FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
Last Update: 12 May 2025

NOTE: OnceFallen.com is a website that specifically deals with post-conviction laws targeting people convicted of sex offenses. Below is a list of common reasons why people contact OnceFallen. If you have questions that are not listed below, you can CONTACT ME to ask other questions. These questions are the ones most frequently asked us since OnceFallen was founded in 2007.

If you’d like a more in-depth discussion of these and many more questions, these topics are discussed in my FREE book, “YOUR LIFE ON THE LIST.”

For questions about OnceFallen and what it offers and doesn’t offer, please read the disclaimers and mission statement at the front page of this website. If you want to know more about me, then read my ABOUT ME page.

FAQS

  1. I don’t know anything about “sex offender laws.” Where do I even begin?
  2. I am looking for housing for a “sex offender”. Can you help?
  3. I am looking for employment. Can you help?
  4. If I can’t get a job, what forms of government assistance do I qualify for?
  5. I am looking for an attorney. Can you help?
  6. Is there any way to get off the public registry?
  7. Which state is the best state (or the worst state) for a registered person?
  8. Where can I find a list of registration and/or residency restriction laws?
  9. Do I have to register when I travel?
  10. Do I have to register when I move?
  11. Can I live with my children or stepchildren while on the registry?
  12. I’m being harassed. Is there anything I can do about it?
  13. I’m no longer required to register. Will I still face problems and be subject to certain laws as I was as a Registered Person?
  14. How do I get involved in the fight against America’s Sex Offender Laws?

QUESTION #1: I DON’T KNOW THE FIRST THING ABOUT “SEX OFFENDER” LAWS. WHERE DO I BEGIN? 

If you are here, it is most likely you have a loved one on the registry, or perhaps you are facing time on the registry. It can be a confusing time. I was once there myself, albeit, over 22 years ago now, and back then, there were no resources I could turn to for assistance. Thankfully, times have changed. OnceFallen.com is a good place to start your research. 

I recommend if you are new to the registry, start by reading my book, “YOUR LIFE ON THE LIST: EDITION 4“. It is designed to answer many common concerns those new to the registry may have in detail, as well as provide a summary of sex offense post-conviction sanctions for each US State/territory. 

If you’re in need of a resource because you or a loved one is facing prison time, check out the following article. While it covers the federal system, some of the advice may be helpful even to those facing state prison time:

https://prisonerresource.com/prison-life/special-tactics/how-sex-offenders-survive/

QUESTION #2: I AM LOOKING FOR HOUSING. CAN YOU HELP?

For those seeking housing, this site has a list of housing that are felon or “sex offender friendly”. You must contact them yourself, as I am not a social worker nor do I have direct contact with or endorse any housing provider. I am just a person doing my best to compile lists of housing for Persons Forced to Register:

CLICK HERE TO ACCESS THE HOUSING LIST FOR STATES A-M
(States: ALABAMA TO MONTANA)

CLICK HERE TO ACCESS THE HOUSING LIST FOR STATES N-Z
(States: NEBRASKA TO WYOMING)

For tips on how to find housing yourself, please read Chapter 3 of my book, YOUR LIFE ON THE LIST, 4th EDITION

If you find a housing lead not listed here, please CONTACT ME.

QUESTION #3: I AM LOOKING FOR EMPLOYMENT. CAN YOU HELP?

I can only guide people to information related to employment. My book YOUR LIFE ON THE LIST covers looking for a job as a Registered Person in Chapter 4. In 2016, OnceFallen released the results of a survey of over 300 registrants, and the results are listed on the JOBS & WELFARE SURVEY page of this site. The main results:

These are the top 10 job types for registered citizens, according to the survey:

1. Unskilled Manual Labor (Day labor, janitorial, basic labor), 88 (18.03%)
2. Skilled Labor/ Trades (plumbing, home repairs, mechanics, maintenance), 70 (14.34%)
3. Retail/ Sales jobs (realtors, cashiers, grocery clerks, telemarketing), 50 (10.25%)
4. Manufacturing (assembly fine, factory work, warehousing), 50 (10.25%)
5. Restaurant Jobs (cook, server), 40 (8.2%)
6. Internet and Tech jobs (IT, computer repairs, web design), 32 (6.56%)
7. Construction, 30 (6.15%)
8. Customer Service (call/ help centers, store agents), 24 (4.92%)
9. Administration/ Clerical/ Office Jobs, 21 (4.3%)
10. Transportation jobs (bus driver, deliveries, truck drivers), 19 (3.89%)

The categories in this survey least represented by registered citizens are as follows:

1. Communication jobs (cable, TV, phone techs), 3 (0.61%)
2. Scientific field (biotech, botany, zoology, etc), 2 (0.41%)
3. Security/ Loss Prevention (home/ business private security, quality control), 2 (0.41%)
4. Education/ Teaching jobs, 1 (0.2%)
5. Insurance, 0 (0%)

According to the survey, registrants are more likely to be “contingent” workers (self-employed or contract laborers) than the general population (42% RCs vs. 30% GP). That means the highest number of employed registrants started their own businesses. The next most frequent job situation was working with a family member/ friend, followed by a small business (“mom and pop” operations) and large/ franchise businesses (Wal-Mart, McDonald’s, etc.); working in contact labor (including day labor) was the least frequent job situation.

