinquent of the most serious listed sex offenses at age 14 or older register for life (with a petition for relief possible after 25 years); other juvenile sex offenders register for 10 years. Knowingly violating the adult registration requirements is a Class C felony (1 year and 1 day to 10 years). Ala. Code 1975 §§ 15-20A-3, 15-20A-10, 15-20A-28; class range § 13A-5-6 |
| Alaska | Sex offenders and child kidnappers physically present in Alaska must register with the Department of Corrections if incarcerated, or in person at the nearest state trooper post or municipal police department, within 30 days before release, by the next working day after conviction if not incarcerated, or by the next working day after arriving in the state. Registration lasts for life for a person convicted of one aggravated sex offense or two or more sex offenses or child kidnappings, and 15 years after unconditional discharge for a single non-aggravated offense (the clock pauses while the person is out of compliance or incarcerated). Knowingly failing to register, to report a change of address, name, email or internet identifier, or to file the annual or quarterly verification is a class A misdemeanor (up to 1 year); it is a class C felony (up to 5 years) with a prior failure-to-register conviction or when done to avoid detection while committing a sex offense. AS 12.63.010, 12.63.020, 11.56.835, 11.56.840; AS 12.55.035, 12.55.125, 12.55.135 |
| Arizona | People convicted of listed offenses (such as sexual assault, molestation of a child, continuous sexual abuse of a child, child sex trafficking, sexual exploitation of a minor, luring a minor and repeat indecent exposure, plus equivalent out-of-state offenses) must register with the county sheriff within 10 days after conviction, or within 72 hours (not counting weekends and holidays) after entering and staying in an Arizona county for 72 hours. A court may also order registration for some other offenses and for juveniles adjudicated delinquent; a juvenile's duty ends at age 25 and may be ended earlier after probation. Registration for unlawful imprisonment or kidnapping of a minor lasts 10 years from release unless the person has a prior qualifying conviction. Failing to comply with the registration law is a class 4 felony (1.5 / 2.5 / 3 years for a first offense), and one specified violation (§ 13-3821(J)) is a class 6 felony with a $250 assessment. A.R.S. §§ 13-3821, 13-3824 |
| Arkansas | People convicted of sex offenses must register with the Arkansas Sex Offender Registry. Registration is for life for an offender found to have committed an aggravated sex offense, assessed as a Level 4 sexually dangerous person, convicted of a second sex offense in a separate case, convicted of rape by forcible compulsion, or convicted three or more times of failing to register. Other offenders may ask the sentencing court to end registration 15 years after first registering (or after release); the court must grant it if there was no new sex offense and the person is not likely to pose a threat, and a denied petition can be refiled after three years. Failing to register or verify, or failing to report a change of address, job or school in person, is a Class C felony (3 to 10 years). Ark. Code Ann. §§ 12-12-919, 12-12-904 |
| California | People convicted of listed sex offenses (including rape, sexual battery, lewd acts with a child, child sexual abuse material and online luring offenses) must register with the local police or sheriff within five working days of moving into or within a city or county, and keep registering while they live, work or attend school in California. Registration is tiered: tier one (most misdemeanors and non-serious, non-violent felonies) for at least 10 years, tier two (serious or violent felonies and some others) for at least 20 years, and tier three for life (for example sexually violent predators, people convicted of certain child offenses such as continuous abuse, and high-risk offenders); the duty can end only through the termination process. Willfully failing to register is a misdemeanor up to 1 year in county jail when the registration is based on a misdemeanor; when based on a felony, or after a prior failure-to-register conviction, it is a felony of 16 months, 2 or 3 years in state prison, with at least 90 days in jail if probation is granted. Cal. Pen. Code 290(b)-(d), 290.018; Pen. Code 17, 18, 19, 1170(h) |
| Colorado | People convicted of unlawful sexual behavior must register with local law enforcement in each place they live, within five business days after release or after being told of the duty. The duty continues until a court grants a petition to end it: 20 years after release for class 1-3 felony offenses, 10 years for class 4-6 felonies and unlawful sexual contact, and 5 years for other misdemeanors, if there is no new sex offense; juveniles and people on a completed deferred judgment can petition sooner. Sexually violent predators, adults convicted of sexual assault, sexual assault on a child (including by one in a position of trust), incest or aggravated incest, and adults with more than one sex conviction must register for life. Failing to register is a class 6 felony when the underlying offense was a felony (class 5 for a second or later failure) and a class 1 misdemeanor when it was a misdemeanor. C.R.S. §§ 16-22-108(1)(a), 16-22-113(1), (3), 18-3-412.5(2), (3) |
