California — Registry Rules

• People with qualifying convictions and specified out-of-state/federal equivalents must register under the Sex Offender Registration Act; see Penal Code §290.
• Initial deadline: Register in person upon release as specified and within five working days of coming into or changing residence in a city/county; see §290.015 and 15 CCR §3652.
• Verification: Update annually within five working days of birthday; transients re-register every 30 days; sexually violent predators verify every 90 days; see §290.012 and §290.011.
• Primary method: In person at local law enforcement (and campus police when applicable); forms and content are governed by §290.015.
• ⚠️ Five-working-day windows for initial, birthday, moves, and name changes; see §§290.012, 290.013, 290.014.
• ⚠️ Transients must re-register every 30 days; see §290.011.
• ⚠️ Internet identifiers can be required by court finding in newer felony cases; see §290.024.
• ⚠️ Campus presence triggers separate duties with campus police; see §290.01.
• ⚠️ Public website posting rules are tier/conviction-dependent; see §290.46.

Registration applies to those described in the Act, including persons with listed California offenses and specified out-of-state, federal, or military equivalents; see §290 and §290(c) et seq. as compiled.

Duration: Registration requirement lasts 10 years for Tier 1, 20 years for Tier 2, and lifetime for Tier 3, unless relief is granted by petition under Penal Code § 290.5.

• Initial registration upon release and within five working days of coming into or changing residence in a jurisdiction; see §290.015 and 15 CCR §3652.
• Annual update within five working days of birthday; see §290.012(a).
• Address changes require new registration within five working days; see §290.013.
• Legal name changes must be reported within five working days; internet identifier additions/changes by mailed notice within 30 working days when required; see §290.014 and §290.024.
• Transients re-register no less than every 30 days and follow birthday updates; see §290.011.

• Appear at the local law-enforcement registering agency; content of registration/update is set by §290.015.
• If domiciled or present at a university/college campus, also register with campus police; see §290.01.
• Sexually violent predators complete 90-day verification; see §290.012(f).

State law sets reporting/verification rules rather than blanket statewide residency bans; local supervision or parole conditions may add limits. See the Act at §290 et seq. and CDCR guidance for registrants at CDCR Parole—Registration Requirements.

• Campus enrollment/employment triggers campus-police registration within five working days (start and end); see §290.01.
• Disclosure and restrictions for working/volunteering with minors; see §290.95.
• Court-ordered internet identifier registration for certain felony cases; see §290.024 and related notice duty in §290.014(b).

• The DOJ website posts only categories authorized by statute; exclusions and ZIP-only displays are defined in §290.46 and explained in DOJ’s Megan’s Law FAQ.
• Juvenile registry information is not posted online; see §290.46(b).

• Moving out of California constitutes a residence change; notify and register per §290.013 and follow destination-state law; DOJ notice of out-of-state duties appears in §290.015(a)(6).

• Coming into a city/county or campus triggers registration within five working days when you temporarily reside there; see 15 CCR §3652 and the Act at §290.

Willful violations are prosecuted under §290.018; misdemeanors when based on misdemeanor predicate, felonies when based on felony predicate; continuing-offense rule and specific penalties (including for internet-identifier omissions) apply.

• Tiered relief by petition after minimum period (10/20 years for many adults; lifetime possible) via §290.5 and Judicial Council form CR-415.
• Website exclusion is narrowly available by statute; see §290.46(d)–(e).

• Transients follow 30-day cycle and related rules; see §290.011.
• Sexually violent predators verify every 90 days and receive written notice of increased duties; see §290.012(f).
• Students and employees at higher-education institutions must register with campus police as well as local law enforcement; see §290.01.

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• Statute: SB 384 (Tiered Registry) — 2017–2018; effective 2021-01-01. Transitioned from lifetime to a tiered registry with 10/20-year and lifetime tiers; created petition process. link
• Statute: AB 474 (cleanup to §290.46 et al.) — 2021; effective 2022-01-01. Amended online-posting and related provisions; DOJ continues posting per §290.46. link