Wisconsin — Registry Rules

• Who: People convicted, adjudicated, or found NGI for qualifying offenses (including certain out-of-state/federal equivalents) must comply; see Wis. Stat. §301.45.
• Initial deadline: Deadline: Provide initial information on the schedule in §301.45(2)(e), including no later than 10 days before release in specified scenarios and within 10 days after placement on supervision or after entering Wisconsin to reside, work, or attend school.
• Verification: Verification: Annual for most registrants; every 90 days for those on lifetime registration; see §301.45(4)(a) and appellate summary at 2019 WI App 4.
• Primary method: Method: Report to the Department of Corrections (DOC) Sex Offender Registry Program and follow directions for in-person/photo/fingerprint updates; see §301.45 and DOC SOR public site.
• ⚠️ All changes (address, name, employment, school, vehicles, internet IDs) must be reported within 10 days; see §301.45(4)(a).
• ⚠️ Lifetime registrants verify every 90 days; missing windows is chargeable; see §301.45(4)(a).
• ⚠️ Public site omits internet identifiers even though they must be reported; see §301.46 and 2019 WI App 4.
• ⚠️ International trips require 21-day advance notice under federal law; Wisconsin SOR reiterates this; see DOC handout (What You Need to Know).
• ⚠️ Annual $100 fee by rule; nonpayment can trigger enforcement; see DOC 332.19.

Scope: Those covered by §301.45(1g), including residents with qualifying convictions, people found NGI, certain juveniles when ordered, and nonresidents who enter Wisconsin to reside, work, or attend school; discretionary orders also exist under §973.048.

Duration: Most people must stay on the registry for 15 years after completing supervision, but some cases require lifetime registration, especially repeat or Chapter 980 cases — see §301.45(5m).

• Initial timing: Follow the 10-day schedule in §301.45(2)(e) (e.g., within 10 days after placement on supervision or after entering Wisconsin to reside/work/school; no later than 10 days before certain releases).
• Annual or 90-day verification: Notify DOC once each calendar year or, if lifetime, once every 90 days as directed; see §301.45(4)(a) and 2019 WI App 4.
• Changes within 10 days: Address, name, employment, school, vehicles, and internet identifiers must be updated within 10 days; see §301.45(3).
• Parole/ES address changes: If on parole or extended supervision and you know an address will change, update before the change; otherwise within 24 hours; see §301.45(3)(b).

• Photos/fingerprints: DOC may require in-person appearance to obtain a photograph and fingerprints; see §301.45(2)(f).
• Cadence: Annual for most; every 90 days for lifetime; DOC issues notices and forms; see §301.45(4)(a).
• Proof: Keep dated receipts/letters from DOC SOR; public site and contacts at DOC SOR are available.

Residency: No statewide residency-ban statute for general registrants; local governments may enact child-safety zone ordinances; core statewide presence limits include school-premises notification rules in §301.475.

• Employment/school reporting: Employment and school data must be provided/updated under §301.45(2)(a).
• Internet IDs: Report email/usernames and similar identifiers; they are not displayed on the public site; see §301.45(2)(a)6m & 6r and 2019 WI App 4.
• Work with minors: Separate criminal/work restrictions may apply (e.g., §948.13) in addition to registry duties.

• Public access: DOC maintains a searchable website under §301.46(5n) at the DOC SOR portal.
• What’s shown: Core identifiers, conviction/location, and update dates; internet identifiers are not posted; see §301.46 and 2019 WI App 4.
• Community notices: Law enforcement may issue bulletins when appropriate under §301.46(2m).

• Moving to WI: Out-of-state registrants who enter to reside, work, or attend school must register within 10 days; see §301.45(2)(e)2m & 2t.
• Leaving WI: Update address within 10 days of change; if on supervision, earlier notice rules apply; see §301.45(3).
• International travel: Provide 21-day advance notice per federal SORNA; DOC guidance at What You Need to Know.

• Short visits to WI: Wisconsin law triggers duties when a person enters to reside, work, or attend school; visitors should confirm whether their stay meets those thresholds; see §301.45(2)(e).
• WI residents away: Being away from your address 10+ consecutive days is treated as a change of address that must be reported within 10 days; see DOC handout (What You Need to Know).

Penalties: Failing to comply with §301.45(2)–(4) duties is criminally enforceable; see §301.45(6) and jury instruction notes WIS JI-Crim 2198.

• Standard durations: 15 years after discharge from supervision for many offenses; lifetime for others (including repeat/Chapter 980 scenarios); see §301.45(5m).
• Court-limited orders: For certain §942.09 (depiction) cases where the person was under 21, a court may end registration upon successful completion of sentence/probation under §973.048(3)(g).
• Interpretation shift (lifetime): Post-2017 reading increased lifetime outcomes for multiple counts; consult statute and analysis; see discussion (AG interpretation) and §301.45(5m) with practitioner summary (Hurley Burish).

• Juveniles: Registration/publication rules differ; courts may excuse certain juvenile cases from public posting; see §301.46.
• School-premises: Registered persons must provide notice before being on school premises; violations carry penalties; see §301.475.
• Chapter 980: Persons under ch. 980 have separate supervision and siting frameworks; registry duties still flow from §301.45.

• Annual fee: DOC rule sets $100/year registration fee; see DOC 332.19 and §301.45(10).
• Billing practice: DOC guidance notes July assessment and collection options; see DOC handout (What You Need to Know).

• Case: State v. B.W.Y., 2019 WI App 4 — Wisconsin Court of Appeals (2019-12-26) — Statute requires annual verification (or 90-day for lifetime) and allows collection of internet identifiers; identifiers are not published on the public site. link
• Case: State v. Young (interpreting §973.048 scope) — Wisconsin Court of Appeals (2024-10-29) — Confirmed §973.048 applies across sex-offender registration requirements within the sentencing code context. link
• Rule: Wis. Admin. Code DOC §332.19 (Sex offender registration fee); effective Current. Establishes DOC’s annual sex-offender registration fee of $100 and enforcement mechanisms. link