California Sex and Arson Registry Requirements

California sex offender and arson registration requirements fall under two separate statutes with different timelines but overlapping mechanics. People convicted of qualifying sex offenses register under Penal Code sections 290 through 290.024 for 10 years, 20 years, or life depending on a three-tier system. People convicted of arson or attempted arson on or after November 30, 1994 register for life under Penal Code section 457.1.¹ Both registries require an in-person appearance at local law enforcement within five working days of release, sentencing, or moving into a jurisdiction, followed by yearly updates and additional check-ins when circumstances change.²

The duty to register does not depend on serving prison time. People on probation, those with suspended sentences, and individuals found not guilty by reason of insanity for a qualifying offense all register upon release.

How Long Sex Offender Registration Lasts

Senate Bill 384 took effect January 1, 2021 and replaced California’s old lifetime-only scheme with three tiers. Each tier sets a minimum period, after which eligible registrants can ask a court to end the obligation.

Tier 1 covers lower-level offenses such as misdemeanor sexual battery. The minimum registration period is 10 years.
Tier 2 covers mid-level offenses, including lewd acts with a minor under 14. The minimum period is 20 years.
Tier 3 covers the most serious offenses, such as aggravated sexual assault of a child, and generally means lifetime registration. People placed in Tier 3 solely because of a risk assessment score, rather than the nature of the offense, face a 20-year minimum and may later petition for termination.

How Long Arson Registration Lasts

Arson registration under Penal Code section 457.1 is not uniform. The period depends on when the conviction occurred and the offender’s age.¹

Convictions on or after November 30, 1994: lifetime registration for anyone convicted of arson or attempted arson in any California court.
Convictions from January 1, 1985 through November 29, 1994: five-year registration, but only if the sentencing court specifically ordered it. The clock starts from release from confinement or, if no confinement was imposed, the sentencing date.
Juveniles adjudicated on or after January 1, 1993: registration until age 25 or until records are sealed, whichever comes first.

Out-of-State, Federal, and Military Convictions

Under Penal Code section 290.005, anyone convicted in another state, federal court, or military court must register while living in California if the elements of the conviction match a California offense listed in the Sex Offender Registration Act.³

There are carve-outs. Out-of-state convictions for certain lower-level offenses such as indecent exposure, unlawful sexual intercourse between minors, or incest do not trigger California registration unless the elements fully match a registerable California offense. People convicted elsewhere of consensual adult sodomy or oral copulation can notify the Department of Justice that the conduct was consensual between adults, which may eliminate the requirement.

What the First Registration Involves

You appear in person at the law enforcement agency with jurisdiction over your residence within five working days of release from custody, sentencing, or arrival in a new jurisdiction. At that visit you provide name, date of birth, address, employment or school enrollment, fingerprints, and a current photograph. A DNA sample is often collected for the state’s database. Officers explain the ongoing compliance rules and you sign a written acknowledgment.

Keeping Registration Current

Registration is not one-and-done. The check-in schedule depends on your status.

Annual update: every registrant checks in with local law enforcement within five working days before or after their birthday to confirm or update their information.²
Sexually violent predators verify their registration every 90 days.⁴
Transient registrants without a fixed address re-register at least every 30 days in whatever jurisdiction they are physically present, and must provide information about where they sleep, eat, work, and spend time.⁵

Any change in residence, employment, or school enrollment must be reported within five working days. Missing an update window will show you as out of compliance on the Megan’s Law website, which can prompt law enforcement contact and criminal charges.

Moving, Travel, and Passports

Leaving your registered residence for more than five consecutive days requires notification to law enforcement. Moving within California means re-registering with the new jurisdiction’s agency within five working days.⁴

Moving to another state means complying with both California’s rules and the destination state’s requirements. Some states impose stricter terms than California, including lifetime registration for offenses that would land in Tier 1 or Tier 2 here. Most states give you three to ten business days to report a new address, but the exact deadline varies.

