Maryland — Registry Rules

• People convicted of qualifying offenses and certain out-of-state entrants must register; see Crim. Proc. §11-704.
• Initial deadline: Register with the supervising authority on release or within 3 days after probation/suspended sentence/no-incarceration, or within 3 days of moving into Maryland; nonresidents must register within 3 days of starting employment, school, or entering as a transient; see §11-705(b).
• Verification: Tier I and Tier II verify in person every 6 months; Tier III and sexually violent predators verify in person every 3 months; terms are 15 / 25 / life; see §11-707(a), (a)(4).
• Primary method: In-person registration with the supervising authority and with local law enforcement where the person resides or habitually lives; see §11-705(c).
• ⚠️ Homeless persons must appear weekly in person in each county where they habitually live; see §11-705(d).
• ⚠️ Changes in residence, county, vehicles/plates, email/internet IDs, phone numbers, or employment due within 3 days; higher-ed work/school changes in person within 3 days; see §11-705(e)–(f), (j).
• ⚠️ Foreign travel requires 21 days’ advance notice; temporary lodging >5 days or absence >7 days requires notice; see §11-705(h)–(i).

Maryland requires registration by Tier I/II/III offenders and sexually violent predators, as defined by conviction; supervising authority initiates registration; see §11-704 and term rules in §11-707.

Duration: Registration lasts 15 / 25 / life years by tier, with Tier I eligible for 10-year reduction upon meeting treatment and supervision conditions (§11-707).

• Initial registration timeline and nonresident triggers (employment/school/transient) are 3 days; see §11-705(b), (c).
• Change reporting within 3 days for address/county, vehicles/plates, email or internet identifiers, phones, and employment; see §11-705(e), (j).
• Higher-education employment/enrollment changes must be given in person within 3 days to local law enforcement where the institution is located; see §11-705(f).
• Foreign travel notice at least 21 days prior; temporary lodging (>5 days) or absence (>7 days) requires advance notice; see §11-705(h)–(i).
• Local law enforcement forwards address/other change notices to the Department within 3 working days; see §11-710.

• Tier I and Tier II: every 6 months in person; Tier III and sexually violent predators: every 3 months in person; see §11-707(a).
• Digital image updated every 6 months; see §11-707(a)(1)(ii), (2)(ii), (3)(ii).
• Juvenile registrants are tracked separately by the Department; see §11-704.1.

Maryland has no statewide residency restrictions in statute; separate criminal prohibition bars entering school or child-care property for certain registrants; see §11-722 and public site DPSCS registry.

• Employment and higher-ed status must be reported; higher-ed changes in person within 3 days; see §11-705(f).
• Registration statements include employer details and locations where duties are performed; see §11-706(a).
• New email/screen names/chat IDs must be sent to the State registry within 3 days; see §11-705(j).

• Department must make registration information available to the public and post on the Internet with plain-language offense descriptions (excluding identifying victim details); see §11-717(a)–(c).
• Search and email alerts available via state site; see DPSCS public website.

• Out-of-state residents must register in Maryland within 3 days of starting employment, registering as a student, or entering as a transient; see §11-705(b)(5).
• Maryland residents must give advance notice for temporary lodging (>5 days) or absences (>7 days) from the habitual residence; see §11-705(i).
• International departures require 21 days’ prior notice; see §11-705(h).

• Short-term visitors become subject to Maryland registration when they begin employment, register as a student, or enter as a transient; duty attaches even if they are not residents; see §11-705(b)(5).
• Homeless visitors who habitually live in a county must register weekly in person while present; see §11-705(d).

Knowingly failing to register, to give required notices, or providing materially false information is a crime: first offense misdemeanor up to 3 years/$5,000; subsequent offense felony up to 5 years/$10,000; see §11-721(b).

• Tier I term can be reduced from 15 to 10 years if the registrant has no disqualifying convictions, successfully completes supervision, and completes appropriate treatment; see §11-707(c).
• Juvenile-court terms for juvenile registrants are separately governed and may be reduced by petition; see §11-707(a)(4)(iv) and §11-704.1.
• Lifetime sexual offender supervision (sentencing) is distinct from registry duration; violations handled under §11-723–§11-724.

• Homeless: initial 3-day deadlines plus weekly in-person check-ins in each county where habitually living; see §11-705(d).
• Students/Employees at higher-ed: in-person notice within 3 days where the institution is located; see §11-705(f).
• Juveniles: separate registry maintained by the Department; see §11-704.1.

• No statewide registration fee specified in Title 11, Subtitle 7; confirm any local processing costs (e.g., ID copies). See subtitle index Title 11, Subt. 7.
• DNA collection at initial registration is handled by supervising authority under 2025 chaptered law; see 2025 Ch. 92 (SB 202).

• Statute: SB 202 (2025) — 2025 Regular Session; effective 2025-06-01. Requires DNA collection by the supervising authority at the time of initial sex-offender registration under §11-704. link
• Case: Rogers v. State — Supreme Court of Maryland (2020-03-31) — Interpreted which human-trafficking convictions require Tier II registration; clarifies offense-based tiering under Maryland law. link