| Connecticut | People convicted of a criminal offense against a minor or a nonviolent sexual offense must register with the Commissioner of Emergency Services and Public Protection within three days of release and stay registered for 10 years; anyone with a prior such conviction, or convicted of first-degree sexual assault of a child under 13, registers for life. People convicted of a sexually violent offense register for life. A court may order 10-year registration for any felony it finds was committed for a sexual purpose, and people with out-of-state convictions must register on moving in. Registrants must report changes of name, address and email or other internet identifiers without undue delay. Failing to register or update is a class D felony (up to 5 years); a late update becomes a crime once the failure lasts five business days. Conn. Gen. Stat. §§ 54-251, 54-252, 54-253, 54-254 |
| Delaware | People convicted of listed sex offenses register with the Delaware State Police (for those in custody, 45 to 90 days before release); people who move into Delaware must register within 3 business days, and registrants must re-register in person within 3 business days of changing address, name, job or school. Registrants are placed in tiers: Tier III registers for life and verifies every 90 days, Tier II for 25 years after release from prison (verified every 6 months), and Tier I for 15 years (verified yearly). Tier II and Tier I registrants may petition for redesignation or relief after 10 years, and Tier III after 25 years may petition to move to Tier II. Knowingly or recklessly failing to register, re-register or verify is a class G felony (up to 2 years). 11 Del. C. §§ 4120(b), (e), (f), (g), (k); 4121(e), (r) |
| District of Columbia | People who commit a registration offense register with the Court Services and Offender Supervision Agency, report changes of residence and other information, and periodically verify their address in the time and manner the agency sets. Registration lasts 10 years after release, probation or parole (or the end of supervision, whichever is latest), and for life for a lifetime registration offense, a sexual psychopath finding, two or more felony or minor-victim registration dispositions, or offenses against two or more victims. Knowingly violating the registration rules carries up to 180 days in jail and a fine for a first offense and up to 5 years for a later offense. D.C. Code §§ 22-4002, 22-4014, 22-4015 |
| Florida | Sexual offenders must report in person to the sheriff within 48 hours after moving to Florida, being released from custody or supervision, or (if not in custody) being convicted, then get a Florida driver license or ID card marked as a sex offender, and report changes of address, name, vehicles, jobs and internet identifiers. They re-register in person twice a year (four times a year for the most serious offenses). Registration lasts for life unless the person is pardoned, the conviction is set aside, or the person qualifies to petition for removal, generally after 25 years with no arrests since release. Failing to register or report is a third-degree felony (up to 5 years); if no prison sentence is imposed, the court must order mandatory community control with electronic monitoring (6 months, 1 year, then 2 years for repeat offenses). Fla. Stat. § 943.0435(2), (3), (9), (11), (14) |
| Georgia | Sexual offenders must register in person with the sheriff of their county within 72 hours after release from prison or placement on parole, supervised release or probation, or after entering Georgia, and must report in person every year within 72 hours before their birthday to be photographed and fingerprinted. Registration lasts for life (not counting time in custody), but a registrant may petition for release from registration and residency or employment restrictions under a separate statute. Failing to register or update, giving false information, or not responding to the annual verification is a felony with 1 to 30 years for a first conviction and 5 to 30 years for a second. O.C.G.A. §§ 42-1-12(f), (g), (n); 42-1-19 |
| Hawaii | Covered sex offenders register with the attorney general and, in person with the police chief, within three working days after arriving in Hawaii, being released from prison, or being placed on probation or parole; they report changes in registration information and appear in person every year within 30 days after their birthday. Tier 3 offenders and repeat offenders register for life (Tier 3 may petition after 40 years); Tier 2 may petition to end registration after 25 years with a clean record, and Tier 1 after 10 years. The court ends registration only on strong proof the person is very unlikely to reoffend and registration no longer protects the public. Failing to comply is a class C felony (5 years). Haw. Rev. Stat. §§ 846E-2, 846E-9, 846E-10 |
| Idaho | People convicted of listed sex offenses (including rape, lewd conduct, sexual abuse of a child, felony sexual exploitation of a child, internet enticing, forcible penetration, incest, felony indecent exposure and human trafficking), and people required to register elsewhere who move, work or study in Idaho, must register with the county sheriff within 2 working days of establishing residence, then annually (every 3 months for a violent sexual predator). Registration is for life, but an offender who is not a recidivist, not convicted of an aggravated offense and not a violent sexual predator may petition a district court after 10 years for release, proving completion of supervision and treatment without new felonies or sex offenses. Knowingly failing to register, verify an address or give required notice, or giving false information, is a felony up to 10 years and a $5,000 fine, and any probation or supervised release is revoked with the new sentence served consecutively. Idaho Code §§ 18-8304, 18-8307, 18-8310, 18-8311 |
