Megan’s Law PA: Pennsylvania Sex Offender Registry Rules (2026)

Last verified: October 31, 2026 against 42 Pa.C.S. 9799.10 et seq., 18 Pa.C.S. 4915.1 and the Pennsylvania State Police Megan’s Law website

Megan’s Law PA is the name most people use for Pennsylvania’s sex offender registry. The Pennsylvania State Police run it, and the Commonwealth’s registration law is formally called the Sexual Offender Registration and Notification Act, or SORNA.

This page explains who has to register, how the three tiers work, what the public can see, what registrants must report, and what happens if they miss a deadline. It also covers the question people ask most, whether anyone can ever get off the list.

What is Megan’s Law in Pennsylvania?

It is the state’s system for registering people convicted of certain sex offenses and sharing limited information with the public. Pennsylvania’s version is in Chapter 97 of Title 42 of the Pennsylvania Consolidated Statutes, starting at 42 Pa.C.S. 9799.10.

There are two sets of rules. Subchapter H applies to offenses committed on or after December 20, 2012. Subchapter I covers older offenses, with ten-year and lifetime registrants. The State Police website sorts people into these groups, and the tier decides almost everything that follows.

Who has to register, and what are the three tiers?

Registration depends on the crime of conviction. 42 Pa.C.S. 9799.14 lists the offenses in each tier, and attempt, conspiracy and solicitation of a listed offense also count. Here are examples from the statute.

Tier	Registration period	Check-ins	Example offenses
Tier I	15 years	Once a year	Indecent assault under 18 Pa.C.S. 3126(a)(1), corruption of minors under 18 Pa.C.S. 6301(a)(1)(ii)
Tier II	25 years	Twice a year	Unlawful contact with a minor (18 Pa.C.S. 6318), statutory sexual assault under 18 Pa.C.S. 3122.1(a)(2)
Tier III	Lifetime	Four times a year	Rape (18 Pa.C.S. 3121), involuntary deviate sexual intercourse (18 Pa.C.S. 3123), sexual assault (18 Pa.C.S. 3124.1), aggravated indecent assault (18 Pa.C.S. 3125)
Sexually Violent Predator	Lifetime	Four times a year	Designated by a court after an assessment by the Sexual Offenders Assessment Board

A person with two or more Tier I or Tier II convictions can be placed in Tier III. The registration clock stops while someone is in jail or prison, so time behind bars does not count toward the 15 or 25 years.

The law also reaches people from outside Pennsylvania. 42 Pa.C.S. 9799.13 covers out-of-state registrants who live, work or go to school here.

What are sex offenders not allowed to do in PA?

The registration law mainly sets reporting duties, and breaking them is a crime. Other limits usually come from the sentence, probation or parole conditions in each person’s case.

• Report changes in person. Within three business days of a change in name, home, job, school, phone number, vehicle, email address or other online identifier, or professional license (42 Pa.C.S. 9799.15(g)).
• Check in on schedule. Tier I yearly, Tier II twice a year, Tier III and Sexually Violent Predators quarterly. People with no fixed home, called transients, must report monthly.
• Give notice before foreign travel. A registrant must appear in person at least 21 days before leaving the United States.
• Follow supervision rules. A judge or the Parole Board can add conditions on contact, internet use or where someone may live.
• Group homes. No more than five Sexually Violent Predators may live in one group-based home (42 Pa.C.S. 9799.25(f)).

Tier II and Tier III registrants who have complied for three years with no qualifying new conviction may be allowed telephone check-ins between yearly in-person visits under a State Police telephone reporting practice. The statute itself does not provide for telephone check-ins and requires in-person appearances, so confirm eligibility with the Megan’s Law Section before relying on it.

What does the Megan’s Law PA website show?

The public site lets anyone search registered offenders and see limited details. You can search by county, municipality, city, zip code, mile radius or name, and there are filters for non-compliant offenders, Sexually Violent Predators and transient offenders.

The State Police say the site can show a name and aliases, year of birth, home, work and school addresses, photos, a physical description, vehicle plate information, compliance status, the offense and conviction date, and whether the victim was a minor. The law bars posting victim names, Social Security numbers and arrests that did not end in a conviction (42 Pa.C.S. 9799.28(c)).

• The site is not a complete list of everyone who ever committed a sex offense in Pennsylvania.
• You can sign up for email alerts for up to five Pennsylvania addresses within a five-mile radius. An account is required.
• Printed community notification flyers go out for Sexually Violent Predators and certain out-of-state offenders, not for every registrant.
• The State Police Megan’s Law Section can be reached at 1-866-771-3170.

To look someone up, use the official State Police site at meganslaw.psp.pa.gov. Searching in Erie works the same way as anywhere else in the Commonwealth. Choose the county, the city of Erie or a zip code. Erie has no separate registry or search tool.

What are the penalties for not registering?

