Searches all 50 state registries, DC, US territories, and the national sex offender public database in a single request. Required by law for many positions involving children, elderly, and vulnerable adults.
A sex offender registry search checks your applicant against every active state registry in the country, the national NSOPW database, and territorial registries covering Puerto Rico, Guam, the US Virgin Islands, and the Northern Mariana Islands. If someone is a registered sex offender anywhere in the United States, this search will find them.
For many industries — childcare, education, healthcare, elder care, and residential services — running a sex offender check is not optional. Federal and state statutes mandate it for positions involving contact with vulnerable populations. We run it as a standalone search or as part of a complete screening package.
Covers every state registry, DC, Puerto Rico, Guam, the US Virgin Islands, and the Northern Mariana Islands in a single search.
Results are pulled from active state registries, not a static database snapshot. You get current registration status at the time of the search.
Where states assign tier or risk level classifications, we include them so you understand the severity designation on any result returned.
Federal and state law mandates sex offender checks for positions involving children, elderly adults, and other vulnerable populations.
Highlighted sources aggregate records across jurisdictions and provide an additional layer of cross-state matching.
Most states use a tier system (Tier 1, 2, 3) or a risk classification (low, medium, high) to indicate the assessed likelihood of reoffense. Tier 3 and high-risk designations represent the most serious offenders and typically carry lifetime registration requirements. Not all states use the same system — some assign tiers based on offense type alone, others use actuarial risk assessments. We include whatever classification the registry provides so you have the full picture, not just a name and address.
The result of a sex offender search is a single, clear determination.
Any position involving direct contact with children, elderly adults, or other vulnerable populations requires a sex offender registry check. In many of these industries it is mandated by federal or state law.
A sex offender registry search shows who is currently registered. It does not show every sex-related criminal offense ever committed — only those that resulted in a registration requirement in that jurisdiction. If an offender completed their registration period, was removed from the registry, or was convicted in a jurisdiction that does not require registration for their offense, they will not appear here.
This is why a sex offender search should always be paired with a county or statewide criminal search for sensitive positions. The two searches cover different things and together give you the most complete picture available.
The registry shows current registrants. A county criminal search goes to the courthouse and shows the full offense history — including charges that did not result in a registration requirement. Together they give you a complete picture of your applicant’s record.
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