| Illinois | People convicted of listed sex offenses (including attempts and similar out-of-state, federal or military offenses), and certain people found not guilty by reason of insanity, must register in person with the Illinois State Police through local law enforcement within 3 days of establishing a residence, job, school or temporary domicile in any county, giving their address, employment, phone numbers, online identities and other details. Registration lasts 10 years for most offenders; it is for life for 'sexual predators' (for example people convicted of criminal sexual assault, aggravated criminal sexual assault, predatory criminal sexual assault of a child, aggravated criminal sexual abuse or child sexual abuse material), sexually dangerous or sexually violent persons, and people who were already required to register before. Failing to register or comply, or giving false information, is a Class 3 felony (2 to 5 years), and a Class 2 felony (3 to 7 years) for a repeat violation, with a mandatory minimum of 7 days in jail and a $500 minimum fine. 730 ILCS 150/2(A), (E), 150/3(a), (b), 150/7, 150/10(a); 730 ILCS 5/5-4.5-25 to -65 |
| Indiana | People convicted of listed sex or violent offenses must register with local law enforcement where they live, work or go to school in Indiana (living includes spending at least 7 days in a 180-day period), generally within 72 hours of arriving in a county or of release (7 days for some offenders not committed to the Department of Correction). Registration generally lasts 10 years after the latest of release from prison, parole, probation or a community program, and is for life for sexually violent predators, adults whose victim was under 12, offenders who caused serious injury or death, used force or rendered the victim unconscious or unable to consent, and anyone with 2 or more unrelated qualifying convictions. Knowingly failing to register, making a material misstatement, failing to register in person, or not living at the registered address is a Level 6 felony (6 months to 2 1/2 years), and a Level 5 felony (1 to 6 years) with a prior registration violation. IC 11-8-8-7, 11-8-8-17, 11-8-8-19; IC 35-50-2-4 to -7, 35-50-3-2 to -4 |
| Iowa | People convicted of sex offenses classified as tier I, II or III (and people required to register in another state who live, work or study in Iowa) must register in person with the sheriff within five business days, and report changes of residence, job or school within five business days. Tier I offenders verify in person every year, tier II every six months and tier III every three months. Registration generally lasts 10 years, or the length of a special sentence if longer; it is for life after a second registrable conviction, an aggravated offense, or for a sexually violent predator, and a registry violation adds 10 years. Violating registration requirements is an aggravated misdemeanor for a first offense and a class D felony for a repeat; committing a sex offense against a minor or a sexually violent offense while in violation is a class C felony, and judgment cannot be deferred. Iowa Code §§ 692A.102, 692A.103, 692A.104, 692A.106, 692A.108, 692A.111 (Iowa Code 2026) |
| Kansas | Kansas registers sex offenders (and some violent and drug offenders) under the Kansas Offender Registration Act. Offenders must register in person within three business days of coming into a county where they live, work or go to school, and sex offenders must report in person four times a year. Registration lasts 15 years for lower-level offenses (such as sexual battery), 25 years for others (such as electronic solicitation or indecent liberties), and life for offenses such as rape, aggravated criminal sodomy and aggravated indecent liberties, or for a second registrable conviction. Failing to comply is a felony: severity level 6 on a first conviction, level 5 on a second and level 3 on a third or later; a violation lasting more than 180 days is an aggravated violation (severity level 3), and each 30 days of continued violation is a new offense. Felony prison ranges come from the sentencing grid, which combines the severity level with criminal history. K.S.A. 22-4903, 22-4905, 22-4906 |
| Kentucky | People convicted of sex crimes and certain crimes against minors must register with the local probation and parole office on or before release, and re-register when they move (within five working days in a new county). Registration lasts 20 years after discharge from confinement or from the maximum discharge date of probation or parole, whichever is later, and for life for first-degree rape or sodomy, a second sex crime, two or more felonies against minors, kidnapping or unlawful imprisonment of a minor by a non-parent, or a sexually violent predator. Knowingly violating registration requirements, or giving false, misleading or incomplete information, is a Class D felony (1 to 5 years) for a first offense and a Class C felony (5 to 10 years) for each later offense. KRS 17.510(2), (11)-(13), 17.520, 532.060 |
| Louisiana | Adults convicted of (or given deferred adjudication for) a sex offense or a criminal offense against a minor must register as a sex offender or child predator, as must certain juveniles prosecuted as adults and juveniles 14 or older adjudicated for the most serious sex offenses. Registration lasts 15 years from initial registration in Louisiana, 25 years if the offense was against a minor, and for life for aggravated offenses, juveniles adjudicated for the listed offenses, and repeat offenders. Failing to register, update, renew, give notice of an address change, or giving false information carries 2 to 10 years at hard labor without parole, probation or suspension and a fine up to $1,000 on a first conviction, and 5 to 20 years plus a $3,000 fine on a second or later conviction. La. R.S. 15:542(A); R.S. 15:544; R.S. 15:542.1.4(A) |
