Megan’s Law for Massachusetts
updated 1/31/2023
| Contact Person: | The public may call the Sex Offender Registry Board directly at 978-740-6400 or 1-800-93-MEGAN (1-800-936-3426.) |
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| Offenders Required to Register: | Pursuant to Chapter 6, section 178C of the Massachusetts General Laws, a person is required to register as a sex offender if he/she resides, works or attends an institution of higher learning in the Commonwealth and who has been convicted of a sex offense, or who has been adjudicated as a youthful offender or as a delinquent juvenile by reason of a sex offense, or a person released from incarceration or parole or probation supervision or custody with the Department of Youth Services for such a conviction or adjudication, or a person who has been adjudicated a sexually dangerous person or a person released from civil commitment on or after August 1, 1981. A sex offense includes: an indecent assault and battery on a child under 14; aggravated indecent assault and battery on a child under the age of 14; indecent assault and battery on a mentally retarded person; indecent assault and battery on a person age 14 or over; rape; rape of a child under 16 with force; aggravated rape of a child with force; rape and abuse of a child; aggravated rape and abuse of a child; assault with intent to commit rape; assault of a child with intent to commit rape; kidnapping of a child; enticing a child under the age of 16 for the purpose of committing a crime; enticing a child under 18 via electronic communication to engage in prostitution, human trafficking, or commercial activity; trafficking persons for sexual servitude; trafficking of persons for sexual servitude upon a person under 18 years of age; a second or subsequent violation for human trafficking for sexual servitude; enticing away a person for prostitution or sexual intercourse; drugging persons for sexual intercourse; inducing a minor into prostitution; living off or sharing earnings of a minor prostitute; second and subsequent adjudication or conviction for open and gross lewdness and lascivious, but excluding a first or single adjudication as a delinquent juvenile before August 1, 1992; incestuous marriage or intercourse; disseminating to a minor matter harmful to a minor; posing or exhibiting a child in a state of nudity; dissemination of visual material of a child in a state of nudity or sexual conduct; possession of child pornography; unnatural and lascivious acts with a child under 16; aggravated rape; and any attempt to commit a violation of any of the aforementioned sections pursuant to section 6 of chapter 274 or a like violation of the laws of another state, the United States or a military, territorial or Indian tribal authority. |
| Information Collected: | Fingerprints and a photograph, date and place of birth, sex, race, height, weight, eye and hair color, SSN, primary and secondary addresses, employment addresses and if the sex offender attends an institution of higher learning, the name and address of the institution, other known names, physical description, date of conviction and the offense or offenses for which he was convicted or adjudicated delinquent. |
| Administrating Agency: | Sex Offender Registry Board |
| Timeframe for Registration: | Incarcerated sex offenders must now register two days before being released from incarceration. A sex offender released from incarceration must register within two days of his release with police if his address is different from that provided just prior to his release. All sex offenders must register by notifying the Board of his/her current and new address by mail at least 10 days prior to moving to a different city or town in the Commonwealth; or moving within the same city or town in the Commonwealth. A sex offender is required to notify the Board of his/her new address by mail at least 10 days prior to moving out of the Commonwealth. Sex offenders must notify the Board of the current and new work address by mail at least 10 days prior to changing employment. |
| Applies to Out of State Offenders: | All sex offenders must register with the Board by mail within 2 days of moving into the Commonwealth from another jurisdiction. Sex offenders residing out of state but employed in the Commonwealth must register with the Board by mail within 2 days of beginning employment. A sex offender residing out of state must register with the Board within 10 days of attending an education institution. |
| Duration of Requirement: | Sex Offenders are required to register for a period of 20 years after conviction, adjudication or release from all custody, or supervision, whichever occurs last, unless the offender was convicted of two or more sex offenses defined as sex offenses pursuant to the Jacob Wetterling Crimes Against Children and sexually Violent Offender Registration Act committed on different occasions, has been convicted of a sexually violent offense, has been determined to be sexually violent or if the sex offender is subject to lifetime registration, in which case the offender’s duty to register shall never be terminated. However, a sex offender may apply to the SORB for relief from registration by providing proof, by clear and convincing evidence that the offender has not committed a sex offense within 10 years following their conviction, adjudication or release from all custody or supervision, whichever is later, and is not likely to pose a danger to the safety of others. |
| Verification of Address: | Sex offenders are required to annually verify that their registration information is accurate and up-to-date. Homeless sex offenders shall verify registration data every 30 days with the board by mailing to the board on a form approved by the board and signed under the pains and penalties of perjury the registration information, or by appearing in person at the local police department. |
| Penalties for Non-Compliance: | A sex offender required to register who knowingly: (i) fails to register; (ii) fails to verify registration information; (iii) fails to provide notice of a change of address; or (iv) who knowingly provides false information shall be punished as follows. (1) A first conviction shall be punished by imprisonment for not less than six months and not more than two and one-half years in a house of correction nor more than five years in a state prison or by a fine of not more than $1,000 or by both such fine and imprisonment. (2) A second and subsequent conviction shall be punished by imprisonment in the state prison for not less than five years. |
| Access to Information: | Any member of the public who is at least 18 years of age or older may request sex offender information. The information will be provided to any person who is seeking the information for his/her own protection or for the protection of a child under the age of 18 or for the protection of another person whom the requesting person has responsibility, care, or custody. A person may request sex offender information at local police departments or through the Sex Offender Registry Board directly. |
| Confidentiality Provision: | The law does not prohibit secondary dissemination. As long as the information was obtained in accordance with the law, there is no prohibition against the information being shared with others. Information contained in the sex offender registry shall not be used to commit a crime against a sex offender or to engage in illegal discrimination or harassment of an offender. Any person who uses information disclosed for such purpose shall be punished by not more than two and one-half years in a house of correction or by a fine of not more than $1,000 or by both such fine and imprisonment. |
| Number Registered: | Level 1 2879
Level 2 4773 Level 3 2199 Total 9,851 As of 1/31/2023 |
| Percent Compliance: | not known |
| Internet Access: | Massachusetts Sex Offender Registry |