Washington State Sex Offender Registry

Washington requires sex offenders to register their home address, place of employment and/or school with law enforcement. This information will appear on the Washington Sex Offender Public Registry. The length of time they are required to keep law enforcement apprised of their living situation depends on the severity of their crimes and punishment.

How long does someone stay on the registry?

Whether juveniles or adults, the length of time a sex offender stays on the registry depends on whether they were convicted of a Class A, B or C felony or gross misdemeanor.

• Class A – Someone who is convicted of a sex or kidnapping offense, who was also previously convicted of one or more sex or kidnapping offenses, will stay on the registry for life.
• Class B – Someone who is convicted of a sex or kidnapping offense, with no previous sex or kidnapping convictions will stay on the registry for 15 years.
• Class C – Someone convicted of an attempt, solicitation or conspiring to commit a sex or kidnapping offense, who has no prior convictions of sex or kidnapping offenses, will remain on the registry for 10 years.

What are the risk levels and how are they determined?

Each offender is assigned a risk level of I, II or III. These levels are determined based on a variety of factors, including the offender’s background, the nature of their crime and their likelihood of re-offending.

• Level III – High risk of re-offending
• Level II – Moderate risk of re-offending
• Level I – Low risk of re-offending

Offenders who are assigned risk Level I are generally not published on the Washington Sex Offender Public Registry. They will only be listed if they have not complied with their release restrictions or if they are transient. However, anyone can get a Level I offender’s information by contacting law enforcement.

What restrictions do sex offenders have?

Again, this depends on the nature of their crime. While under supervision, their restrictions can include where they’re allowed to live, restrictions from being around children, a curfew and/or bans on alcohol and drugs.

Once their supervision is complete, they no longer have these restrictions.