| Maine | Under Maine's Sex Offender Registration and Notification Act of 2013, people convicted of listed sex offenses register by tier: Tier I for 10 years, Tier II for 25 years, and Tier III for life, generally counted from the date the person first registers. Failing to comply with any registration duty is a strict-liability Class D crime for a first offense, Class C for a second and Class B for a third or later offense; it is an affirmative defense that the failure was for just cause. 34-A M.R.S. §§ 11285, 11227 |
| Maryland | Registered sex offenders are classified in tiers. Tier I and II offenders register in person every 6 months and Tier III offenders and sexually violent predators every 3 months. The registration term is 15 years for Tier I (reducible to 10 years with a clean record), 25 years for Tier II, and life for Tier III, generally counted from release, probation or suspended sentence; certain juveniles register for up to 5 years. Knowingly failing to register, to give required notice or information, or giving false information is a misdemeanor punishable by up to 3 years and/or $5,000 for a first offense, and a felony punishable by up to 5 years and/or $10,000 for a later offense. Md. Code, Crim. Proc. §§ 11-707, 11-721 |
| Massachusetts | The Sex Offender Registry Board classifies registrants as level 1 (low risk; not publicly disclosed), level 2 (moderate) or level 3 (high). The duty to register generally ends 20 years after conviction or release from all custody or supervision, whichever is later, but lasts for life for people convicted of two or more sex offenses on different occasions, of a sexually violent offense, those found to be sexually violent predators, or others the Board makes subject to lifetime registration; a registrant may apply to end registration early after 10 offense-free years by clear and convincing evidence of low risk. Knowingly failing to register, verify, report an address change, or giving false information is punishable on a first conviction by 6 months to 2.5 years in a house of correction or up to 5 years in state prison and/or a $1,000 fine; a second or later conviction carries at least 5 years in state prison, and certain offenders also receive community parole supervision for life. G.L. c. 6, §§ 178G, 178H, 178K |
| Michigan | Under Michigan's Sex Offenders Registration Act, offenders are placed in tiers: Tier I offenders register for 15 years, Tier II for 25 years, and Tier III for life (time in prison or civil commitment does not count toward the period). Willfully failing to register or comply is a felony punishable by up to 4 years and/or $2,000 with no prior convictions, up to 7 years and/or $5,000 with one prior, and up to 10 years and/or $10,000 with two or more priors. Willfully failing to comply with the in-person verification requirements is a misdemeanor punishable by up to 2 years and/or $2,000, and failing to pay the registration fee within 90 days is a misdemeanor punishable by up to 90 days. MCL 28.725(11)-(13); MCL 28.729 |
| Minnesota | People convicted of listed predatory offenses must register as predatory offenders. Registration generally lasts 10 years from initial registration or until probation, supervised release or conditional release ends, whichever is later, with 5 more years added for certain failures to report; it lasts for life for repeat offenders and certain serious offenses (such as first degree murder committed during a sex crime). Knowingly violating a registration requirement or giving false information is a felony punishable by up to 5 years and/or $10,000, with a mandatory commitment to prison of at least a year and a day (at least 2 years for a repeat violation), unless the court grants a prosecutor's motion to sentence without the minimum. Minn. Stat. § 243.166, subds. 5, 6 |
| Mississippi | Anyone who lives, works or attends school in Mississippi and has been convicted of (or found not guilty by reason of insanity of) a registrable sex offense in Mississippi or elsewhere must register; certain juveniles adjudicated delinquent for forcible sex offenses must also register. Registration lasts at least 15 years for Tier One offenses, at least 25 years for Tier Two, and for life for Tier Three offenses (such as rape, sexual battery and touching a child for lustful purposes), for offenders with two separate registrable convictions, and for offenders 21 or older whose victim was 14 or younger. Tier One and Tier Two registrants may petition the circuit court for relief after 15 or 25 years. Failing to register or comply is a felony punishable by up to $5,000, up to 5 years in prison, or both, followed by mandatory electronic monitoring, and the offender's driver's license is suspended. Miss. Code Ann. §§ 45-33-25(1), 45-33-47, 45-33-33 |
| Missouri | People found guilty of offenses that make them tier I, II or III sex offenders (including out-of-state offenders who live, work or study in Missouri, and certain juveniles 14 or older adjudicated for the most serious offenses) must register within three business days of adjudication or release. Registration lasts 15 years for tier I, 25 years for tier II and life for tier III, and registrants may petition for removal only in limited cases. Changes of name, address, job or school must be reported in person within three business days; tier I offenders verify annually, tier II every six months and tier III every 90 days. Failing to register is a class E felony (up to 4 years), or a class D felony (up to 7 years) if the underlying offense was a serious sex offense; a third offense carries 10 to 30 years with electronic monitoring on release. RSMo §§ 589.400, 589.401, 589.414, 589.425 |
