Registered Sex Offender Information

• Washington Sex Offender Public Registry: www.wasor.org
• National Sex Offender Public Website: www.nsopw.gov

• Registered Sex Offender Information Sheet (Web Version updated 08/23) 
• Registered Sex Offender Information Sheet (Print Version updated 08/23)

• WA Sex Offender Registration Requirements (Updated 06/23)
• State Sex Offender Registry Requirements (WA Information Updated 08/15)
• WASPC RSO Registration and Community Notification Model Policy (Updated 11/2024)

• What are registration requirements? Beginning July 23, 2023, adults and juveniles convicted/adjudicated of sex offenses have different registration requirements. 
• Registration laws are covered in Chapter 9A.44 RCW. For the definition of sex offense convictions that require registration see RCW 9A.44.128. 
• RCW 9A.44.128 defines an adult as a person who is 18 years of age or older on the offense date or who is 17 or younger on the offense date and convicted of and sentenced for an offense in adult court pursuant to RCW 13.04.030(1)(e)(v) or 13.40.110. 
• Adults who are required to register have been convicted a Class A, Class B, Class C felony or some gross misdemeanors and are required to register for life, fifteen years, and ten years, respectively. 
• Juveniles are required to register under the following conditions.
• 16 or 17 at the time of the offense and were adjudicated of a Class A or Class B felony sex offense and did not receive a Special Sex Offender Disposition Alternative (SSODA) under RCW 13.40.162 OR had their SSODA revoked; 
• 14 or 15 at the time of the offense and were adjudicated of rape in the first degree;
• 14 or 15 at the time of the offense and were adjudicated of rape in the second degree and did not receive a Special Sex Offender Disposition Alternative (SSODA) under RCW 13.40.162 OOR had their SSODA revoked; 
• Adjudicated of a sex offense and on the date of the offense, had a prior adjudication for a sex offense as defined in RCW 9A.44.128 or had a deferred disposition for a sex offense pursuant to RCW 13.40.127; 
• Has an out-of-state, tribal, or federal conviction for a sex offense; 
• Has been adjudicated of a kidnapping offense; OR
• Is ordered by the court to register under certain circumstances outlined in RCW 9A.44.130(1)(b)(vii). 
  
  Juveniles who were age 15, 16, or 17 at the time of offense and are registering as a result of a Class A felony sex offense will register for 3 years; all others will register for 2 years. 

• What do the levels mean? Sex offender levels are determined by taking into account several factors about the offender and the nature of his or her crime in order to determine possible risks to the community at large. Adult and juvenile offenders are assigned risk level classification for purposes of community notification by law enforcement.
• Offenders are classified as level I offenders if their risk assessment and other factors indicate they are a low risk to sexually reoffend within the community at large. Level I offenders are not published on the Washington Sex Offender Public Registry. However, out of compliance and transient level I offenders are published. For specific information on a level I offender contact local law enforcement.
• Offenders are classified as level II offenders if their risk assessment and other factors indicate they are a moderate risk to sexually reoffend within the community at large. Level II offenders are published on the Washington Sex Offender Public Registry.
• Offenders are classified as level III offenders if their risk assessment and other factors indicate they are a high risk to sexually reoffend within the community at large. Level III offenders are published on the Washington Sex Offender Public Registry.
  
  
• Do offenders have restrictions on where they can live? It depends on whether the offender is under supervision by the Department of Corrections, Juvenile Rehabilitation or county probation. If offenders are under supervision they have certain limitations or restrictions placed on them by the Department of Corrections or the sentencing court upon their release from incarceration. These may include: residency restrictions, not being around children, having a curfew, or not drinking alcohol or taking drugs. If they are found to be in violation of their restrictions, they may be sent back to jail or to prison. Offenders who have completed their time under supervision can live where they choose without restrictions. You can contact your local DOC office to inquire if an individual is still under supervision. RCW 9.94A.8554 covers Community Protection Zones. In 2014 the Sex Offender Policy Board conducted a study on the policies related to the release and housing of sex offenders.
  
  
• I know someone is a sex offender, why aren’t they on the website? Per RCW 4.24.550, Washington state only publishes Level II, III and non-compliant or transient Level I offenders. If you are looking for information on a specific offender not published on the website, you can contact your local Sheriff’s office. They can provide you with information on specific Level I offenders.
  
  
• What do I do if I see the offender doing something I think is suspicious? Call local law enforcement or the sheriff's office and report it. It is best to let law enforcement handle the situation rather than taking it into your own hands. You may send information on specific offenders directly to law enforcement by clicking the “submit a tip or correction for this offender” button on the Washington Sex Offender Public Registry.
  
