Los Angeles Sex Offender Registration Requirements

Sex offender registration is a lifetime requirement for anyone residing, working or attending school in California who is convicted of a crime specified under Penal Code Section 290(c) of the Sex Offender Registration Act (SORA). If you are convicted of a sex crime in Los Angeles, it is important to know the Los Angeles sex offender registration requirements.

Registering in the City of Los Angeles

If you reside within the City of Los Angeles under the LAPD’s jurisdiction and are required to register as a sex offender, you must report to the LAPD Community Police Station that covers the area of your residence and a REACT detective will complete the registration process. Registration Enforcement and Compliance Teams (REACT) throughout the city register and monitor those individuals required to complete sex offender registration.

Be advised that several Community Police Stations require an appointment to register. Also, there are limited hours and days of the week when a REACT detective can process your registration and those hours vary from station to station. You are advised to contact your local police station and request appointment information or ask whether walk-in hours are available.

The time it takes to complete registration can vary from a few minutes to several hours, depending on the availability of law enforcement personnel authorized to complete the process and the number of people needing assistance.

What is Required when You Register?

If you are required to register as a sex offender in Los Angeles, you must personally appear at your local community police station at your scheduled appointment time or during available walk-in hours and submit a written report including all of the following:

• Your full name and any aliases you use;
• Your date of birth;
• Your driver’s license or California ID number;
• Your Social Security number;
• Your home address;
• Places you frequent or sleep at night if you are transient (“homeless”);
• Your telephone numbers including home, work and/or cell phone;
• Your employment information if you are employed;
• Vehicle information of any vehicle registered in your name or regularly driven by you;
• Identifying information (e.g., scars, marks, tattoos);
• Criminal identifying numbers (FBI, CII, CDCR, etc.);
• Campus information if you are attending college or university; and
• Related addresses (e.g., mailing, next of kin);

Any Other Los Angeles Sex Offender Registration Requirements?

To complete your registration requirement, you must also:

• Be fingerprinted;
• Be photographed;
• Provide proof of residency at the address where you live (a utility bill, lease agreement or property deed, for example); and
• Provide the name and phone number of your supervising agent if you are on probation, parole or a form of community supervision; and
• Initial, date and sign the registration form, along with providing a thumbprint.

If you fail to bring proof of residency, you may be required to return to the police station with proof or face a violation for failure to register. Typically, you have 30 days to submit proof of where you live.

Once completed, you are required to carry a valid registration receipt on your person at all times. If you are on probation, parole or community/mandatory supervision, you must also provide a copy of your registration (or a receipt) to your supervising agent within six working days.

When Do You Have to Register?

California law requires that you update your registration within five working days as follows:

• Annually on your birthday;
• Whenever you change residences within the same jurisdiction;
• Whenever you move into a new city or county (even if you are transient);
• Whenever you move out of a city, the county or the state;
• Whenever you have been incarcerated more than 30 days;
• Every 90 days if you are deemed a Sexually Violent Predator (“SVP”); and
• Every 30 days if you are transient (“homeless”).

If you enroll, move onto campus, and/or begin employment (including a volunteer position) at any California university, college or institution of higher learning, you must also register with campus police or the local law enforcement agency if there is no campus police department. When you stop going to school or living or working on campus, you must “unregister.”

Out-of-State Convictions

If you have an out-of-state conviction and you are required to register in that state, chances are you must also register while you are in California. Exceptions to this rule include offenses not matching every element of a corresponding California conviction for the following:

• Indecent exposure (PC 314);
• Unlawful sexual intercourse (PC 261.5);
• Incest (PC 285);
• Sodomy (PC 286), or oral copulation (PC 288a), provided that you notify the Department of Justice that the conviction was for verifiable conduct between consenting adults.
• Pimping (PC 266h), or pandering (PC 266i).

What Happens if You Don’t Register as Required by California Law?

Failure to register is a crime. It is what is known as a “continuing offense,” meaning you can be charged separately for each violation of the law. For example, if you move out of the City of L.A. and into Culver City without letting the police in either jurisdiction know, you have committed two crimes even though you haven’t left the county.

What is the Punishment if You Violate Penal Code Section 290?

Misdemeanor failure to register is punishable by up to one year in jail. A felony violation carries up to three years in custody. If you have served prior state prison terms and/or any prior strike offenses on your record, your punishment can be greater than three years in custody.

Contact Wallin & Klarich if You Don’t Think You Should Have to Register

If you have any questions about registering as a sex offender in California, or if you believe you are not required to register, you should speak to the experienced criminal defense attorneys at Wallin & Klarich so that we can explain all of your rights and responsibilities. We have over 30 years of experience helping those who have to register to be relieved from this lifelong obligation. We can help you lead a better life.

Call Wallin & Klarich today at (877) 4-NO-JAIL or (877) 466-5245 for a free telephone consultation. We will get through this together.