| Montana | Sexual and violent offenders must register: immediately after sentencing if not confined, at least 10 days before release from confinement, and within 3 business days of moving into a county or arriving as a transient. A sexual offender must register for life, but a level 1 offender may petition a court for relief after 10 years and a level 2 offender after 25 years if the record is clean and the court finds registration no longer needed; a level 3 offender registers for life (25 years if the offense was a juvenile adjudication and the record stays clean). Violent offenders generally register for 10 years. Knowingly failing to register, verify or keep registration current is punishable by up to 5 years in prison, a fine of up to $10,000, or both. MCA §§ 46-23-504(1), 46-23-506, 46-23-507(1) |
| Nebraska | People convicted of registrable sex offenses must register under the Sex Offender Registration Act during any supervised release, probation or parole and then for a set period after discharge or release: 15 years if the offense was punishable by up to one year, 25 years if punishable by more than one year, and life for an aggravated offense, a prior sex offense conviction, or lifetime registrants from other jurisdictions. A 15-year registrant with a clean record and completed treatment may ask the State Patrol to cut the period to 10 years. Violating the act is a Class IIIA felony (up to 3 years); a second violation is a Class IIA felony (up to 20 years) with a one-year mandatory minimum, unless the original registrable offense was a misdemeanor. Neb. Rev. Stat. §§ 29-4005, 29-4011 |
| Nevada | Sex offenders and offenders convicted of a crime against a child must register with local police, before release from prison or within 3 business days of sentencing if not imprisoned, and within 48 hours of moving into or being present in a county; name, address, job and school changes must be reported in person within 3 business days. Registration lasts 15 years for Tier I, 25 years for Tier II and life for Tier III, and registrants appear in person at least yearly (Tier I), every 180 days (Tier II) or every 90 days (Tier III). A Tier I registrant with 10 clean years and completed treatment may petition to cut 5 years, and a Tier III registrant whose offense was a juvenile adjudication may petition after 25 years. Failing to register or update is a category D felony (1 to 4 years); a second violation within 7 years is a category C felony (1 to 5 years) with no probation. NRS 179D.441, 179D.445, 179D.447, 179D.460, 179D.480, 179D.490, 179D.550 |
| New Hampshire | Sexual offenders and offenders against children must register under RSA 651-B. Tier I offenders register for 10 years from release, and tier II and tier III offenders register for life. A tier I offender may petition the superior court for removal from the public list after 5 years and a tier II offender after 15 years, with a risk assessment and a clean record; tier III offenders stay on the public list for life. Knowingly failing to comply is a class B felony (up to 7 years) and adds 10 more years of registration for a tier I offender; a second knowing violation is a class A felony (up to 15 years) and means lifetime registration; a negligent failure is a misdemeanor. RSA 651-B:6, 651-B:9 |
| New Jersey | People convicted, adjudicated delinquent or found not guilty by reason of insanity of listed sex offenses (including sexual assault, aggravated criminal sexual contact, endangering the welfare of a child by sexual conduct or with child sexual abuse material, luring, and kidnapping or restraint of a minor by a non-parent) must register under Megan's Law, as must out-of-state registrants who work or study in New Jersey. Registrants verify their address every 90 days (repetitive-compulsive offenders) or annually, and must re-register before moving. Registration has no fixed end date: a registrant may apply to the Superior Court to end it after 15 years without a new offense if not likely to pose a threat, but not someone with more than one sex offense or a conviction for aggravated sexual assault or forcible sexual assault. Community notification follows three levels based on risk of re-offense (low, moderate, high). Failing to register, to report an address or job change, or to verify an address is a crime of the third degree (3-5 years). N.J.S. 2C:7-2(a)-(g); N.J.S. 2C:7-8(c); N.J.S. 2C:43-6 |
| New Mexico | Sex offenders living in New Mexico must register in person with the county sheriff within 5 business days after release from custody or being placed on probation or parole, or after moving to the state; out-of-state residents who work or go to school in New Mexico also register, and changes must be reported within 5 business days. The Department of Public Safety keeps registration information for life for offenders convicted of aggravated or first- to third-degree criminal sexual penetration, second- to fourth-degree criminal sexual contact of a minor, sexual exploitation of children, kidnapping of a child by a non-parent, fourth degree criminal sexual contact, or attempts; it keeps it for 10 years after conviction or release (whichever is later) for other listed offenses such as fourth degree CSP, child enticement and electronic child solicitation, or for life after a second conviction. Willfully or knowingly failing to register or verify is a fourth degree felony (18 months), and a third degree felony (3 years) after a prior conviction; knowingly giving false information is also a fourth degree felony. NMSA 1978, 29-11A-4(A)-(G), (P), (Q), 29-11A-5(D)-(F); NMSA 1978, 31-18-15, 31-19-1 |
