Lancaster Sex Offender Database
Sex offenders in Lancaster must register with the Los Angeles County Sheriff. The Lancaster station is at 501 West Lancaster Boulevard. Call 661-948-8466 for registration questions. Office hours are Monday through Friday from 9:00 AM to 11:30 AM. Anyone required to register under Penal Code Section 290 must do so within five working days of moving to Lancaster. After that, most offenders update once per year within five working days of their birthday. Transients update every 30 days. Sexually violent predators update every 90 days. You can search for Lancaster sex offenders on the state Megan's Law website at meganslaw.ca.gov.
Lancaster Sex Offender Quick Facts
Sheriff Lancaster Station
The Los Angeles County Sheriff Lancaster station handles sex offender registration for residents in the Lancaster area. The office is at 501 West Lancaster Boulevard. Registration hours are Monday through Friday from 9:00 AM to 11:30 AM. Call ahead at 661-948-8466 if you have questions about the process.
Bring valid ID and court documents to your registration appointment. Officers collect your current address, employment info, vehicle details, and internet identifiers. They take a new photo. All data is reported to the California Department of Justice. The DOJ updates the public Megan's Law website daily.
There are no fees for registration in California. State law says no agency can charge a fee for sex offender registration. This applies to the initial registration and all annual updates. If someone tries to charge you, report it to the DOJ.
Los Angeles County Supervision
Lancaster is in Los Angeles County. The county probation department supervises some sex offenders through a specialized program. This program monitors high-risk individuals and conducts compliance checks. If you move from Lancaster to another city in Los Angeles County, register at the new location within five working days. Some cities have their own police departments. Others use the county sheriff.
Los Angeles County is the largest county in California by population. It has over 80 incorporated cities. The LAPD handles registration for areas within the city of Los Angeles. Contract cities use the sheriff. Lancaster uses the sheriff's Lancaster station. Nearby Palmdale also uses the sheriff.
Megan's Law Public Registry
Search for registered sex offenders in Lancaster at meganslaw.ca.gov. This is the official California sex offender registry. You can search by address, zip code, or name. Type in a Lancaster address to see offenders living nearby. The map tool shows pins for each registered person. Click a pin to view their profile.
Each profile has a photo, physical description, date of birth, and address. The site lists the crimes that led to registration. Most profiles show the registration tier. Tier One offenders register for at least ten years. Tier Two offenders register for at least twenty years. Tier Three offenders register for life.
Some offenders are excluded from the public website by court order. These people still register with the sheriff, but their information does not appear online. The law protects certain juvenile offenders and some low-level misdemeanor offenders from public disclosure.
Before you search, read the disclaimer. Misusing registry information is a crime. Do not use the data to harass or harm an offender or their family. Penalties include fines up to $50,000 and five years in prison for felony misuse. Registered sex offenders cannot use the search tool. Anyone required to register who accesses the site faces a fine of up to $1,000 and up to six months in jail.
Local Compliance Checks
The sheriff's Lancaster station conducts compliance checks on registered offenders. Deputies visit reported addresses to verify people live where they say they do. If an offender moves without updating their registration, a warrant is issued. Registration violations are prosecuted based on the facts of each case.
Some offenders wear GPS ankle monitors. California requires all sex offender parolees to be tracked with electronic devices. The CDCR Sex Offender Management Program uses GPS monitoring statewide. The system alerts parole agents if the person enters a restricted area like a school or park. This technology has been in place since 2008. It is one of the largest GPS programs operated by a single law enforcement agency in the United States.
California Sex Offender Laws
Penal Code Section 290 requires sex offender registration in California. This is the Sex Offender Registration Act. The law lists crimes that trigger a registration requirement. Examples include rape, lewd acts with minors, sexual battery, indecent exposure, and possession of child pornography. Attempts and conspiracies also require registration.
The three-tier system took effect on January 1, 2021. Senate Bill 384 created this system. Tier One offenders register for at least ten years. Tier Two offenders register for at least twenty years. Tier Three offenders register for life. The tier depends on the crime. Lower-level offenses like misdemeanor sexual battery fall into Tier One. Mid-level crimes like lewdness with a minor under 14 are Tier Two. Serious offenses like rape and crimes involving force are Tier Three.
Tier One and Two offenders can petition the court to end registration after the minimum period. The court has 60 days to rule. If the petition is granted, the person is removed from the public website and no longer registers. Tier Three offenders cannot petition. They register for life unless they receive a pardon.
Penal Code Section 290.012 sets update requirements. Most offenders update once per year within five working days of their birthday. Sexually violent predators update every 90 days. Transients update every 30 days. No entity may charge fees for registration. This prohibition is mandatory across California.
Penal Code Section 290.46 mandates internet disclosure through the Megan's Law website. The Department of Justice publishes information on most registered sex offenders. The statute specifies what data can be disclosed, including name, photo, address, and conviction details. Some categories of offenders are excluded from public view by law.
Antelope Valley Cities
Lancaster is in the Antelope Valley region of northern Los Angeles County. Palmdale is the other major city in this area. Both cities use the Los Angeles County Sheriff for law enforcement. The Palmdale station is at 750 East Avenue Q. If you move between Lancaster and Palmdale, update your registration at the appropriate sheriff's station within five working days.
Additional Resources
The California Department of Justice oversees the statewide sex offender registry. Visit oag.ca.gov/sex-offender-reg for information about registration laws, forms, and legal updates. You can download the Application for Exclusion from Internet Disclosure if you qualify. Other forms include internet identifier registration and college course enrollment.
CDCR operates the California Incarcerated Records and Information Search system. Use this tool at ciris.mt.cdcr.ca.gov to look up individuals in state custody. Search by name or CDCR number. Results show age, admission date, current location, and parole hearing dates. This helps track someone before they are released and required to register.
The national sex offender registry at nsopw.gov searches all 50 states. Use it to check if someone registered in another state before moving to California. The database is managed by the U.S. Department of Justice.