Megan's Law / Sex Offender Info

Megan's Law

Public disclosure about sex offenders became common after 1994, when seven-year-old Megan Kanka was raped and murdered in New Jersey. Her killer was a twice-convicted sex-offender who had moved across the street from her family without the family’s knowledge. Two years later, the federal government enacted “Megan’s Law” to make information on sex-offenders’ whereabouts public.  California and other states have passed their own versions of the law.

California law requires all sex offenders to register with police every year or whenever they move to a new address.  Their whereabouts and the details of their crimes then become public information. California’s law allows the public to seek information on registered sex-offenders through the California Megan’s Law Database, maintained by the State Attorney General’s Office. The website provides general information about sex offenders and allows checks for any offenders living within a ten-mile radius of your home. You will find their names, addresses, details of their offenses, a physical description of them and a photograph.

We recommend that you use the state government website and not others that may contain inaccurate information.

Sex Offender Info

If you have ever been convicted of a sex offense:

  • You must register your whereabouts with your local police department within five working days of release from prison, jail or a mental hospital. You must then re-register every year within five days of your birthday, a move or after changing your name. If you are homeless, you must register every thirty days.
  • To register, go to the police department in the city where you reside or are located, or to the sheriff's department if you live in an unincorporated area.
  • Failure to properly register is a crime. The California Department of Justice, Bureau of Investigation, has agents assigned to Sexual Predator Apprehension Teams to work with local law enforcement to arrest sex offenders who do not comply with registration laws.
  • If you have a question about your sex offense conviction or need to know whether your out-of-state conviction requires you to register in California, go to California Sex Offender Registry website or email [email protected].