For international trips, federal law requires at least 21 days of advance notice to your registering agency. Emergency travel must be reported as soon as the trip is scheduled.⁶ The information goes to the U.S. Marshals Service.⁷

Covered sex offenders convicted of offenses against minors must self-identify when applying for a passport. The State Department prints an identifier inside the passport book reading: “The bearer was convicted of a sex offense against a minor, and is a covered sex offender pursuant to 22 USC 212b(c)(1).” Passport cards are not issued to covered sex offenders, and the government can revoke passports that were issued without the identifier.⁸

Where Registrants Can Live

Penal Code section 3003.5 makes it unlawful for any person required to register under the Sex Offender Registration Act to live within 2,000 feet of a public or private school, or a park where children regularly gather.⁹ That restriction cuts out large portions of most urban areas. Courts can impose additional distance restrictions as conditions of probation or parole.

Federal law adds another layer. Under 42 U.S.C. § 13663, owners of federally assisted housing must deny admission to any household that includes a person subject to lifetime sex offender registration under a state program.¹⁰ The ban applies to public housing, Section 8 vouchers, and other HUD-assisted programs. Property managers run criminal background checks on applicants and re-check current tenants at recertification. A household member who is not the leaseholder but is subject to lifetime registration will disqualify the entire household.

Public Disclosure

California’s Megan’s Law, codified at Penal Code section 290.46, requires the Department of Justice to publish certain sex offender information online, including name, photograph, physical description, and conviction details, searchable by name, address, or zip code.¹¹ Not every registrant appears in the public database. Some lower-tier offenders have restricted disclosure, with information available only to law enforcement.

Penalties for Non-Compliance

Penalties scale with the seriousness of the underlying conviction.¹²

If the underlying offense was a misdemeanor, willfully violating any registration requirement is a misdemeanor punishable by up to one year in county jail.
If the underlying offense was a felony, willful violation is a felony carrying 16 months, two years, or three years in state prison.
Transient registrants who miss the 30-day re-registration cycle face a misdemeanor with a minimum of 30 days and up to six months in county jail, regardless of whether the underlying offense was a misdemeanor or felony.
Providing false information on registration forms, or failing to provide required information, is a misdemeanor punishable by up to one year in county jail.

A registration failure can also trigger probation or parole violations, bench warrants, and immediate arrest. Repeat failures can count as strikes under California’s Three Strikes framework, sharply increasing potential prison time.

Getting Off the Registry

Senate Bill 384 opened a petition pathway for Tier 1 and Tier 2 sex offenders. As of July 1, 2021, eligible registrants may file a petition with the superior court in their county of registration on or after their next birthday following expiration of the minimum period.¹³

The court weighs the nature of the original offense, the registrant’s compliance history, and any new criminal conduct. Prosecutors and law enforcement can object. Tier 3 registrants placed in that tier because of a risk assessment, rather than the offense itself, may petition after 20 years. Tier 3 registrants whose placement is based on the offense face lifetime registration with no petition pathway. Even when a petition is granted, the Department of Justice may continue tracking the person in non-public databases accessible only to law enforcement.

Arson offenders carrying lifetime registration under Penal Code section 457.1 do not have a comparable petition process.

1
California Legislative Information. California Code, Penal Code PEN 457.1
2
California Department of Justice. Summary of California Registration Laws
3
California Legislative Information. California Code, Penal Code PEN 290.005
4
California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation. Registration Requirements – Division of Adult Parole Operations
5
California Legislative Information. California Code PEN 290.011
6
U.S. Marshals Service. International Megan’s Law Complaint Form for Traveling Sex Offenders
7
Office of Sex Offender Sentencing, Monitoring, Apprehending, Registering, and Tracking. SORNA: Information Required for Notice of International Travel
8
U.S. Department of State. Passports and International Megan’s Law
9
California Legislative Information. California Code, Penal Code PEN 3003.5
10
Office of the Law Revision Counsel. 42 USC 13663 – Ineligibility of Dangerous Sex Offenders for Admission to Public Housing
11
California Department of Justice. Summary of Megan’s Law
12
California Legislative Information. California Code PEN 290.018
13
California Department of Justice. Sex Offender Tiering (SB 384) FAQs