Some registrants are eligible to petition for removal after 10 or 20 years of continuous registration, depending upon their tier assignment. Eligible registrants begin the removal process by filing a Petition for Termination of Sex Offender Registration in the Superior Court for the county in which they primarily live and register. Learn more >

Beginning January 2021, California’s registry became a tiered system that allows some California registrants to petition for removal based upon the tier to which the law assigns them. Learn more >

When the California Department of Justice cannot immediately ascertain a registrant’s tier assignment, it will assign that person to the “Tier-to-be-determined” category. The Department of Justice then has 24 months to ascertain the tier.

In most cases, a person’s tier assignment is determined by their conviction and cannot be challenged. Sometimes, a tier is determined by another factor such as a sentencing enhancement or a risk assessment score. If a person is required to register for a conviction sustained outside of California, the California Department of Justice determines the “equivalent” California offense and assigns the tier corresponding to that equivalent. If you believe that your tier assignment is incorrect, an experienced attorney can evaluate the records of your case and, if warranted, petition the appropriate authority for a tier reassignment.

Only persons who register in California will be assigned a tier. If you reside outside California and want to know the tier you would be assigned if you moved to California, an experienced defense attorney can provide a prediction. However, the ultimate decision will be made by the California Department of Justice only after a person registers as a sex offender in California.

The sex offender registration requirements are summarized on the Sex Offender Registration – Change of Address / Annual or Other Update form (FORM CJIS8102S) that you sign during a registration appointment, which is available here: However, this form does not address every situation that arises in life, and for these, an attorney’s advice can be helpful. Such situations include:

• How do I know when to register the address of a place that I regularly visit besides my home?

• If I lack a permanent home, how do I know whether to register as a transient or at a particular address I may be staying?

• How can I be permitted to visit my child’s school?

• If I missed my registration deadline, how should I handle it?

As you know, a requirement to register as a sex offender comes with many obligations, but there are a few rights. An attorney can identify your rights in a particular situation. Learn more >