What Does Megan’s Law Require of Sex Offenders?

Megan’s Law requires anyone convicted of a qualifying sex offense to register with the authorities in every jurisdiction where they live, work, or attend school, to hand over a detailed set of personal information, to keep that information current within three business days of any change, and to appear in person on a set schedule to verify it. Depending on the offense, that obligation lasts 15 years, 25 years, or the rest of the person’s life. The specific rules people mean when they talk about Megan’s Law today come from the Sex Offender Registration and Notification Act (SORNA), which Congress enacted in 2006 as Title I of the Adam Walsh Child Protection and Safety Act and which replaced the original 1996 statute.¹

Who Has to Register

SORNA sorts sex offenders into three tiers based on the seriousness of the underlying conviction. The tier drives how long a person stays on the registry and how often they must check in.²

Tier I is the catch-all for qualifying offenses that don’t meet the criteria for Tier II or Tier III.
Tier II covers offenses punishable by more than a year of imprisonment involving sex trafficking of a minor, coercion or enticement of a minor, use of a minor in a sexual performance, distribution or production of child pornography, or abusive sexual contact with a minor. A Tier I offender who commits another qualifying offense moves up to Tier II.
Tier III covers offenses punishable by more than a year involving aggravated sexual abuse, sexual abuse, abusive sexual contact against a child under 13, or kidnapping of a minor by someone other than a parent. A Tier II offender who reoffends is automatically classified as Tier III.

Many states also require registration for people found not guilty by reason of insanity when the underlying conduct would otherwise qualify.³ Some states add offenses beyond the federal list, such as kidnapping or felony indecent exposure with a sexual component.

Information You Must Provide

At registration, the offender must supply a substantial amount of personal information. The federal minimum includes:

Full legal name, any aliases, and Social Security number.
Every residential address, current and planned.
The name and address of every employer.
The name and address of any school where the offender is enrolled.
License plate numbers and descriptions of any vehicles owned or driven.
Detailed information about any intended international travel, including dates, destinations, carriers, and flight numbers.⁴

The registering jurisdiction adds the rest: a current photograph, fingerprints, palm prints, a DNA sample, a physical description, a copy of the offender’s driver’s license, and the full criminal history including arrest and conviction dates.⁴

When to Register and How to Keep It Current

An offender sentenced to prison must register before release. An offender who receives a non-prison sentence must register within three business days of sentencing. Registration is required in every jurisdiction where the offender lives, works, or goes to school, and also in the jurisdiction of conviction if that is different.⁵

After that, any change in name, address, job, or school enrollment must be reported in person within three business days. The jurisdiction that receives the update is required to immediately share it with every other jurisdiction where the offender is registered.⁵ This is one of the areas where people get into trouble. Moving to a new apartment and waiting a week to update the registry is already a violation.

In-Person Verification

Beyond the three-day update rule, offenders must appear in person on a regular schedule to verify their information and have a new photograph taken. The frequency depends on the tier:

Tier I: once a year.
Tier II: every six months.
Tier III: every three months.⁶

These are federal minimums. Some states require more frequent check-ins, and certain jurisdictions impose monthly verification for offenders without a fixed address.

How Long Registration Lasts

The minimum registration periods track the tier system directly. Tier I offenders register for 15 years, Tier II for 25 years, and Tier III for life.⁷ Time spent in custody or civil commitment doesn’t count toward the registration period, so the clock effectively pauses during incarceration.

Tier I offenders have one path to shorten the obligation. Ten years with a clean record drops the 15-year period to 10 years. A clean record means no conviction for any offense carrying more than a year of imprisonment, no new sex offense convictions, successful completion of all supervised release or probation, and completion of a certified sex offender treatment program. That is a high bar. Missing any single requirement disqualifies the reduction.⁷

A narrower reduction exists for Tier III offenders who were adjudicated as juveniles: 25 years of a clean record can reduce lifetime registration. No reduction is available for adult Tier II or Tier III offenders.

Travel Rules

International travel triggers extra steps. Registrants must give advance notice of any planned international trip, including departure and return dates, destination addresses, and carrier and flight information.⁴ SORNA requires that notice at least 21 days before departure.⁸

The International Megan’s Law, passed in 2016, layered on a passport requirement. Covered sex offenders whose convictions involved a minor must carry a passport with a printed identifier, a statement inside the passport book noting the conviction. The State Department can revoke passports that lack it. Passport cards can’t be issued to covered sex offenders at all.⁹

Interstate moves are simpler on paper but strictly enforced. Someone who moves to a new state must register there within three business days and update the registration in the old state. Failing to register in the new jurisdiction after crossing state lines is one of the most common triggers for a federal prosecution under 18 U.S.C. § 2250.⁵

Where You Can Live and Work

SORNA itself does not impose residency or employment restrictions, but many states and local governments do. The most common pattern is a buffer zone around places where children gather. Distances typically range from 500 to 2,500 feet from schools, daycare centers, parks, and playgrounds. Some cities and counties layer additional restrictions on top of state law, which can shrink the available housing in urban areas to almost nothing.

Employment restrictions follow the same logic. States commonly bar registered offenders from working in or near schools, childcare facilities, and other child-serving organizations. Some states extend the restriction to any position at those locations, not just roles involving direct contact with children. Professional licensing boards in healthcare, law enforcement, and education may also deny or revoke licenses based on sex offense convictions.

Because these rules come from state and local law rather than the federal statute, they vary dramatically. Someone who moves across a state line may face an entirely different housing and employment landscape in the new jurisdiction.

Penalties for Failing to Register

Failing to register or keep a registration current is a standalone federal crime under 18 U.S.C. § 2250. A person who knowingly fails to register or update as required faces up to 10 years in federal prison.¹⁰ Federal jurisdiction applies when the offender was convicted under federal, military, or tribal law, or when the offender has traveled in interstate or foreign commerce. States impose their own penalties on top of that, often including additional prison time and felony charges.

The “knowingly” element matters. The government must prove the offender was aware of the registration obligation and chose not to comply. Courts have not been sympathetic to claims of ignorance, though, when the offender was told about the requirement at sentencing or release, which is standard practice.

Because states retain discretion in how they carry out the federal standards, specific rules on qualifying offenses, notification methods, verification frequency, and residency restrictions still vary. Anyone trying to understand the exact obligations in a specific state should check that state’s registry, accessible through the national portal at NSOPW.gov.¹¹

1
Office of Sex Offender Sentencing, Monitoring, Apprehending, Registering, and Tracking. Legislative History of Federal Sex Offender Registration and Notification
2
Office of the Law Revision Counsel. 34 US Code 20911 – Relevant Definitions
3
Journal of the American Academy of Psychiatry and the Law. NGRI and Megan’s Law – No Exit?
4
Office of the Law Revision Counsel. 34 US Code 20914 – Information Required in Registration
5
Office of the Law Revision Counsel. 34 USC 20913 – Registry Requirements for Sex Offenders
6
GovInfo. 34 USC 20918 – Periodic In Person Verification
7
Office of the Law Revision Counsel. 34 USC 20915 – Duration of Registration Requirement
8
Office of Sex Offender Sentencing, Monitoring, Apprehending, Registering, and Tracking. SORNA – Information Required for Notice of International Travel
9
U.S. Department of State. Passports and International Megan’s Law
10
Office of the Law Revision Counsel. 18 USC 2250 – Failure to Register
11
Dru Sjodin National Sex Offender Public Website. Home – NSOPW