California’s official Megan’s Law map lives at meganslaw.ca.gov, a free public site run by the California Department of Justice that lets you search for registered sex offenders by address, city, zip code, county, or name. It is the only legally authorized public source for this information in the state, and it pulls from law enforcement records that are updated daily.1State of California – Department of Justice – Office of the Attorney General. Megan’s Law2CA.gov. Search for Registered Sex Offenders Commercial sites that repackage this data are often out of date and strip away the context you need to read a result correctly, so start at the source.
Getting Into the Site
When you first open meganslaw.ca.gov, you have to accept a disclaimer acknowledging the legal restrictions on how the information can be used. After that, bookmark the page. You will not need to hunt for it again.
How to Search
You have two main paths. If you are checking on a specific person, use the name search. If you want to see who is registered near a home, school, or workplace, use the location search — enter a street address, city, zip code, or county, and the map drops pins in the surrounding area.
Click any pin and you will typically see a photograph, physical description, a summary of the conviction offense, and whether the registrant is currently in compliance with their annual update requirement. That compliance flag matters. Every registrant must appear in person at their local law enforcement agency within five working days of their birthday each year to update their information, and the map shows at a glance whether they have kept up with that obligation.
Reading the Pins: What a Pin Actually Means
This is where most people misread the map. A pin near your block does not necessarily mean someone lives on your block. California Penal Code Section 290.46 sorts registrants into three posting categories based on their conviction, and the category controls how precise the location on the map is.3California Legislative Information. California Code Pen 290.46
- Home address category. The registrant’s full street address is posted, and the pin sits at the actual residence.
- Zip code category. Only the city, county, and zip code are posted. The pin is placed somewhere inside that zip code, not at a specific home.
- Conditional home address category. Some registrants start in the zip code category but move to the home address category if they are later convicted of another registrable offense.
The category comes from the type and severity of the underlying conviction, not from a subjective DOJ risk rating.4State of California Department of Justice. Summary of California Registration Laws So when you scan pins in your neighborhood, check the detail page. A pin backed by a full street address is telling you something specific; a zip-code-only pin is telling you only that someone registered under that zip code lives somewhere in it.
Transient Registrants
Registrants without a fixed home address are classified as transient, and they must re-register in person at least once every 30 days with law enforcement in whatever jurisdiction they are physically located.5California Legislative Information. California Code Pen 290.011 On the map, they usually appear in the zip code category because there is no home address to post. A listing with county-level location data and no street address may be someone registered as transient.
Who Does Not Appear on the Map
The map is thorough but not complete. Some registered offenders are lawfully excluded from public display under Penal Code Section 290.46(d) and appear only in the confidential law enforcement database. Exclusion covers a narrow category — most commonly a parent, stepparent, sibling, or grandparent of the victim whose offense did not involve oral copulation or penetration and who completed probation cleanly.6State of California – Department of Justice – Office of the Attorney General. Application for Exclusion from Internet Disclosure Sexually violent predators and those above certain risk-assessment thresholds cannot apply for exclusion.
The practical point for map users: the site shows the majority of registrants in your area, but not all of them. Law enforcement still has the full list.
Why Someone May Disappear From the Map
If a person you saw on the map is no longer there, moving is not the only explanation. Under California’s tiered registration system, Tier 1 and Tier 2 registrants who complete their minimum registration period can petition the superior court for removal from the registry.7California Legislative Information. California Code Pen 290.5 A granted petition takes them off the public site. A registrant may also have moved out of state, in which case the California map should update once law enforcement processes the change, though there can be a short lag.
What You Can and Cannot Do With the Information
California authorizes use of the Megan’s Law site for one purpose: protecting a person at risk. Everything else is prohibited under Penal Code Section 290.46, and the penalties are substantial.3California Legislative Information. California Code Pen 290.46
You cannot use registry information to harass, threaten, or commit a crime against a registrant. You cannot use it to discriminate against a registrant in housing, employment, education, insurance, loans, credit, or business services.8State of California Department of Justice. Penalties for Misuse
Criminal Penalties
Using registry information to commit a misdemeanor adds a fine of $10,000 to $50,000 on top of the underlying penalty. Using it to commit a felony adds a consecutive five-year prison term.3California Legislative Information. California Code Pen 290.46
Civil Liability
Misuse also opens the door to a civil suit. A court can award actual damages up to three times the harm caused, with a floor of $250, plus attorney’s fees, exemplary damages, and a civil penalty of up to $25,000.8State of California Department of Justice. Penalties for Misuse
Reporting Incorrect Information
If a listing looks wrong — an address where the person clearly no longer lives, a photo that seems off, or a compliance status that does not fit what you have observed — email the California DOJ at meganslaw@doj.ca.gov.9State of California Department of Justice. FAQ – Megan’s Law Website Registration is handled locally, so the DOJ may route the issue to the registrant’s local law enforcement agency to investigate. Reporting a discrepancy helps keep the map accurate for the next person who checks it.