San Francisco Sex Offender Registry

San Francisco County sex offenders register with the Sheriff's Office or San Francisco Police Department depending on their location and circumstances. This unique city-county handles registration through multiple agencies. Most offenders update once per year within five days of their birthday. Transients register 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 San Francisco address or neighborhood name. Results include photos, physical descriptions, and conviction details. San Francisco is both a city and a county, so the registration system has some unique features. The tier system affects how long each person must register. Tier One is ten years. Tier Two is twenty years. Tier Three is lifetime registration under California law.

Registration Offices

San Francisco has two agencies that handle sex offender registration. The Sheriff's Office processes registrations for some offenders. The San Francisco Police Department handles others. Contact the sheriff or police to determine which agency handles your specific case. This dual system is unique to San Francisco because it is both a city and a county.

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. Staff take a photo and verify 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. All must be reported. Staff enter the updates and take a new photo. No fees apply to registration in California. State law prohibits charging for this service.

Transients without permanent addresses register every 30 days. They report where they are staying. Sexually violent predators register every 90 days regardless of housing status. Law enforcement conducts compliance checks throughout the city. If someone moves without updating, they issue a warrant. Registration violations are prosecuted as crimes.

Megan's Law Search

You can search for San Francisco sex offenders at meganslaw.ca.gov. Enter a San Francisco address or neighborhood name. 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.

San Francisco is densely populated with many neighborhoods. Offenders live throughout the city. The Megan's Law site covers all locations. You can search the whole city 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 San Francisco, 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.

Staff fill 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 under California law.

California 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 Lookup

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 or police. CDCR also supervises sex offender parolees with GPS devices. All parolees wear ankle monitors. The Sex Offender Management Program combines supervision, treatment, and electronic tracking. Parole agents get alerts if someone enters a restricted area.

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 but adds another layer of information.

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 San Francisco.

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. 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. Law enforcement can share this information when necessary for public safety.

San Francisco City and County

San Francisco is unique in California as both a city and a county. The entire county consists of the city of San Francisco. There are no other incorporated cities within this county. All sex offender registration is handled through the Sheriff's Office or San Francisco Police Department.

Note: Only cities with populations over 100,000 have dedicated pages on this site.

Nearby Counties

San Francisco County borders several other counties. To the south is San Mateo County. To the north is Marin County. To the east across the bay is Alameda County and Contra Costa County. Each county has its own registration system.