Someone who has been convicted of a sexual offense (and in some cases, people not actually convicted of anything) can be required to register as a sex offender in their state of residence.
- States are required by the Federal Government to have a Sex Offender Registries, but registry rules vary from state to state.
- State laws frequently change.
- Individuals are responsible for knowing what is required of them by their state of residence.
- The information on the page is not intended to be legal advice. Individuals are highly encouraged to seek the best available legal advice about the laws in their states.
Travel Considerations for Registered Citizens
Sample Templates for Asking for your Records
To have an opportunity to get off of the registry at some point in the future, copies of your treatment and polygraph records should be kept to provide to the judge. Records are held by the treatment providers for only 6 years and polygraph records for 3 years.
Links to Online Resources for information about Sex Offender Registries
National Association for Rational Sexual Offense Laws (NARSOL) – NARSOL envisions a society free from public shaming, dehumanizing registries, discrimination, and unconstitutional laws.
NARSOL State Information Wiki – crowd sourced information provided by volunteers
Registrant Travel Action Group Travel Matrix -International Travel Advisory for Those on the Registry.
This shows which countries reportedly have denied entry to Registered Citizens.
Summary of State SO Registration Laws – published by the Alliance for Constitutional Sex Offense Laws.
The chart of SO Registration Requirements by State includes a reference to the enacting statute for each state. Be sure to check the individual state statutes for full details.