Utah Sex Offender Registry
The Utah Sex Offender Registry is a public database of registered sex offenders living, working, and attending school across Utah. The Utah Department of Public Safety manages the system, which holds records on thousands of registered individuals statewide. You can search by name, zip code, city, county, or address radius. Local law enforcement in each county and city handles in-person registration and monitors compliance. This guide explains how to search the registry, who must register, what the law requires, and how to find records by county or city across Utah.
Utah Sex Offender Registry Quick Facts
How to Search the Utah Sex Offender Registry
The main place to look up sex offenders in Utah is the state registry portal at sor.utah.gov. You can search by offender name, by city or town, by county, by zip code, or by address with a set radius. Results show each offender's photo, current address, offense details, and registration status. The search tool is free and open to the public at any time.
You can also search through OffenderWatch's Utah network, which is the platform most Utah law enforcement agencies use to manage registry information. The site lets you look up offenders by name or address, submit tips about potential violations, and sign up for email alerts. When a registered sex offender moves into or out of your area, the system can send you a notification. Many county sheriff offices and city police departments in Utah use OffenderWatch for community outreach and monitoring compliance.
OffenderWatch connects agencies across Utah into a single shared system. This makes it easier for residents to track offenders who move between jurisdictions. The platform also supports tip submissions, so community members can report when a registered sex offender may be out of compliance.
National Sex Offender Search for Utah
The Dru Sjodin National Sex Offender Public Website, known as NSOPW, lets you search for registered sex offenders across all states in a single query. The federal site at nsopw.gov pulls data directly from each state's own registry, including Utah's. You can search by name, city, county, zip code, or address, and you can limit results to Utah or run a broader search. This is useful when you want to check whether someone has convictions in other states besides Utah.
The NSOPW search connects to state registries in real time. Utah shares full registry data through the national site. You must agree to terms of use before viewing any results, and the site notes that this information should not be used to harass or threaten any person on the registry.
Utah Sex Offender Registration Requirements
Utah Code Title 77, Chapter 41 set the original rules for sex offender registration in Utah. Effective May 7, 2025, these laws moved to Title 53 of the Utah Code, the Public Safety Code. The move consolidated the sex offender registry, the child abuse offender registry, and the kidnap offender registry into one unified framework. The Utah Department of Public Safety now manages the state's registry system. This change did not alter the core registration duties for most offenders.
Registered sex offenders in Utah must report twice each year. The first check-in happens during the month of the offender's birth. The second is six months after that. Out-of-state offenders who come to Utah must register within 10 days of entering the state, no matter how long they plan to stay. Any change to an address, place of work, vehicle, or school enrollment must be reported to local law enforcement within three business days.
Each offender pays a $100 annual fee to the state during their birth month. Offenders still under Adult Probation and Parole supervision register with their AP&P officer. Those who have completed their supervision period register with the local sheriff's office or city police department in the jurisdiction where they live. Offenders in Utah must register in person. Online check-ins are not a full substitute for the required in-person visits, though some updates can be submitted online before the in-person appointment.
Who Has to Register as a Sex Offender in Utah
Utah law requires registration for a specific list of offenses set out in the Utah Code. These include rape, rape of a child, object rape, forcible sodomy, sodomy on a child, sexual abuse of a child, aggravated sexual abuse of a child, aggravated sexual assault, and human trafficking for sexual exploitation. Other offenses such as voyeurism, lewdness involving a child, sexual exploitation of a minor, and unlawful sexual activity with a minor also require registration. The full list covers both felony and some misdemeanor offenses.
Some offenses trigger registration only after multiple convictions. Lewdness under Utah Code 76-9-702 requires registration only after four or more convictions. Sexual battery under 76-9-702.1 carries the same four-conviction threshold. Most other listed offenses require registration after a single conviction. Out-of-state convictions that would require registration if the offense had taken place in Utah also require registration when that person moves to Utah, regardless of whether they registered in their prior state.
The offenses that trigger lifetime registration are the most serious ones. These include any offense committed by someone who already has a prior registrable conviction, as well as child kidnapping, rape, object rape, sodomy on a child, aggravated sexual assault, aggravated sexual abuse of a child, sexual exploitation of a minor, and human trafficking of a child for sexual exploitation, among others listed in the statute.
Protected Zones for Registered Sex Offenders
Utah law bars convicted sex offenders whose crimes involved minor victims from entering five types of locations. These protected zones are: licensed daycares and preschools, public swimming pools, public and private primary and secondary schools that are not on the grounds of a correctional facility, community parks open to the public, and public playgrounds. An offender found in one of these zones can face criminal charges on top of any registration violations.