In short, this means most registered persons that are employed either self-employed or worked in jobs that are often associated with low wages and high stress—manual labor/ unskilled labor, skilled labor/ trades, sales, manufacturing, and restaurant jobs being most common.

QUESTION #4: IF I CANNOT GET A JOB, THEN WHAT KIND OF PUBLIC ASSISTANCE CAN I QUALIFY FOR?

In my 2016 JOBS AND WELFARE SURVEY, registrants were found to be roughly four times more likely to be unemployed, 2/3 less likely to be employed full-time, and more than twice as likely to live below the poverty line as the average American. Unsurprisingly, Registered Citizens reported being currently on public assistance at twice the rate of the average American, and only one out of seven respondents have not accepted any form of public assistance while on the registry.

Thankfully, the list of welfare programs that are not available to a Person Forced to Register is very small. Registered Persons CANNOT:

  • Obtain Section 8 Housiing if you are required to register for life: HUD regulations at 24 CFR § 5.856, § 960.204(a)(4), and § 982.553(a)(2) prohibit admission after June 25, 2001, if any member of a household is subject to a State lifetime sex offender registration requirement.
  • Obtain a Small Business Loan: see 12 US Code Sec. 5710 (b)(2)
  • Obtain some forms of distaster relief in certain areas: Some charities like the Red Cross have been noted as denying shelter run by their organiztion (but not financial assistance). See SOP 50 30 9 (3.6) (effective May 31, 2018) at p. 32, “It is not in the public interest for SBA to extend financial assistance to persons who are not of good character.” FEMA (emergency aid) nor the USDA (farm loans) impose criminal record restrictions on disaster assistance. Private charities may choose to deny assistance to Registrants, or shelters may be subject to residency restriction laws.

Pretty much every other government welfare program is open to Registered Persons (so long as you are are “fleeing justice” or failing to register in a timely manner), including Social Security, food programs like SNAP/WIC/TANF, unemployment compensation ,federal housing loans, student financial aid, and Medicaid/Medicare. 

Regarding Social Security Disability claims, there have been some misleading reporrts about registration status being a qualifying disability. The SSA defines a disability as, “You are entitled to receive Social Security disability (SSDI) or Supplemental Security Income (SSI) benefits when you are no longer able to perform a ‘substantial’ amount of work as the result of a physical or mental impairment that is expected to last at least 12 months, or possibly result in death.” “Substantial gainful activity” is usually defined as work that brings in over a certain dollar amount per month; In 2019, that amount is $1,220 for non-blind disabled SSDI or SSI applicants, and $2,040 for blind SSDI applicants (the SGA limit doesn’t apply to blind SSI applicants). You can find a more detailed discussion about disability requirements at https://www.disabilitysecrets.com/sga.html

Obviously, sex offense laws present substantial barriers to employment. This does not mean, however, that you can just walk in the door, claim your registry status alone prevents you from working, and expect a check. However, it can be a mitigating circumstance if you lack a medical history. You might need to consult (and hire) one of the various attorneys that specialize in disability claims.

My personal story is anecdotal here, but I am on SSDI and SSI, and my registry status did play into the discussion about my disability. However, I also had a mental health history going back to my childhood. The disability case manager, however, did note that in his opinion, a registered sex offender status does meet the legal definition of a disability due to the restrictions we face, so registry status could be argued (in theory) as a disability when told to the right person.

QUESTION #5: I AM LOOKING FOR AN ATTORNEY. CAN YOU HELP?

OnceFallen is an information hub for registered citizens, be do not provide any kind of legal services, including attorney referrals. Generally, my response to this question is to tell the person to do an Internet search of “Sex Offender Attorney” and the state where they reside. To my knowledge, no group provides legal referrals outside of Legal Aid programs. I do maintain a short list of attorneys that have worked with anti-registry advocates in the past on my LINKS PAGE.

QUESTION #6: IS THERE A WAY TO GET OFF THE PUBLIC REGISTRY?

Yes, there is a way to get off the public registry in some states, but the process is very difficult and your chances for removal are extremely small. There are many factors that affect your ability to get off the registry, includuing the nature of the offense, the length of time you have been on the registry, and whether or your state of residence offers any kind of registry relief. 

