Sex Offender Registration

A sex offender is any person who resides or works in the Commonwealth and who has been convicted of a sex offense, or who has been adjudicated as a youthful offender or as a delinquent juvenile by reason of a sex offense, or a person released from incarceration or parole or probation supervision or custody with the department of youth services for such a conviction or adjudication, or a person who has been adjudicated a sexually dangerous person or a person released from civil commitment on or after August 1, 1981.

For a listing of crimes that require registration as a sex offender please visit our Who Has to Register page.

Sex offenders will be classified according to the degree of dangerousness they pose to the public and their likelihood for reoffense. An offender's classification will be:

• a Level 1 or "low risk" offender,
• a Level 2 or "moderate risk" offender, or
• a Level 3 or "high risk" offender.

In addition, if the Board, in finally giving an offender a Level 3 classification, also concludes that such sex offender should be designated a Sexually Violent Predator, the Board shall transmit a report to the sentencing court explaining the Board's reasons for so recommending, including specific identification of the sexually violent offense committed by such sex offender and the mental abnormality from which he suffers. The sentencing court shall then have the ultimate decision to determine whether such sex offender is a sexually violent predator.

Any member of the public who is at least 18 years of age or older may request sex offender information. The information will be provided to any person who is seeking the information for his/her own protection or for the protection of a child under the age of 18 or for the protection of another person whom the requesting person has responsibility, care, or custody.

You may request sex offender information at Local Police Departments or through the Sex Offender Registry Board directly.

A person may request sex offender information from the Board. Requests must be made on a form approved by the Board. The Board will provide a report identifying whether the person is a sex offender with an obligation to register, the offenses for which he/she was convicted or adjudicated and the dates of such convictions or adjudications. The Board will only disseminate information on offenders who have been finally classified as a Level 2 (moderate risk) or Level 3 (high risk) offender. The law prohibits the dissemination of information unless and until the offender is finally classified as a Level 2 or a Level 3 offender. The law strictly prohibits the dissemination of information on Level 1 (low risk) offenders.

The information will be provided free of charge.

All information provided to the public will include language prohibiting the misuse of sex offender information for harassment or discriminatory purposes.

All records of inquiry will be kept confidential, except to assist or defend in a criminal prosecution.

For copies of the form to request sex offender information from the Sex Offender Registry Board please visit our Forms and Publications page.

NOTE: Any information provided by either the police or the Board will be limited only to offenders who have been finally classified by the Board as Level 2 or Level 3 offenders or Sexually Violent Predator. The law prohibits the Board and police departments from disseminating any information on a sex offender who has not been finally classified by the Board or who has been finally classified as a Level 1 offender.