The SOLAR Project - Sex Offender Legal Advocacy & Reform
📍 STATE GUIDE

Washington — Registry Rules

Official-source summary for Washington.

10/12/2025

Key Highlights

  • Residency Restrictions: Washington has no residency exclusion restrictions; proximity limits arise only through individual supervision orders or local ordinances that do not conflict with RCW. Local governments may not impose broader bans because registration and community notification are governed exclusively by state law; see RCW 4.24.550 and RCW 9.94A.703.
  • Presence / Proximity Rules: Washington has no automatic statewide presence or proximity restrictions. Presence near schools or childcare facilities may be restricted only when ordered by the court or DOC, not by local ordinance; see RCW 4.24.550.
  • Duration of Registration: Registration continues 10 or 15 crime-free years depending on offense class; certain Class A and out-of-state equivalents are lifetime unless relieved by court order; see RCW 9A.44.140 and RCW 9A.44.142.
  • Tiering / Level System: Washington uses Level I–III classifications that affect only public notification and verification cadence, not extra penalties. Level I = annual mail check; Level II = semiannual; Level III = quarterly or more; see RCW 9A.44.135 and WASPC Registry.

At a Glance

  • Who: Adults and certain juveniles with qualifying sex or kidnapping offenses must register with the county sheriff; see RCW 9A.44.130 and youth criteria in RCW 9A.44.130(1)(b).
  • Initial deadline: Deadline: Register within three business days of release, sentencing without confinement, establishing residence, or arrival as a visitor who will be present ≥10 days; see RCW 9A.44.130(4).
  • Verification: Verification: Address verification by mail at least annually; every 90 days for those ever designated SVP; weekly in person if lacking a fixed residence; see RCW 9A.44.135 and RCW 9A.44.130(6)(b).
  • Primary method: Method: Register with the county sheriff (often in person initially). Example local process: King County Sheriff.
  • ⚠️ Visitors present 10+ days in a month must register; see RCW 9A.44.130(4)(a).
  • ⚠️ International travel requires 21 days’ advance notice to the sheriff; see RCW 9A.44.130(3).
  • ⚠️ No fixed residence triggers weekly in-person reporting; see RCW 9A.44.130(6)(b).

Official Links

What this means in practice

  • Most people register with the county sheriff within three business days of release, arrival, or a move.
  • If you don’t have a fixed address, you must check in weekly.

Watch-outs

  • Planning to leave the U.S.? Tell the sheriff 21 days ahead.
  • Visitors here 10+ days must register quickly.

Summarizes RCW 9A.44.130 and RCW 9A.44.135.

Reviewed 10/12/2025

Who Must Register & Duration

Who: Persons with qualifying convictions (including out-of-state, federal, military, tribal) who live, work, or study in WA; see RCW 9A.44.130. Youth criteria are narrowed and defined in RCW 9A.44.130(1)(b) (as amended by 2023 c 150).

Duration: Registration continues 10 or 15 crime-free years depending on offense class; certain Class A and out-of-state equivalents are lifetime unless relieved by court order; see RCW 9A.44.140 and RCW 9A.44.142.

Deadlines & Reporting Triggers

  • Initial: Register within 3 business days after release, sentencing (if not confined), establishing residence, or arrival as a 10+ day visitor; see RCW 9A.44.130(4).
  • Moves within county: Notify the sheriff within 3 business days (in person or by certified mail); see RCW 9A.44.130(5)(a).
  • Moves to a new county: Register in the new county within 3 business days and notify the former county; see RCW 9A.44.130(5)(b).
  • Higher education: Give notice 3 business days before starting classes or work at a college; see RCW 9A.44.130(1)(d).
  • International travel: Provide 21 days’ advance notice to the sheriff; see RCW 9A.44.130(3).

What this means in practice

  • Use the three-business-day rule for most changes and moves.
  • College enrollment/work has its own three-business-day notice.

Watch-outs

  • International trips require 21-day advance notice.

See RCW 9A.44.130(1)(d), (3), (4)–(5).

Verification & In-Person Requirements

  • Address verification: Annual mail-based verification; 90-day mailings for those ever designated SVP; see RCW 9A.44.135.
  • No fixed residence: Weekly, in-person check-ins with the sheriff on the assigned day; see RCW 9A.44.130(6)(b).
  • Local practice: Some counties require in-person registration/updates; see process example at King County Sheriff.

What this means in practice

  • Expect a mailed address verification each year (every 90 days if ever designated SVP).
  • No fixed residence = weekly in-person check-ins.

Watch-outs

  • Missing weekly check-ins can be charged as failure to register.

See RCW 9A.44.135 and RCW 9A.44.130(6)(b).