| New York | People convicted of listed sex offenses register under the Sex Offender Registration Act and are assigned a risk level (1, 2 or 3) by the court. Level 1 offenders register and verify annually for 20 years. Level 2 and Level 3 offenders register for life (Level 2 designated on or after March 11, 2002), as do offenders designated sexual predators, sexually violent offenders or predicate sex offenders; Level 3 offenders and sexual predators must also verify their address in person every 90 days. A Level 2 offender without those designations may petition to be relieved of registration after 30 years, and any registrant may petition once a year to change the risk level. Failing to register or verify is a class E felony (up to 4 years) for a first offense and a class D felony (up to 7 years) for a later offense. N.Y. Correction Law 168-h, 168-o(1)-(2), 168-t; Penal Law 70.00 |
| North Carolina | People with a 'reportable conviction' for listed sex offenses who live in North Carolina must register with the county sheriff in person, generally within three business days of release or arriving (immediately if no prison term); nonresidents who work or study here must also register. Registration lasts at least 30 years, but a registrant may petition the superior court to end it after 10 years if there is no later reportable conviction or arrest and the court finds the person is not a threat. Recidivists, people convicted of an aggravated offense, and sexually violent predators must register for life. Willfully failing to register, report an address or online-identifier change, return a verification notice or report in person is a Class F felony. N.C. Gen. Stat. 14-208.7, 14-208.11, 14-208.12A, 14-208.23; 15A-1340.17 |
| North Dakota | People who plead or are found guilty (including juvenile adjudications) of listed sex offenses or crimes against children must register with local law enforcement, generally within three days of moving or a change of address, school or job, and confirm information as the attorney general requires. Registration lasts the longer of 15 years, or 25 years for offenders the attorney general assigns a moderate risk, after sentencing or release. It is lifelong for people with two or more qualifying convictions, those assigned a high risk, and adults convicted after August 1, 1999 of forcible gross sexual imposition, continuous sexual abuse of a child, gross sexual imposition with a victim under 12, or certain kidnappings. Violating the registration law is a class C felony (up to 5 years), and an adult violator must serve at least 90 days in jail and one year of probation. N.D.C.C. 12.1-32-15(1), (7)-(9), (12); 12.1-32-01 |
| Ohio | People convicted of sexually oriented or child-victim oriented offenses are classified into three tiers by offense and must register and verify their addresses with the county sheriff. Tier I offenders register for 15 years, Tier II for 25 years, and Tier III for life; the lifetime duty of an adult Tier III offender cannot be ended. Juveniles may be classified in the tiers with shorter periods and court review. Failing to register, give notice of a move, or verify an address is a felony of the same degree as the offense that required registration (first degree if that offense was murder), or a fourth-degree felony if that offense was a fifth-degree felony or misdemeanor, with higher penalties for repeat violators. R.C. 2950.07(B); 2950.99(A); 2950.01 |
| Oklahoma | People convicted of (or given a probationary or deferred sentence for) the sex offenses listed in the Sex Offenders Registration Act must register in person with the Department of Corrections and with local police or the sheriff within 3 days of entering the area where they will live, and must report moves, job changes and student status at least 3 business days ahead. A Department of Corrections committee assigns a risk level based on the offense: level one registers for 15 years, level two for 25 years, and level three, habitual or aggravated offenders register for life, counted from completion of the sentence. Violating any requirement of the act is a Class B5 felony punishable by up to 5 years, a fine up to $5,000, or both. 57 O.S. §§ 582, 582.5, 583, 587 |
| Oregon | People convicted of a sex crime (or found guilty except for insanity of one), including those paroled to Oregon from another state, must report in person to the State Police, a city police department or the county sheriff within 10 days of release, within 10 days of moving, changing names or starting or changing work or school at a college, once a year within 10 days of their birthday, and at least 21 days before international travel. Registrants are placed in level one (lowest risk), two or three (highest risk) by a risk assessment; the duty continues unless the person obtains relief, and a level one registrant may petition for relief 5 years after supervision ends, while level two and three registrants may petition to be reclassified to a lower level. Failure to report is a Class A misdemeanor (up to 364 days), or a Class C felony (up to 5 years) for failing to make the initial report or, when the underlying sex crime is a felony, for failing to report a move, name change, school or job change. ORS 163A.010, 163A.040, 163A.100, 163A.105, 163A.125 |
| Pennsylvania | People convicted of listed sexual offenses are classified in tiers: Tier I registers for 15 years and appears in person every year, Tier II registers for 25 years and appears twice a year, and Tier III registers for life and appears every three months. Registrants must also appear in person within three business days to report changes such as name, residence, job, school enrollment, phone numbers, vehicles and email addresses. Failing to register, verify or report is a felony of the third degree for 15-year registrants (second degree for a repeat or for giving false information), and a felony of the second degree for 25-year and lifetime registrants (first degree for a repeat or for giving false information). 42 Pa.C.S. § 9799.15(a), (e), (g); 18 Pa.C.S. § 4915.1(b), (c) |
