San Mateo County Sex Offenders
San Mateo County sex offenders register with the Sheriff's Office in Redwood City. Call 650-363-4244 for registration procedures. This Bay Area county tracks offenders through the sheriff's main facility. 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 city name or street address. Results include photos, physical descriptions, and conviction details. San Mateo County lies between San Francisco and Silicon Valley. 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.
San Mateo County Quick Facts
Sheriff Registration Office
The San Mateo County Sheriff handles sex offender registration in Redwood City. Call 650-363-4244 for current procedures and hours. The office processes registrations in person. Staff are trained in state laws. Offenders bring ID and proof of address. A deputy fills out forms and takes a photo. All data goes into the state system.
First-time registrants report within five working days after release. That deadline is set by state law. Missing it is a crime. The initial registration includes your address, employment details, vehicle information, and internet identifiers. The deputy verifies your ID and enters the data.
Annual updates happen near your birthday. You have five working days before or after the date. Bring updated information. New address, new job, new car, new email accounts. The deputy updates the system and takes a new photo. No fees apply.
Transients register every 30 days. Sexually violent predators register every 90 days. The sheriff conducts compliance checks throughout the county. If someone moves without updating, they issue a warrant.
Megan's Law Database
You can search for San Mateo County sex offenders at meganslaw.ca.gov. Enter a city name like Redwood City or Daly City. The map shows pins for each offender. Click a pin to see the profile with a photo and conviction information.
Most offenders have full addresses posted. Some only show a zip code. Not every registered sex offender shows up on the public site. Some are excluded based on the type of crime. But the most serious cases usually appear.
San Mateo County has urban and suburban areas. Offenders live throughout the county. You can search the whole county or focus on one city. The site has special search options for schools and parks.
Registration Procedures
When you register, bring valid photo ID. You need proof of residence. A lease or utility bill works. If you own a vehicle, have the registration ready. List all email addresses and social media accounts.
The deputy fills out forms. They enter data into the computer. A photo is taken. You sign paperwork. If your information changes later, report it within five working days.
State Resources
The California Department of Justice runs the statewide sex offender registry. Visit oag.ca.gov/sex-offender-reg for forms. Offenders can download the Application for Exclusion if they qualify. The DOJ reviews requests and issues decisions.
Tier One offenders register for ten years. Tier Two offenders register for twenty years. Tier Three offenders register for life. After the minimum period, some can petition the court.
CDCR 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.
Once released, they have five working days to register. CDCR supervises sex offender parolees with GPS devices.
National Registry
The U.S. Department of Justice maintains a national search tool at nsopw.gov. This database covers all 50 states. Use it to check if someone registered in another state.
Registration Laws
Penal Code Section 290 requires sex offender registration. This law lists crimes that trigger the duty to register.
The three-tier system took effect on January 1, 2021. Senate Bill 384 created this structure. Lower-level offenses get Tier One. Mid-level offenses get Tier Two. The most serious crimes get Tier Three.
Penal Code Section 290.46 requires the DOJ to publish sex offender information online.
Update rules come from Penal Code Section 290.012. Most offenders update annually. Sexually violent predators update every 90 days. Transients update every 30 days.
San Mateo County Cities
San Mateo County includes cities like Daly City, San Mateo, Redwood City, South San Francisco, and San Bruno. No cities in this county have populations over 100,000. All sex offenders register with the Sheriff's Office.
Note: Only cities with populations over 100,000 have dedicated pages on this site.
Nearby Counties
San Mateo County borders several other counties. To the north is San Francisco County. To the east is Alameda County. To the south is Santa Clara County and Santa Cruz County.