Chapter 1 Who Has to Register?

1. You were found guilty/convicted/or found Not Guilty by Reason of Insanity (NGRI) of a kidnapping or sex offense in Washington State under RCW 9A.44.128(Section 9) and RCW 9A.44.128(Section 12).

Sex and kidnapping offenses include:

• Rape in the First Degree, Second Degree, or Third Degree
• Rape of a Child First Degree, Second Degree, or Third Degree
• Child Molestation First Degree, Second Degree, or Third Degree
• Sexual Misconduct with a Minor First Degree or Second Degree
• Indecent Liberties with and without Forcible Compulsion
• Incest First Degree or Second Degree
• Kidnapping First Degree or Second Degree when victim is a minor and the defendant is NOT the minor’s parent
• Sexual Exploitation of a MinorPossession of Child Pornography
• Dealing in Depictions of Child Pornography
• Sending or bringing child sex abuse images into the state
• Communication with a Minor for Immoral Purposes
• Commercial Sexual Abuse of a Minor
• Promoting Commercial Sexual Abuse of a Minor
• Promoting Travel for Commercial Sexual Abuse of a Minor
• Second conviction for failing to register on the sex offense registry
• Any felony with a finding of sexual motivation
• Any gross misdemeanor that is an attempt to commit a felony sex offense

2. You were convicted/NGRI in an out-of-state, tribal, federal, military conviction for an offense for which you were required to register.

3. You were convicted/NGRI of a crime in an out-of-state, tribal, federal, foreign country, military court that under Washington State law would be considered a sex or kidnapping offense.

Sex and kidnapping registration laws for people who were under the age of 18 at the time of their offense and were convicted in a Washington State juvenile court are different from the laws for adults or juvenile court cases that were declined to adult superior court.

In 2023, Washington State dramatically changed the registration process for people convicted of juvenile sex offenses. RCW 9A.44.144. Before this change in the law, any juvenile convicted of a sex offense in Washington State would have to register.

Now, only individuals with the following juvenile convictions must register:

• Convicted of a Class A felony or Class B felony sex offense at 16 or 17 years old and the person did not receive a Special Sex Offender Disposition Alternative [SSODA]¹;
• Convicted of Rape in the First Degree at 14 or 15 years old;
  Convicted of Rape in the Second Degree at 14 or 15 years old and person did not receive Special Sex Offender Disposition Alternative [SSODA];
• Convicted of a sex offense and had a prior sex offense conviction or deferred disposition;
• Had a Special Sex Offender Disposition Alternative [SSODA] revoked for a Class A felony, Class B felony sex offense committed while 16 or 17 years old, or a Rape in the Second Degree committed while 14 or 15 years old;
• Any sex offense where a court also finds by clear, cogent, and convincing evidence that a person 14 to 17 years old committed a sex offense involving two or more victims in separate counts or separate causes, the person did not receive or had a Special Sex Offender Disposition Alternative [SSODA] revoked, the person is a serious threat to public safety, and that continued registration would lessen the serious threat to public safety;
• Has an out-of-state, tribal, or federal for a sex offense; or
• Was convicted of kidnapping.

Since July 23, 2023, sex offense registration for juvenile convictions now ends after two or three years from the date of the disposition or sentence, or from the date of release from confinement, whichever is later. RCW 9A.44.144. This happens automatically. No petition is required, and notification of removal/end of registration will be sent out by Washington State Patrol. This law is retroactive. That means if your conviction was from years ago, you still get the benefit of this change.