The most common way to be taken off the registry is through a pardon. Most states rely on the governor for a pardon; if your state has a pardon board, your chances of a pardon is higher. Only AL, AR, & TX explicitly offer pardons to convictions from outside jurisdictions; ME, MA, NY, RI, VI, VT, WV, & WY do not explicitly exclude federal and other state convictions by state law or in the pardon application. The US President is the sole authority for federal pardons (unless a state allows pardons for federal cases), and the President cannot pardon state-level charges. 

Other ways you may obtain relief from the registry: Petition the courts (there states have laws allowing a petition for registry removal), emigrate and become a citizen of another nation and denounce your American citizenship, or overturning your conviction. Each of these present challenges and nothing is guaranteed. None of these are attainable in the short term. 

Chapter 11 of YOUR LIFE ON THE LIST covering relief from the registry.

For a summary of potential relief from the obligation to register by state, see https://ccresourcecenter.org/state-restoration-profiles/50-state-comparison-relief-from-sex-offender-registration-obligations/

For more information on Pardons, see Pardon411.com

WARNING! Even if you obtain relief from the registry, it will likely remain on your record. If you move to another state after being removed from the registry, other states may try to force you to register. You may still face discrimination tied to have a sex offense conviction, including denial of housing and employment. Info about your arrest and/or prior status may still be online. Relief from the registry may improve your life but may not fully spare you from the ill effects of being listed on the registry.

QUESTION #7: WHICH STATE IS THE BEST STATE (OR THE WORST) FOR A REGISTERED CITIZEN TO LIVE?

This question makes me cringe, because it gives people the impression that registered citizens frequently “state shop”, which is a misleading and fear-mongering notion. There is no US State, territory, or Native American reservation in which one can move and not have to register upon release. There honestly isn’t a “best state” because laws vary in each state and even by municipality, and some people thrive in one state while others do not. It is far easier to name the worst states—Alabama, Oklahoma, Florida, Louisiana, Missouri, and Tennessee— because these states frequently make headlines for worst laws.  

YOUR MILEAGE MAY VARY. Some people manage to make a life in a more restrictive state likwe FloriDUH while others struggled to make a life in a state perceived to be more “lenient” for a Registrant. Indeed, you may find a state with less restrictions, less frequent registration, community notification, fees, residfency/proximity laws, or similar restrictions, but may still face discriomination in housing, employment, or other activities. 

For those who wish to research this topic further, Appendix 2 of my book YOUR LIFE ON THE LIST summarizes the laws of all US states and territories. It is a good starting point for your research. HOWEVER! The laws can change frequently and with little warning. I have provided the statute numbers so you can look them up yourself. 

In addition, some states have allowed counties, municipalities and/or townships to create their own rules. Municipal laws across the US add residency restrictions, anti-loitering laws or proximity/presence restrictions, employment restrictions, park bans, restrictions on participating in certain events like Halloween, etc. The only truly accurate source of info is the local registry office. 

QUESTION #8: WHERE CAN I FIND A LIST OF REGISTRATION AND/OR RESIDENCY RESTRICTION LAWS?

You can download my free book, YOUR LIFE ON THE LIST by Derek Logue, from the main page of my website, if you want a comprehensive breakdown of these laws.

QUESTION #9: DO I HAVE TO REGISTER WHEN I TRAVEL?

YES! Each state has their own rules and regulations regarding travel. Many state statutes list a time frame (the most popular being three days or 72 hours) that you can be in a location before being required to register. This standard varies by state.   YOUR LIFE ON THE LIST has a chapter on travel issues (Chapter 7) and APPENDIX 2: Summary of State/Territory Sex Offense Laws has a revierw of issues related to travel and when registration is triggered. But here’s the short answer to this question:

INTER- AND INTRA-STATE TRAVEL: It does not matter if you are staying across the street or across the nation, if you stay in a location long enough to be considered “establishing a (temporary) residence” you may be compelled to register, and some states may even keep you on that list even after you leave. Some states may use “aggregate” days, meaning if stay at a prescribed location for a certain number of days at a location in a set time frame even if the nights are not in a row, you may have to register

INTERNATIONAL TRAVEL: Under federal law, you are expected to report International travel 21 days in advance, though some states are not requiring 21-day advance notice. (I’d suggest you do it anyways.) IF your offense involved a minor (i.e., anyone under age 18, including CP offenses) must use a passport that has a mark that adds “The bearer was convicted of a sex offense against a minor, and is a covered sex offender pursuant to 22 USC 212b(c)(1)”, and you won’t be eligible for a “Passport Card.” A notice is sent to the place you intend to travel, and you may or may not be allowed entry depending on foreign law. 

FOR FURTHER READING ON TRAVEL-RELATED ISSUES, VISIT THE FOLLOWING:

  • PFR Guide: Covers International Travel issues and Cruise Lines info — https://pfr.guide/
  • Atwo Zee, Registered Traveler: A blog covering interstate travel (offers a spreadsheet covering traveling to other states as a Registered Person) — https://a2twozee.blogspot.com/

QUESTION #10: DO I HAVE TO REGISTER WHEN I MOVE?

