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Title 34, NavyRelease 119-110

§20913 Registry Requirements for Sex Offenders

Title 34 › Subtitle II — Protection of Children and Other Persons › CHAPTER 209 — CHILD PROTECTION AND SAFETY › SUBCHAPTER I — SEX OFFENDER REGISTRATION AND NOTIFICATION › Part A — Sex Offender Registration and Notification › § 20913

Last updated Sep 22, 2026|Official source

Summary

A person convicted of a sex offense must register and keep their record up to date in every place they live, work, and go to school. They must also register in the place where they were convicted if that is different from where they live. If they are in prison, they must register before they finish their sentence. If they are not imprisoned, they must register within 3 business days after sentencing. If they change name, address, job, or student status, they must appear in person within 3 business days at at least one of those places and give the new information. That place must immediately share the update with the others. The Attorney General can make rules for people convicted before the law or who cannot follow the normal rules. Each state or similar authority, except a Federally recognized Indian tribe, must make breaking these registration rules a crime punishable by more than 1 year in prison.

Full Legal Text

Title 34, §20913

Navy, Source: USLM XML via OLRC

(a)In general
A sex offender shall register, and keep the registration current, in each jurisdiction where the offender resides, where the offender is an employee, and where the offender is a student. For initial registration purposes only, a sex offender shall also register in the jurisdiction in which convicted if such jurisdiction is different from the jurisdiction of residence.
(b)Initial registration
The sex offender shall initially register—
(1)before completing a sentence of imprisonment with respect to the offense giving rise to the registration requirement; or
(2)not later than 3 business days after being sentenced for that offense, if the sex offender is not sentenced to a term of imprisonment.
(c)Keeping the registration current
A sex offender shall, not later than 3 business days after each change of name, residence, employment, or student status, appear in person in at least 1 jurisdiction involved pursuant to subsection (a) and inform that jurisdiction of all changes in the information required for that offender in the sex offender registry. That jurisdiction shall immediately provide that information to all other jurisdictions in which the offender is required to register.
(d)Initial registration of sex offenders unable to comply with subsection (b)
The Attorney General shall have the authority to specify the applicability of the requirements of this subchapter to sex offenders convicted before the enactment of this chapter or its implementation in a particular jurisdiction, and to prescribe rules for the registration of any such sex offenders and for other categories of sex offenders who are unable to comply with subsection (b).
(e)State penalty for failure to comply
Each jurisdiction, other than a Federally recognized Indian tribe, shall provide a criminal penalty that includes a maximum term of imprisonment that is greater than 1 year for the failure of a sex offender to comply with the requirements of this subchapter.

Legislative History

Notes & Related Subsidiaries

Editorial Notes

References in Text

This subchapter, referred to in subsecs. (d) and (e), was in the original “this title”, meaning title I of Pub. L. 109–248, July 27, 2006, 120 Stat. 590, known as the Sex Offender Registration and Notification Act. For complete classification of title I to the Code, see

Short Title

of 2006 Act note set out under section 10101 of this title and Tables. This chapter, referred to in subsec. (d), was in the original “this Act”, meaning Pub. L. 109–248,
July 27, 2006, 120 Stat. 587, known as the Adam Walsh Child Protection and Safety Act of 2006, which was approved
July 27, 2006. For complete classification of this Act to the Code, see

Short Title

of 2006 Act note set out under section 10101 of this title and Tables. Codification Section was formerly classified to section 16913 of Title 42, The Public Health and Welfare, prior to editorial reclassification and renumbering as this section.

Reference

Citations & Metadata

Citation

34 U.S.C. § 20913

Title 34, Navy

Last Updated

Sep 22, 2026

Release point: 119-110