The zone restrictions apply only to offenders whose offenses involved child victims. Not every person on the Utah registry is subject to these rules. The nature of the original offense determines whether the zone restrictions apply to a specific person. Checking the registry listing for a person or contacting the local law enforcement agency managing their registration will clarify what restrictions are in place.
Registration Duration and Removal from the Utah Registry
Most registered sex offenders in Utah must stay on the registry for 10 years after the end of their sentence. Offenders convicted of the most serious crimes must register for life. The 10-year count does not start until the sentence, including any probation period, is fully complete.
Utah law offers a limited path off the registry for some offenders. Those with qualifying lesser offenses may petition for removal after five years from the end of their sentence. The five-year option applies to offenses like unlawful detention, unlawful sexual activity with a minor in certain age-gap situations, and voyeurism when charged as a Class A misdemeanor. Standard 10-year registrants can petition after 10 years. Lifetime registrants may petition after 20 years, but must also submit an evidence-based risk assessment with the petition. Removal is not automatic. A court weighs input from prosecutors, law enforcement, and any identified victims before deciding.
Sex offenders in Utah cannot change their legal name while required to register. This rule applies for the full duration of the registration period. Lifetime registrants cannot ever change their name under Utah law. More details on the removal process are available through legal resources like wasatchdefenselawyers.com.
Note: Even if an offender meets all the criteria for removal, the court retains the right to deny the petition. Meeting the minimum requirements does not guarantee a removal order.
2025 Changes to Utah Sex Offender Laws
The 2025 reorganization moved Utah's registry statutes from Title 77 to Title 53, effective May 7, 2025. The move to Title 53 brought all three registries under one statute in the Public Safety Code. The sex offender registry, child abuse offender registry, and kidnap offender registry are now in one unified location instead of spread across multiple chapters. The Department of Public Safety became the primary managing agency for the public registry database.
SB 158 also took effect on May 1, 2025. This new law requires youth service organizations in Utah to run sex offender registry checks before placing any person in charge of children. These organizations must search both the Utah Sex and Kidnap Offender Registry and the NSOPW national database. They cannot accept volunteers or hire staff who appear on either registry. They must also provide training on recognizing and reporting sexual abuse. Failure to comply may be treated as negligence in any related civil lawsuit.
Utah Sex Offender Registry Research and Policy
The Utah Commission on Criminal and Juvenile Justice conducts ongoing research on registry policy and compliance. Their Sex Offender Research Brief covers compliance rates, recidivism data, and the state's progress in meeting federal SORNA standards. Utah has received recognition for strong SORNA implementation, including immediate online updates when offenders relocate and an active email notification system for community members.
A 2020 count placed 7,809 registered sex offenders in Utah with a compliance rate of 94.96 percent. Of those, 2,037 were under Federal or Adult Probation and Parole supervision, 2,105 were in jail or prison, and 3,667 were no longer under active supervision but still required to register. Policy discussions have focused on whether low-risk offenders with long treatment histories and no repeat offenses should have a more accessible path to registry removal. Work groups of lawmakers, prosecutors, and victims advocates have studied the issue. More about Utah registry statistics is available from legal reference sources that track the data.
Utah also requires offenders to register with educational institutions when enrolling or working at a university. The University of Utah Police Department at publicsafety.utah.edu provides campus information per the federal Campus Sex Crimes Prevention Act. Weber State University carries the same requirement. Offenders must notify the institution and register with local law enforcement whenever their enrollment or employment status changes.
Utah Department of Corrections and Registry Contact
The Utah Department of Corrections at corrections.utah.gov maintains the state's sex offender registration database and provides public information about registry laws. The Department processes registrations, collects annual fees, and posts registry information online. It is not responsible for actively monitoring offenders once they complete supervision. That duty falls to local law enforcement.
Registry questions can be directed to the Sex Offender and Kidnap Offender Registry at (801) 495-7700. The address is 14717 S. Minuteman Drive, Draper, UT 84020. The contact person listed in federal SORNA records is Jim Ingle at jingle@utah.gov. For questions about a specific county or city, contact the local sheriff's office or police department that handles that jurisdiction's registrations.
The GRAMA law, Utah Code 63G-2, governs public access to government records in Utah. Under Utah Code 77-41-103, sex offender registration information is generally public. The registry includes the offender's name, aliases, address, physical description, vehicle information, photo, and conviction details. Information that could identify a victim is redacted from public records.
Browse Utah Sex Offender Records by County
Each county in Utah has a sheriff's office or local police department that handles sex offender registration and compliance. Pick a county below to find local contact information and resources.
Sex Offenders in Major Utah Cities
Major cities in Utah have their own police departments that handle sex offender registration for city residents not under state supervision. Pick a city below to find local resources and registry information.