Virginia Sex Offender Registry Information

An individual is considered to be a sex offender if he is convicted of child molestation, child rape or any other sexual offense especially against minors. Chapter 9, of Title 9.1 of the Code of Virginia provides the sex offenses and crimes against minors registry program.

Virginia sex offender registry along with the Public Notification Database for concerned parents of minors is based on the Virginia General Assembly's decision in facilitating access to information that is available on sex offenders publicly. Information on Virginia sex offender registry is available on the Virginia State Police (VSP) website (http://sex-offender.vsp.virginia.gov/sor/). If you find the website unable to provide all the information you need, you can contact the sentencing court. Unless sealed by order of court, adult court records are usually for public information.

VA Sex Offender Registration Process

The sex offender needs to provide his/her name along with the aliases, photograph and fingerprints to the State Police or local law enforcement agency. Complete address of his/her residence or the employer details or the higher learning educational center need to be provided as well.

The nature of the offenses is included within the sex offender registry too. The person also needs to disclose his/her personal email addresses, instant messenger IDs, chart IDs and any other form of Internet communication identification.

Time Frame for Registration

The offenders living in Virginia or having their offices and institutes of higher learning in the place should be registering in person in just 3 days of his/her release from confinement in a local, state or juvenile correctional facility. In case the sentence of confinement is not imposed, it is mandatory for the offender to register in 3 days of suspension of the sentence.

According to Virginia law, a sexual offender who had to register in the jurisdiction where he/she was convicted, requires to register in Virginia too if the individual sets up a residence, attends school or gets employed in Virginia. In case an offender changes his/her residence to an area outside the Commonwealth, the individual has to re-register in person with the local law enforcement agency where he/she had registered earlier; this needs to be done 10 days before his/her change of residential address. Updating of information is necessary regardless of the offender changing addresses within or outside the state of Virginia.

It is also mandatory for an individual who has been convicted of violent sexual offense to register with the State Police every 90 days starting from the date of initial registration.

Any sex offender who is found guilty of not registering, providing false information, or failing to register or re-register complying with the norms stated in the Sex Offender and Crimes Against Minors Registry knowingly, will be subject to punishment as provided in § 18.2-472.1.

Maintenance of the Virginia Sex Offender Registry

Virginia sex offender registry is updated on a daily basis to keep track of sexual offenders and their whereabouts thereby ensuring the safety of victims and children living in the community where a sex offender resides.