A registered sex offender is a person who was convicted of a sex-related crime. As part of the person's sentence, they must register in a public registry. Sex offender registries usually include the person’s address, physical appearance, and crimes that caused their registration.
Every state in the United States (US) registers individuals convicted of certain sex crimes for a period of time. People convicted of more serious crimes typically must remain on the registry for longer. Governments require that people on the registry update their address every year or each time they move.
Sex offender registries
To be a registered sex offender, a person must have the characteristics below:
- A sex crime conviction
- A sentencing requirement to register as a sex offender in the person's state or county
- An entry in the sex offender registry, usually through the sheriff’s department in the person’s county
Each state has its own registration requirements. A person who is on a registry in one state could move somewhere that doesn’t require that they register.
Ordering
The Basic+ report package includes the sex offender registry search. The sex offender registry search is unavailable as a standalone search.
Sex offender registry search
Checkr searches sex offender registries from every US state, the District of Columbia, and tribal territories. Checkr’s sex offender registry search includes all public registries nationwide. Search results include offenses and personally identifying information, such as birth date. Checkr confirms results using national and state sources, including the National Sex Offender Public Website (NSOPW).
Note
For low-risk sex offenders, some states don't register them or publicly report their registration status.
The Checkr Quality Assurance (QA) team reviews potential sex offender records before reporting them to you. This review might include additional confirmation using the NSOPW and state-specific sex offender registries.
Candidate experience
The candidate provides the relevant personally identifying information (PII) below:
- Birth date
- Email address
- Full name
- Phone number
- Social Security number (SSN)
The candidate then reads and acknowledges receipt of applicable forms and authorizations:
- A Summary of Your Rights Under the Fair Credit Reporting Act (FCRA)
- Disclosure Regarding Background Investigation
- Other state and required disclosures as applicable
- Authorization for a background check
After the candidate signs the authorization form, Checkr starts the search.
If you applied for a job and want to know your background check’s status, log in to the Checkr Candidate Portal.