San Jose Sex Offender Lookup
Sex offenders in San Jose must register with the San Jose Police Department Special Victims Unit. The city has more than 1 million residents making it the largest city in Northern California. Anyone required to register under California law who lives in San Jose reports to the police station at 201 West Mission Street. Registration happens within five working days of moving here or being released from custody. Annual updates occur near the offender's birthday. The Special Victims Unit processes all PC 290 registrations for city residents. You can search for registered sex offenders in San Jose using the California Megan's Law website. The database shows photos, addresses, and conviction details for every person registered in the city. Some profiles display full street addresses while others show only zip codes based on court orders.
San Jose Registry Facts
SJPD Special Victims Unit
The San Jose Police Department Special Victims Unit handles all sex offender registration for the city. The unit is part of the Investigations Division and operates a dedicated 290 Team for PC 290 registrations. The police headquarters is at 201 West Mission Street in downtown San Jose. Offenders must register in person during business hours. Call ahead to check current procedures. Officers take a new photo at each visit and verify all information including address, employment, vehicle data, and internet identifiers. The police then report this data to the California DOJ.
| Agency | San Jose Police Department - Special Victims Unit |
|---|---|
| Address | 201 West Mission Street San Jose, CA 95110 |
| Phone | (408) 277-8900 |
| Hours | Contact for registration hours |
| Website | sjpd.org |
The San Jose Police Department works closely with the Santa Clara County Sheriff on registration issues. The sheriff handles registration for unincorporated areas around the city. If you live in San Jose city limits, you register with SJPD. If you live outside city limits in the county, you register with the county sheriff at 55 West Younger Avenue. Both agencies report to the same state database.
Search for San Jose Offenders
The main tool for finding sex offenders in San Jose is the state Megan's Law website at meganslaw.ca.gov. Enter your San Jose address or zip code to see a map of registered offenders nearby. Each pin on the map links to a profile showing the person's photo, age, physical description, and details about their conviction. You can filter results by distance from your location or by specific offense categories. The database updates daily.
Not all registered offenders show a complete street address on the public site. Some display only a zip code. Others are marked as location undisclosed due to court orders. Statewide, about 55,000 offenders have full addresses posted. Another 6,000 show only zip codes. Even when the exact address is hidden, you can still view photos and conviction information. The system covers all of Santa Clara County including San Jose.
The California Department of Justice sex offender registry page explains how the system operates. The DOJ receives data from every city and county in California. They review each submission and post approved records within 24 hours. This keeps the San Jose database current. You can set up email alerts to get notified when an offender moves into your area.
You can also use the National Sex Offender Public Website to search multiple states simultaneously. This federal tool is useful if you want to check someone's history before they moved to San Jose. The national site may not update as quickly as state databases.
PC 290 Rules in San Jose
California law requires anyone convicted of certain sex offenses to register with local law enforcement. In San Jose, this means reporting to SJPD at 201 West Mission Street. Registration must occur within five working days of release from custody or moving to the city. Missing this deadline is a criminal offense. The law applies to anyone who lives, works, or attends school in San Jose.
Penal Code Section 290 lists all crimes that require registration in California. These include rape, child molestation, sexual battery, indecent exposure, and possession of child pornography. The statute also covers attempts and conspiracies to commit these offenses. San Jose residents convicted of any registrable crime must follow the procedures set out in this law. The three-tier system divides offenders by crime severity. Tier One means ten years. Tier Two means twenty years. Tier Three means lifetime registration.
Most offenders in San Jose update their registration once per year within five working days before or after their birthday. SJPD may send reminders but it is the offender's responsibility to appear on time. Some must update more frequently. Sexually violent predators register every 90 days. Transients with no fixed address register every 30 days. Missing an update can result in arrest.
Under Penal Code Section 290.012, no fees apply to sex offender registration in California. You do not pay to register in San Jose. You do not pay for updates. If anyone tries to charge you, report it to the DOJ.
Note: Some Tier One and Tier Two offenders can petition the court to end their registration after completing the minimum period.
California Sex Offender Statutes
Penal Code Section 290.46 requires the DOJ to publish sex offender information on the internet. This statute provides the legal foundation for the Megan's Law website. It specifies what information can be shared with the public including names, photos, addresses, and conviction details. It also lists which offenders are excluded from the website. Some juveniles and certain low-level offenders do not appear online even though they must register with SJPD.
Penal Code Section 290.45 allows law enforcement to disclose offender information to the community. SJPD can share names, photos, addresses, vehicle information, and conviction details when they believe it is necessary for public safety. However, misusing this information is illegal. Using registry data to harass or harm an offender can result in fines up to $50,000 and five years in prison.
Senate Bill 384 created the three-tier system that took effect on January 1, 2021. Before that date, most offenders registered for life. The new law provides some offenders a path to end their registration after a set number of years. The court has 60 days to respond to tier relief petitions. The DOJ sex offender forms page has applications for tier relief and exclusion from the public website.
San Jose Resources and Support
The San Jose Police Department Special Victims Unit handles all sex offender registration for city residents. Call (408) 277-8900 for general police inquiries. Visit sjpd.org for more information. The Santa Clara County Sheriff manages registration for unincorporated areas around San Jose. Call the sheriff at (408) 299-2217.
Victims of sex crimes can access support through local agencies. The Santa Clara County District Attorney Victim Services Division provides assistance. The California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation Victim Services line is 1-877-256-6877. Email victimservices@cdcr.ca.gov. These services are free and confidential.
If you have information about a registered sex offender in San Jose who is violating the law, contact SJPD at (408) 277-8900. You can also call the CDCR tip line or email CDCRDAPOTIPLINE@CDCR.CA.GOV. Reports are taken seriously and can lead to enforcement action.
The CIRIS database allows you to look up people currently in state custody. This helps you track someone still serving time before they are released and required to register in San Jose. Search by name or CDCR number.
Santa Clara County Sex Offender Registry
San Jose is the county seat of Santa Clara County. The county sheriff manages sex offender registration for unincorporated areas and smaller cities. For county-wide policies and enforcement details, visit the Santa Clara County page.