Search Sacramento County Sex Offenders
Sacramento County sex offenders register with the Sheriff's SAFE team at 700 North 5th Street in Sacramento. Office hours are Monday through Friday from 7:00 AM to 2:00 PM. Call 916-874-5090 for information. The SAFE team specializes in sex offender monitoring and registration. Most offenders update once per year within five days of their birthday. Transients come in every 30 days. Sexually violent predators report every 90 days. You can search for local offenders on the California Megan's Law website using a Sacramento address or nearby city name. The database shows photos, physical descriptions, and conviction details. Sacramento County tracks offenders in the city of Sacramento and surrounding communities. The registration process follows state law with local procedures managed by the sheriff.
Sacramento County Registration Facts
Sheriff SAFE Team
The Sacramento County Sheriff operates a specialized unit called SAFE. That stands for Sex Offender Apprehension and Felony Enforcement. This team handles sex offender registration and compliance checks. The office sits at 700 North 5th Street in downtown Sacramento. Hours are Monday through Friday from 7:00 AM to 2:00 PM. Call 916-874-5090 for current information.
The SAFE team is part of the Centralized Investigations Division. Deputies on this team are trained in state registration laws and local procedures. They process registrations, take photos, and enter data into the state system. This information feeds the California Megan's Law website. The team also conducts field checks to verify offenders live at registered addresses.
First-time registrants report within five working days after release from custody. That deadline comes from state law. Missing it is a crime. The initial registration includes providing your address, employment details, vehicle information, and internet identifiers. The deputy takes a photo and verifies your ID. All data goes into the California Sex and Arson Registry.
Annual updates happen near your birthday. You have five working days before or after the date. Bring updated information about any changes. New address, new job, new car, new email accounts. The deputy enters the updates and takes a new photo. No appointment is required during office hours. Just show up and check in.
Transients without permanent addresses register every 30 days. They report their general location and where they sleep. Sexually violent predators register every 90 days regardless of housing status. These frequent check-ins help the SAFE team track high-risk individuals. The team conducts compliance checks throughout the county. If someone is not at the registered address, they issue a warrant.
Megan's Law Database
You can search for Sacramento County sex offenders at meganslaw.ca.gov. Enter a city name like Sacramento or Elk Grove. Or type a street address. The map shows pins for each offender near that location. Click a pin to see the profile. It includes a photo, physical description, conviction information, and registration tier.
Most offenders have full addresses posted. Some only show a zip code. A few are marked undisclosed per court order. The law decides who gets listed and how much detail appears. Not every registered sex offender shows up on the public site. Some are excluded based on the type of crime or their age when convicted. But the most serious cases usually appear.
Sacramento County has both urban and suburban areas. Offenders live in the city of Sacramento and surrounding communities. The Megan's Law site covers all these locations. You can search the whole county or focus on one neighborhood. The site also has special search options for schools and parks. It draws a radius around those places and lists offenders within that distance.
Registration Requirements
When you register in Sacramento County, bring valid photo ID. A California driver license or state ID card works. You need proof of residence. A lease, utility bill, or mail with your name and address helps. If you own a vehicle, have the registration ready. List all email addresses and social media accounts. State law requires disclosing internet identifiers.
The deputy fills out forms with you. They enter data into the computer. A photo is taken. You sign paperwork confirming everything is correct. If your information changes later, report it within five working days. That includes new addresses, new jobs, new vehicles, and new online accounts. Keeping the registry accurate is your legal duty.
No fees apply. California law says sex offender registration is free. The sheriff cannot charge you. That rule applies to initial registration, annual updates, and all other registration services. If someone tries to collect money, report it to the Department of Justice.
State DOJ Resources
The California Department of Justice runs the statewide sex offender registry. Visit oag.ca.gov/sex-offender-reg for policy information and forms. Offenders can download the Application for Exclusion from Internet Disclosure if they qualify. The DOJ reviews requests and issues decisions. Processing takes 30 to 90 days or longer depending on case volume.
Other forms include the Internet Identifier Registration Form for reporting new email or social media accounts. There is also a DOJ Online College Course Registration Form for offenders taking online classes. The DOJ publishes FAQs about Senate Bill 384, which created the tiered registration system in 2021.
Tier One offenders register for ten years. After that, they can petition the court to end their registration requirement. Tier Two offenders register for twenty years before they can petition. Tier Three offenders register for life with no option to petition unless they receive a pardon. The court decides whether to grant relief based on the facts of each case.
CDCR Inmate Records
The California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation operates CIRIS at ciris.mt.cdcr.ca.gov. This tool lets you look up someone in state prison. Enter a name or CDCR number. The system shows current custody status, location, admission date, and parole hearing dates. This helps if you want to know when someone will be released.
Once released, they have five working days to register with the local sheriff. CDCR also supervises sex offender parolees with GPS devices. All parolees wear ankle monitors. The Sex Offender Management Program combines supervision, treatment, polygraph testing, and electronic tracking. Parole agents get alerts if someone enters a restricted area.
City Registration
The city of Sacramento uses the county sheriff for sex offender registration. City residents register with the SAFE team at 700 North 5th Street. Elk Grove has its own police department that handles registration at 8400 Laguna Palms Way. Call 916-714-5115 for Elk Grove Police information.
Other cities in the county may use the sheriff or have their own police units. When in doubt, call the local police department and ask. They will direct you to the right office for registration services.
National Sex Offender Registry
The U.S. Department of Justice maintains a national search tool at nsopw.gov. This database covers all 50 states plus U.S. territories. Use it to check if someone registered in another state before moving to California. The national registry does not replace the California Megan's Law site. It adds another layer of information for people with histories in multiple jurisdictions.
Offenders who move between states must register in each new location. The national tool helps track these movements. If you are researching someone with a multi-state history, start here. Then check the California site for current local data in Sacramento County.
California Registration Laws
Penal Code Section 290 requires sex offender registration. This law lists crimes that trigger the duty to register. Rape, lewd acts with minors, sexual battery, kidnapping for sexual purposes, indecent exposure, and possession of child pornography are all included. Anyone convicted of these offenses must register.
The three-tier system took effect on January 1, 2021. Senate Bill 384 created this structure. Before that, most offenders registered for life. Now they are divided into tiers based on the crime. Lower-level offenses get Tier One with ten years of registration. Mid-level offenses get Tier Two with twenty years. The most serious crimes get Tier Three with lifetime registration.
Penal Code Section 290.46 requires the DOJ to publish sex offender information online. This statute creates the legal basis for the Megan's Law website. It also sets rules for what data can be disclosed. Some offenders are excluded from the public site even though they register with local law enforcement.
Update rules come from Penal Code Section 290.012. Most offenders update annually within five working days of their birthday. Sexually violent predators update every 90 days. Transients update every 30 days. Failing to update on time is a criminal offense. Penalties include jail time and fines.
Penal Code Section 290.45 governs public notification. This law allows law enforcement to disclose an offender's name, aliases, physical description, photo, date of birth, address, vehicle information, and crimes. The sheriff can share this information when necessary for public safety.
Cities in Sacramento County
Sacramento County includes the state capital city of Sacramento and the city of Elk Grove. Both have populations over 100,000. Other cities include Citrus Heights, Folsom, Rancho Cordova, and Galt. Sex offenders in most of these cities register with the county sheriff SAFE team. Elk Grove has its own police department registration unit.
Note: Only cities with populations over 100,000 have dedicated pages on this site.
Nearby Counties
Sacramento County borders several other counties. To the west is Yolo County and Solano County. To the north is Sutter County and Placer County. To the east is El Dorado County and Amador County. To the south is San Joaquin County. Each county has its own registration system.