  
• How do sex offenders' register? Where do sex offenders' register? How and when a sex offender registers is covered by (RCW. 9A.44.130) and (RCW 9A.44.140). Offenders must register in person at the Sheriff’s Office in their county of residence.
  
  
• How can I report a convicted sex offender on Facebook? Follow the Facebook reporting guidelines. 

• Why did I receive a sex offender notification? The Community Protection Act of 1990 (RCW 9A.44.130) requires a sex offender to register in the community where they live. Communities are notified when a Level II or Level III sex offender registers a new address. The law is intended to make the public aware about a particular offender, the offender's conviction(s), and to share resources to help keep communities safe.
  
  
• Why didn't I receive a sex offender notification? Not every city or community mails out notification flyers or you may not live in the notification radius for a particular offender. It is up to each law enforcement jurisdiction to determine how they notify the community. 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. You can also register for email alerts for offenders that move within 1 mile of an address you choose. These emails are sent as soon as the system has been updated.
  
  
• Why didn't I know about this sooner? If your sheriff's office or local police department sends flyers, they are mailed out after a person registers as a sex offender, and after the law enforcement jurisdiction in which they register requests, receives, and reviews all original information about the offender's offense. This can take two weeks to several months. Once all the necessary information is reviewed, the law enforcement jurisdiction will determine the sex offender's level. This review must be complete before the community is notified. 
  
  
• Can I copy and distribute the notification? If the community believes that notification was not sufficient, community members should contact local law enforcement or the sheriff's office to discuss the issue. If you believe other community members should receive a notification flyer, you may copy and distribute the notification (within reason).
  
  
• Are there things I cannot do? Experts believe sex offenders are less likely to re-offend if they live and work in an environment free of harassment. Any actions taken against the individual named in the notification, including vandalism of property, verbal or written threats of harm; or physical violence against this person, his or her family, or employer, may result in arrest and prosecution of criminal acts. This information cannot be used in any way to threaten, intimidate, or harass registered offenders. 
  
  
• I'm not happy about this notification! People respond in many different ways to receiving a sex offender notification. It is normal to feel upset, angry, and worried about a sex offender living in your community. The law was created to inform the public when a Level 2 or Level 3 sex offender moves into the community and to provide that community with education and resources.
  
  
• Will there be a community notification meeting? Community notification meetings are held at the discretion of local law enforcement agencies. If you would like to request a meeting or get more information about meetings, please contact your local sheriff’s office or police department.
  
  
• Should I attend the community notification meeting? Community notification meetings provide an opportunity to educate the community regarding sex offenders in general. Protecting children and adults in the community is a much larger task than just knowing the location of registered sex offenders. Attending the meeting also provides an opportunity to connect with other members of your community. This can lead to further conversations and future planning of community protection.
  
  
• Who can I expect to see at the meeting? Members from local or county law enforcement; local probation departments, members from the Department of Corrections (DOC) and/or Juvenile Rehabilitation Administration (JRA) if the offender is under supervision; a representative from a community victim advocacy agency; and possibly members of the local school district.
  
  
• Will the offender be at the meeting? Offenders are strongly discouraged from attending the community notification meeting. On rare occasions a sex offender may be present, but are not part of the meeting agenda. Sometimes, family members and friends of the offender or victim present.
  
  
• Will I be notified when the sex offender moves? No. The law requires communities be notified when sex offenders movie into a community, not when they move out. 
  
  
• Where can I find more information about Washington's Sexually Violent Predator (SVP) laws? 
• Chapter RCW 71.09 covers the laws that pertain to SVP civil commitment in Washington State. 
• For information on civil commitment: Washington Department of Corrections, End of Sentence Review Committee 
• For information on who represents the State: Washington State Office of the Attorney General's Office, Sexually Violent Predators 
• For information about where SVPs are confined: Washington Department of Social and Health Services, Special Commitment Center 
  
  
• How can I talk to children about sex offender notification? Talk with children in a calm way about the individual named on the notification flyer. Open communication with children is a parent's number one safety tool. For more information on talking with your child please consider these additional resources: 
  
  • Polly Klass Foundation
  • National Sex Offender Public Website: How to Prevent
  • KidSmartz
  • Office of Crime Victims Advocacy: Crime Victim Resource Guide
  • Kids Live Safe
  • Stop It Now!
  • Washington Coalition of Sexual Assault Programs
  • National Center for Missing and Exploited Children: NetSmartz 
  • Child Rescue Coalition
  
  
• Where can I learn more about community protection? Find out what community protection programs your neighborhood has by calling your local police department or sheriff's office. You can become involved in or start a neighborhood Block Watch, Citizens on Patrol, or other neighborhood safety program.