Residency, Presence, & Loitering Restrictions

Presence/Residency: No statewide residency exclusion zones in statute. Community notification is risk-based under RCW 4.24.550. Check any local ordinances with the sheriff.

What this means in practice

  • No statewide residency ban in RCW; notification is risk-based.

See RCW 4.24.550.

Employment, Education, & Internet Use

  • Working in WA: ‘Employed/carries on a vocation’ means >14 consecutive days or >30 aggregate days/year; see RCW 9A.44.128(4).
  • Students: Registration required for attending school in WA regardless of domicile; see RCW 9A.44.130(1), (4).

Public Website Exposure

  • Level II–III generally appear on the public site; Level I may appear if transient or noncompliant; see WASPC FAQ and authority in RCW 4.24.550.

Travel & Relocation (Interstate Moves)

  • Moving to another state: Register in the new state within 3 business days of establishing residence (or starting work/school) and send written notice to the WA sheriff within 3 business days of moving; see RCW 9A.44.130(4)(a)(viii).
  • International travel: Notify your WA sheriff 21 days before departure; see RCW 9A.44.130(3).

Visiting or Traveling in the State

  • Visitors: If you intend to be in WA 10+ days, register within 3 business days of arrival in each county where you will stay; see RCW 9A.44.130(4)(a).

Compliance & Enforcement

Penalties: Knowingly failing to comply with RCW 9A.44.130 is criminal; offense level depends on status and priors (gross misdemeanor to class B felony); see RCW 9A.44.132.

What this means in practice

  • Failure to register/comply can be a gross misdemeanor or felony.

See RCW 9A.44.132.

Relief Paths

  • End of duty by operation of law: Some duties expire after 10 or 15 crime-free years in the community depending on offense class; see RCW 9A.44.140 and sheriff process in RCW 9A.44.141.
  • Petition for relief: File in superior court under RCW 9A.44.142.
  • Juveniles: Special petition/relief rules; see RCW 9A.44.143.

What this means in practice

  • Some duties end automatically after 10 or 15 crime-free years depending on the offense.
  • Others require a court petition; juveniles have special rules.

See RCW 9A.44.140–.143.

Special Populations

  • Persons lacking a fixed residence: weekly in-person reporting; see RCW 9A.44.130(6)(b).
  • Those ever designated SVP: 90-day address verification mailings; see RCW 9A.44.135.
  • Juvenile-involved cases: narrowed registration triggers and relief pathways; see 2023 c 150 (ESHB 1394).

Costs & Payments

  • No state-level registration fee in statute; WSP maintains the central registry; see RCW 43.43.540.
  • Sheriff may collect standard administrative fees (e.g., certified mail, noncriminal fingerprinting) under RCW 36.18.040; check local practice.

Recent Changes & Litigation

  • Statute: ESHB 1394 (Chapter 150, Laws of 2023) — 2023 Reg. Sess.; effective 2023-07-23. Reformed youth registration, updated definitions (e.g., employment thresholds) and amended RCW 9A.44.128, .130, .132, .140, among others. link
  • Rule: WAC 446-20-500; effective 2021-02-11. WSP rule confirming central registry operations and forwarding of registration by sheriffs/police. link

Compliance Checklists & Scripts

New Arrival: First 30 Days

  • Go to the county sheriff within 3 business days (or sooner) to register; bring ID and conviction details; see RCW 9A.44.130(4).
  • If you lack a fixed residence, ask for the office’s weekly reporting day/time; see RCW 9A.44.130(6)(b).
  • If attending a college, give required notice 3 business days before starting; see RCW 9A.44.130(1)(d).
  • Keep dated copies/receipts of all submissions; confirm when your address verification form will arrive; see RCW 9A.44.135.

Moving Out / Traveling

  • If moving within WA: notify the current sheriff and register in the new county within 3 business days; see RCW 9A.44.130(5).
  • If moving to another state: register in the new state within 3 business days of establishing residence or starting work/school and send written notice to your WA sheriff within 3 business days of moving; see RCW 9A.44.130(4)(a)(viii).
  • For international travel, give 21 days’ prior notice; see RCW 9A.44.130(3).

Records Request Template

Request registry records/certifications from the sheriff and the Washington State Patrol registry unit, citing RCW 9A.44.141 for end-of-duty investigations.

Relief Petition Outline

Use statewide court forms to petition for relief under RCW 9A.44.142 or juvenile relief under RCW 9A.44.143: WA Courts—Relief from Registration.

Citations

🤝 This guide was created from official legal sources and checked with the help of AI-assisted research. We strive for accuracy and clarity — if you spot something that seems off or out of date, please let us know so we can correct it for everyone.

Informational only; not legal advice.