New York Product Details

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(This information was taken directly from New York Division of Criminal Justice Services.)

Welcome to the New York State Sex Offender Registry information center. The purpose of this site is to provide an overview of the sex offender registration law and how the public can obtain information about sex offenders. The Sex Offender Registration Act, New York’s version of Megan’s Law, was signed by Governor George E. Pataki in July 1995 and became effective on January 21, 1996. The text of the statute is contained in Correction Law Article 6–C (Section 168 et seq.).

Registered sex offenders in New York are classified by the risk of reoffense. A court determines whether an offender is a level 1 (low risk), 2 (moderate risk) or 3 (high risk). The court also determines whether an offender should be given the designation of a sexual predator, sexually violent offender or predicate sex offender. Offenders are required to be registered for 20 years or life. Level 1 offenders with no designation must register for twenty years. Level 1 offenders with a designation, as well as level 2 and level 3 offenders regardless of whether they have a designation must register for life.

There are 4 ways to obtain information about sex offenders in New York State*:

1. You can call 1–800–262–3257 to determine if someone is on the Registry. You will need the name of the offender and one of the following: an exact address, a complete date of birth, a driver’s license number or a social security number. Read more on the 800 Information line.

2. You can access the Subdirectory on this web site by clicking on the “Search Subdirectory” button. You can search for level 2 and level 3 offenders by name, county or zip code. Please note that a federal court injunction currently prohibits the release of information on this web site concerning sex offenders who committed their crime prior to January 21, 1996 and were assigned a risk level prior to January 1, 2000, unless they have had an opportunity for a due process hearing.

3. The local law enforcement agency where the offender currently resides, can, if it chooses, release information on sex offenders residing in the community to “entities with vulnerable populations related to the nature of the offense”. The law enforcement agency can release information on level 1, level 2 and level 3 offenders through this method. Also, while the exact address of level 3 offenders can be provided, the law provides that only an approximate address based on zip code can be provided for level 1 and level 2 offenders. Please note that a federal court injunction currently prohibits the release of information through this method concerning sex offenders who committed their crime prior to January 21, 1996 and were assigned a risk level prior to January 1, 2000, unless they have had an opportunity for a due process hearing.

4. Each local law enforcement agency receives from the New York State Division of Criminal Justice Services a copy (electronically or on a CD ROM) of the Subdirectory which is maintained on this site. Local law enforcement is required to maintain the Subdirectory for the public to view upon request.

*Please note that on July 17, 2006, the United States District Court for the Southern District of New York modified a stay issued in the continuing Doe v. Pataki litigation and determined that the new law regarding expanded community notification, which was effective on June 23, 2006, cannot be applied to members of the Doe v. Pataki class. Accordingly, while the modified stay is in effect, level 2 sex offenders who are members of the Doe v. Pataki class cannot be included in the Subdirectory, additional information regarding level 1 offenders in the Doe v. Pataki class will not be available on the DCJS 800# and law enforcement cannot perform community notification on level 1 offenders in the Doe v. Pataki class.