| Rhode Island | People convicted (here or elsewhere) of a criminal offense against a minor or a sexually violent offense, sexually violent predators, aggravated offenders, recidivists, and people convicted of failing to register must register their address with local police, with initial registration in person within 24 hours of release or sentencing. Most registrants register yearly for 10 years after their sentence ends, verifying their address every three months for the first two years; sexually violent predators, recidivists and aggravated offenders register for life with quarterly verification. Knowingly failing to register, verify an address or report a change is a felony punishable by up to 10 years, a fine up to $10,000, or both, and is also a violation of probation or parole. R.I. Gen. Laws §§ 11-37.1-3, 11-37.1-4, 11-37.1-10 |
| South Carolina | People convicted of listed offenses must register with the county sheriff within one business day of release from custody (within three business days of moving into the state) and report address changes within three business days. The registry is generally for life with in-person registration twice a year, or every 90 days for Tier III offenders and sexually violent predators. Tier I offenders may ask SLED to end registration after 15 years and Tier II offenders after 25 years if they meet the conditions; Tier III offenders may not. Failing to register or give notice is a misdemeanor for a first offense (up to 366 days, a fine up to $1,000, or both), a misdemeanor with a mandatory 366 days for a second offense, and a felony with a mandatory 5 years (3 not suspendable) for a third or later offense. S.C. Code §§ 23-3-430, 23-3-440, 23-3-460, 23-3-462, 23-3-470 |
| South Dakota | People convicted of a listed sex crime, and juveniles 14 or older adjudicated for rape, must register in person with the police chief or sheriff within three business days of coming into a county to live, stay, attend school or work, re-register every six months (in the birth month and six months later), and report a move in writing within three business days. The registry has three tiers: Tier I (certain young-offender statutory rape and contact cases, juvenile adjudications and similar) must register at least 5 years, Tier II (incest, bestiality) at least 25 years, and Tier III (everyone else) for life; Tier I and II registrants must petition a court for removal. Failure to register, re-register or report a move is a Class 6 felony (up to 2 years) for a first offense and a Class 5 felony (up to 5 years) for a second or later offense. SDCL 22-24B-2, 22-24B-2.1, 22-24B-7, 22-24B-12, 22-24B-12.1, 22-24B-19, 22-24B-19.1, 22-24B-19.2 |
| Tennessee | People convicted of a sexual offense or violent sexual offense (including qualifying juvenile adjudications and out-of-state convictions) must register in person with local law enforcement on a Tennessee Bureau of Investigation (TBI) form and report changes of residence, job or school within 48 hours. A sexual offender may ask TBI to end registration no sooner than 10 years after finishing supervision or incarceration, if they have no new sex offense and substantially complied. Registration is for life for violent sexual offenders, people with a prior sex offense conviction, and offenses against a victim 12 or younger. Knowingly violating the registry law is a Class E felony (1 to 6 years), with mandatory minimums of 90 days and a $350 fine for a first violation, 180 days and $600 for a second, and 1 year and $1,100 for a third or later. Tenn. Code Ann. §§ 40-39-203, 40-39-207, 40-39-208; § 40-35-111 |
| Texas | People with a reportable conviction or adjudication for a listed sex offense (including deferred adjudication and juvenile adjudications) must register with local police within 7 days of arriving in a city or county where they will live more than 7 days. Registration is for life for sexually violent offenses, child pornography, sex trafficking, and certain repeat offenses; most other registrants are on the list until 10 years after release, discharge from supervision or dismissal of the case. Failing to comply is a state jail felony for 10-year registrants (180 days to 2 years), a third-degree felony for lifetime registrants who verify yearly (2 to 10 years), and a second-degree felony for lifetime registrants who must verify every 90 days (2 to 20 years), raised one grade for a prior failure-to-register conviction. Tex. Code Crim. Proc. arts. 62.051, 62.058, 62.101, 62.102 |
| Utah | People convicted of listed sex, kidnapping and child abuse offenses must register on Utah's Sex, Kidnap, and Child Abuse Offender Registry. Many offenses (such as forcible sexual abuse, enticing a minor, incest and voyeurism felonies) require registration for 10 years after the sentence ends; rape, rape of a child, object rape, sodomy on a child, aggravated sexual abuse of a child, aggravated sexual assault, child kidnapping and sex trafficking, and any repeat registrable offense require lifetime registration, with petitions for removal possible after 5, 10 or 20 years in some cases. Knowingly failing to register or giving false information is a third-degree felony (up to 5 years) for felony or lifetime registrants, or a class A misdemeanor for misdemeanor registrants, each with at least 30 days in jail and one year of probation, and one more year of registration for each year of noncompliance. Utah Code §§ 53-29-202, 53-29-203, 53-29-204 to 53-29-206, 53-29-305 |
