---
kind: "section"
citation: "34 U.S.C. § 20913"
title: "34"
title_heading: "Crime Control and Law Enforcement"
number: "20913"
heading: "Registry requirements for sex offenders"
release: "119-102"
date: "2026-07-12"
url: "https://uscodex.org/usc/34/20913"
units:
  - "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. Registry requirements for sex offenders

- (a) **In general—** A [sex offender](/usc/34/20911.md?p=1) shall register, and keep the registration current, in each [jurisdiction](/usc/34/20911.md?p=10) where the offender [resides](/usc/34/20911.md?p=13), where the offender is an [employee](/usc/34/20911.md?p=12), and where the offender is a [student](/usc/34/20911.md?p=11). For initial registration purposes only, a [sex offender](/usc/34/20911.md?p=1) shall also register in the [jurisdiction](/usc/34/20911.md?p=10) in which [convicted](/usc/34/20911.md?p=8) if such [jurisdiction](/usc/34/20911.md?p=10) is different from the [jurisdiction](/usc/34/20911.md?p=10) of residence.
- (b) **Initial registration—** The [sex offender](/usc/34/20911.md?p=1) 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](/usc/34/20911.md?p=1) is not sentenced to a term of imprisonment.
- (c) **Keeping the registration current—** A [sex offender](/usc/34/20911.md?p=1) shall, not later than 3 business days after each change of name, residence, employment, or [student](/usc/34/20911.md?p=11) status, appear in person in at least 1 [jurisdiction](/usc/34/20911.md?p=10) involved pursuant to [subsection (a)](#a) and inform that [jurisdiction](/usc/34/20911.md?p=10) of all changes in the information required for that offender in the [sex offender registry](/usc/34/20911.md?p=9). That [jurisdiction](/usc/34/20911.md?p=10) shall immediately provide that information to all other [jurisdictions](/usc/34/20911.md?p=10) 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](/usc/34/20911.md?p=1) [convicted](/usc/34/20911.md?p=8) before the enactment of this chapter or its implementation in a particular [jurisdiction](/usc/34/20911.md?p=10), and to prescribe rules for the registration of any such [sex offenders](/usc/34/20911.md?p=1) and for other categories of [sex offenders](/usc/34/20911.md?p=1) who are unable to comply with [subsection (b)](#b).
- (e) **State penalty for failure to comply—** Each [jurisdiction](/usc/34/20911.md?p=10), other than a Federally recognized [Indian tribe](/usc/34/21901.md?p=6), 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](/usc/34/20911.md?p=1) to comply with the requirements of this subchapter.

## Source credit

(Pub. L. 109–248, title I, § 113, July 27, 2006, 120 Stat. 593.)

## Notes

### 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.