National Sex Offender Registry

State Sex Offender Registry Websites

The FBI's Crimes Against Children Unit coordinates the development and implementation of the National Sex Offenders Registry (NSOR).

The Pam Lychner Sexual Offender Tracking and Identification Act of 1996 (Lychner Act), requires the Attorney General to establish a national database at the FBI to track the whereabouts and movements of certain convicted sex offenders under Title 42 of the United States Code Section 14072. The National Crime Information Center (NCIC) enables the NSOR to retain the offender's current registered address and dates of registration, conviction, and residence.

The Lychner Act imposed two major obligations on the FBI which became effective October 3, 1997:

1) to establish a national database at the FBI to track the whereabouts and movements of each person who has been convicted of a criminal offense against a victim who is a minor, or has been convicted of a sexually violent offense, or is a sexually violent predator.

2) to register and verify the addresses of sex offenders who reside in states that do not have a "minimally sufficient" sex offender registry (SOR) program.

In those states lacking a minimally sufficient SOR program, the FBI would be required to register a sex offender's current address, fingerprints, and current photograph. For most offenders, address verification is on a yearly basis, but for those who have been designated as a sexually violent predator, address verification is required every 90 days.

The Lychner Act states that sex offenders are considered to be a sexually violent predator when they have two or more convictions for an offense requiring them to register, and/or have been convicted under Title 18, United States Code, Section 2241(a)(c) - Aggravated Sexual Abuse, shall register annually or every 90 days for life. All other individuals required to register as a sex offender shall do so annually for at least 10 years after release from prison.

According to the Lychner Act, the FBI may release relevant information to federal, state, and local criminal justice agencies for law enforcement purposes only. Public notification will only be made if it is necessary to protect the public. However, the Lychner Act specifically states that in no case shall the FBI release the identity of any victim of an offense that required registration of a sex offender.

The Lychner Act also created a new federal statute making it a criminal offense for a registered sex offender to move to another state and knowingly fail to notify the FBI and authorities in the new state of residence. Notification to the FBI and state authorities must be made within ten days upon moving to a new state and/or establishing residence following release from prison or placed on parole, supervised release, or probation. Upon release, each sex offender is notified of their lawful duty to register with the FBI and appropriate local authorities. The FBI is also notified of the sex offender's release.

The first offense for failure to notify is a misdemeanor punishable by up to one year in prison and a fine not more than $100,000. A second offense is a felony punishable by up to ten years in prison and a fine not more than $100,000.

The Jacob Wetterling Crimes Against Children and Sexual Violent Offender Registration Program, enacted in 1994, provides a financial incentive for states to establish registration programs for persons who have been convicted of certain sex crimes. Currently, all fifty states have implemented some form of a SOR system.

Megan's Law, enacted in May 1996, amends the Wetterling Program with regard to the disclosure of information collected by a state SOR program. The law gives states broad discretion to determine to whom notification should be made about offenders, under what circumstances, and about which offenders.

Individual FBI Field Offices serve as primary points of contact for persons requesting FBI assistance. For further information about FBI services or to request assistance, please contact a Crimes Against Children Coordinator at your local FBI Field Office.