| Vermont | People convicted of listed sex offenses must report to the Vermont Sex Offender Registry (Department of Public Safety) every year within 10 days after their birthday (every 90 days for sexually violent predators), and within three days of changing address, job, school or name. Registration lasts 10 years after release from prison or discharge from parole, supervised release or probation, and for life for people with a prior registrable conviction, people convicted of sexual assault or aggravated sexual assault (with a limited exception for age-based cases), sexually violent predators, and noncompliant high-risk offenders. Knowingly failing to comply carries up to 2 years and/or $1,000 (up to 3 years and/or $5,000 for a repeat offense), or up to 5 years and/or $5,000 if the failure lasts more than five consecutive days, served consecutively to any other sentence. 13 V.S.A. §§ 5407, 5409 |
| Virginia | People convicted of listed offenses register with the Virginia State Police's Sex Offender and Crimes Against Minors Registry, sorted into Tier I, II and III. Tier I and II registrants verify once a year, and Tier III and murder registrants every three months. Tier III offenders, people convicted of murder, and people with two or more registrable convictions must register for life; others stay on the registry until a court removes them, and may petition no sooner than 15 years (Tier I) or 25 years (Tier II) after registering or their last felony or failure-to-register conviction. Knowingly failing to register or giving false information is a Class 1 misdemeanor (Class 6 felony for a repeat) for Tier I and II, and a Class 6 felony (Class 5 for a repeat) for Tier III and murder registrants. Va. Code §§ 9.1-904, 9.1-908, 9.1-910, 18.2-472.1 |
| Washington | Adults convicted of a sex or kidnapping offense (and certain juveniles, such as 16- and 17-year-olds with class A or B sex offenses) must register with the county sheriff where they live, work or study. For adults, registration lasts indefinitely for a class A felony or any repeat sex or kidnapping offense, and for out-of-state convictions; it ends 15 years after release for a class B felony and 10 years for a class C felony (or communicating with a minor), if the person spends that time in the community without a disqualifying offense. Juvenile registration generally ends after 2 or 3 years. Failing to register for a felony sex offense is a class C felony (up to 5 years), a class B felony (up to 10 years) after two prior felony convictions, and a gross misdemeanor for non-felony offenses or juvenile registrants. RCW 9A.44.130, 9A.44.140, 9A.44.132 |
| West Virginia | People convicted (or found not guilty by reason of mental illness) of listed offenses, including sexual assault and sexual abuse, child pornography offenses, sexual abuse by a person in a position of trust, computer solicitation of a minor, and sex trafficking, must register in person with the State Police, as must anyone whose offense a judge finds was sexually motivated. Registration lasts 10 years after release or placement on probation or parole, or for life for repeat offenders, sexually violent offenses, sexually violent predators, offenses with multiple victims, and offenses involving a minor. Registrants pay an annual $125 fee. For a 10-year registrant, knowingly failing to register or update information is a misdemeanor ($250 to $10,000 fine and/or up to 1 year in jail), a felony of 1 to 5 years on a second offense, and 5 to 25 years on a third; for a lifetime registrant it is a felony of 1 to 5 years (10 to 25 years for a repeat), and for a sexually violent predator 2 to 10 years (15 to 35 years for a repeat). W. Va. Code §§ 15-12-2, 15-12-4, 15-12-8 |
| Wisconsin | People convicted, adjudicated delinquent or found not guilty by reason of mental disease of a listed sex offense, people placed on lifetime supervision, and people a court orders to register must report to the Department of Corrections sex offender registry, as must some out-of-state offenders who live, work or study in Wisconsin. Registration generally ends 15 years after discharge from probation, parole or extended supervision (or after release or conviction, depending on the case). It lasts for life for people with two or more sex offense convictions, anyone convicted of first- or second-degree sexual assault, first- or second-degree child sexual assault or repeated child sexual assault, anyone found to be a sexually violent person, or anyone a court orders to register for life. Knowingly failing to provide required information is a Class H felony (up to 6 years and/or $10,000), except that a first violation by someone ordered to register for a misdemeanor carries up to 9 months and/or $10,000. Wis. Stat. §§ 301.45(1g), (5), (6), 939.50(3) |
| Wyoming | People convicted of listed sex offenses (including sexual assault, sexual abuse of a minor, child sexual exploitation, grooming, soliciting a minor, and certain trafficking and kidnapping offenses), and juveniles adjudicated delinquent for the most serious ones, must register. The duty begins at sentencing and lasts for life, but lower-level offenders (annual in-person verification) may petition the court for relief after 10 years of registration with a clean record, and middle-level offenders (verification every 6 months) after 25 years; the most serious offenders verify every 3 months and generally have no relief path, except juveniles, who may petition after 10 years. Knowingly failing to register is a felony punishable by up to 5 years and/or a $1,000 fine, and a subsequent violation up to 10 years; willfully failing to pay registration fees is a misdemeanor (up to 6 months and/or $750). W.S. 7-19-301, 7-19-302(g), (h), (j), 7-19-304, 7-19-307 |
General legal information, not legal advice. Laws change and local rules can differ; check the linked official source or talk to a lawyer about your situation.