Failing to register, verify, be photographed or give accurate information is a crime if done knowingly. 18 Pa.C.S. 4915.1 sets the grade by tier, and police can arrest on probable cause without a warrant. Pennsylvania’s general felony penalties are in 18 Pa.C.S. 1103 and 18 Pa.C.S. 1101.

Registrant	First failure to register or verify	Repeat failure, or giving inaccurate information
Tier I (15 years)	Felony of the third degree	Felony of the second degree
Tier II or Tier III (25 years or life)	Felony of the second degree	Felony of the first degree

A felony of the third degree carries up to 7 years and a $15,000 fine. A second-degree felony carries up to 10 years and $25,000, and a first-degree felony carries up to 20 years and $25,000. Sexually Violent Predators who skip court-ordered counseling face a first-degree misdemeanor under 18 Pa.C.S. 4915.1(c.3).

How to get off Megan’s Law PA

For most people, the answer is to finish the registration period. Tier I and Tier II registrations end on their own after 15 and 25 years, with time in custody not counted. The statutes in the sources reviewed do not give adults in those tiers a petition to end registration early.

Lifetime registrants have one court route. Under 42 Pa.C.S. 9799.15(a.2), some lifetime registrants may ask the sentencing court for an exemption after 25 years. The main requirements are below.

• At least 25 years with no conviction for an offense punishable by more than one year, counted from the later of that conviction or release from it.
• An assessment by the State Sexual Offenders Assessment Board ordered by the court, and a hearing within 120 days.
• Proof by clear and convincing evidence that the person is not likely to pose a threat to the safety of any other person.
• If the court says no, the person may not file again for five years.

People adjudicated delinquent as juveniles for rape, involuntary deviate sexual intercourse or aggravated indecent assault have their own petition after 25 years under 42 Pa.C.S. 9799.17. A registrant’s eligibility turns on the exact offense, so a Pennsylvania-licensed attorney should review it.

Timeline of key Pennsylvania registration changes

Date	Event
December 20, 2012	The current SORNA tier system applies to offenses committed on or after this date.
December 29, 2014	In re J.B. ends registration for most juveniles. Sexually Violent Delinquent Children still register.
May 31, 2024	Torsilieri: the Supreme Court upholds the current registration law as non-punitive.
March 26, 2026	Arnett: the Court says the PCRA cannot be used to challenge SORNA registration.

Myths and facts about Megan’s Law in Pennsylvania

Myth	Fact
Everyone on the list is in the same tier.	Tiers set 15-year, 25-year or lifetime terms and different check-in schedules.
The website lists every sex offender in Pennsylvania.	The State Police say it is not a complete list of everyone who has committed a sex offense in the state.
Moving to a new county resets the duty to report.	The duty continues. A registrant must report a new address in person within three business days.
Time in prison counts toward the registration term.	The period is paused while a person is incarcerated.

A real-world example

Suppose a Tier II registrant in Allentown takes a new job in Reading and does not tell the State Police. The change must be reported in person within three business days. If the registrant waits two weeks, a prosecutor can charge a second-degree felony under 18 Pa.C.S. 4915.1(c)(1), even though the registrant is otherwise following the rules.

The same rule applies in Philadelphia, Pittsburgh and Erie. Registration is a state system, and cities do not set their own tiers.

Frequently asked questions

What is Megan’s Law PA?

It is Pennsylvania’s sex offender registry law, found in 42 Pa.C.S. 9799.10 and the following sections. People convicted of listed offenses register with the State Police, and the agency posts limited information on a public website. The length of registration depends on the offense tier.

How long does a person stay on Megan’s Law in PA?

Tier I is 15 years, Tier II is 25 years, and Tier III is lifetime. Sexually Violent Predators also register for life. The clock pauses during incarceration, so the real end date can be later than the sentence suggests.

Can you find sex offenders near you in Pennsylvania?

Yes. The State Police website lets you search by county, municipality, city, zip code or mile radius, or by name. You can also sign up for email alerts for up to five Pennsylvania addresses within five miles.

What are sex offenders not allowed to do in PA?

Registrants must report changes in person within three business days and keep their check-in schedule. Other limits, such as contact, internet or housing conditions, come from the court or the Parole Board and differ from case to case.

Can a Megan’s Law registration be removed?

Sometimes. Lifetime registrants may ask the sentencing court for an exemption after 25 years under 42 Pa.C.S. 9799.15(a.2), and certain juvenile cases have a separate petition. Tier I and Tier II terms simply end after 15 and 25 years.

What is the difference between Tier 1, Tier 2 and Tier 3?

Tier I is 15 years with yearly check-ins. Tier II is 25 years with check-ins twice a year. Tier III is lifetime with quarterly check-ins. The offense of conviction decides the tier under 42 Pa.C.S. 9799.14.

What happens if someone skips a check-in?

It can be charged as a felony under 18 Pa.C.S. 4915.1. A first failure is a third-degree felony for Tier I and a second-degree felony for Tier II or III. Repeat failures carry a higher grade.

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