YES!

The system of registration when moving is very complicated and can cause major problems, especially when moving from state to state. It amazes me how many people have gotten in trouble for making certain assumptions when moving. In particular, If you are moving from state A to state B, you must register in BOTH states A (to let them know you are leaving) and State B (to let them know you’ve arrived). Many FTRs have arisen from the assumption that you don’t have to let State A you are leaving; there is no “federal registry” (the NPOSW is merely a database that crawls state registries but does not store this info independently), and each state registry works independently. 

A registrant moving from Ohio to Florida has to notify BOTH states within the time frame the state gives; for Ohio that’s within 72 hours of a move, and within 48 hours of the move for Florida. Another problem moving to a new state is that states that may not have statewide residency or presence restrictions may allow counties & municipalities to adopt such laws. In states with residency laws, not all states contain provisions within the law that allows registrants to keep their homes & apartments if they resided in the property before a prohibited place moves close to them. Even if you no longer have to register in one state due to timing out or obtaining relief from registration requirements (such as from a pardon or relief through the courts), some states may force you to register.

One common problem with moving state-to-state is that registry status often defies the law of gravity, meaning your status can go up but rarely comes down, even if you return to the state that originally classified you as a lower tier registrant! For example, a Tier 1 registrant no longer required to register in Ohio because he timed out of his Tier 1 registry status moved to Florida, where everyone registers for life, & now the Ohio registrant is a lifetime Florida registrant and will be on the Florida list even after he dies. Another caller moved from Wisconsin, which classified him as a Tier 1, moved to another state which classified him as a Tier 3, and when he tried to move back to Wisconsin, he was told he’d be classified as a Tier 3 if he moved back. Some states keep you on their registries even if you don’t live in that state. Many, but not all, states try to pigeonhole out-of-state RCs into a corresponding tier, but it may cause a person to be improperly labeled as a “predator.”

If you have been removed from the registry in one state but are forced to register in another state, it is possible to be removed from the registry via court order if you are willing to fight registration. A couple of recent cases, one in North Carolina, the other in Florida, give hope for removal from the registry upon moving to a new state under specific circumstances:

  • Meredith v Stein, No. 5:17-CV-528-BO (E.D.N.C., 7 Nov 2018): Ruled the state’s process for adding people to the NC registry who had been convicted out of state deprived Plaintiff of a cognizable liberty interest and the procedures protecting that interest were constitutionally inadequate. The Plaintiff moved from Washington State; NC officials initially told him he would not have to register, but forced him to register anyways upon arrival. 
  • In the May 10, 2017 edition of The Islander (A weekly newspaper in Holmes Beach FL) [REPUBLISHED HERE], it was reported that The 12th Circuit State Attorney Office had dropped a case against a man accused of FTR because his crime predated the registry in Indiana, where the man had been convicted. The defense provided the state with a 2011 court order from Indiana, which “specifically states that the defendant is not required to register because his conviction predated the registry,” Assistant State Attorney Shanna Sue Hourihan wrote in the memo.

No matter which type of court convicted you – whther state, federal, military, territorial, or even the court of a different nation—EVERYONE forced to register will experience these difficulties. Therefore, my best advice for any SO moving to a new state, whether currently forced to register or not, is contact the registration office before you plan on moving to find out what restrictions and/or tier you may land on long before you finalize a move. You must research each state’s laws. There is no worse feeling than buying a new home or moving into that new apartment only to be forced to move because someone opened a new daycare down the street. Be sure to give sufficient time to the registry officers in both the state you are leaving and the state you are moving to of your intent to move. A little headache today can save you a lot of headaches down the road.

As of August 2021, states generally handle extra-jurisdictional convictions in the following manner:

  • States where every RC registers for life by default, regardless of the requirements of the state of conviction (although some may offer relief from the registry): AL, AR, CO, FL, HI, GA, IL, MT, NJ, SC, TN, WI, WY
  • States that honor the registration requirements from the state of conviction (example: if your state of conviction requires only 10 year registration, this state only requires 10 year registration even if their laws are different for state convictions): CT, PA, TX, UT
  • States that require registration for the longer of the two registration periods when there is a conflict between the states (example, if state of conviction requires 10 year registration but offense in moving state requires 25 years, you’ll register 25 years): IN, KS, LA, MN, NM
  • States that will classify you according to their rules (or by Federal AWA guidelines even in non-AWA compliant states), regardless of registration status from jurisdiction conviction: Am. Samoa, CA, CO, DE, DC, HI, Guam, IL, KY, ME, MS, MO, NE, NV, NH, NC, ND, No. Mariana Is., OH, OK, OR, Puerto Rico, RI, SD, USVI, VT, WI
  • States with unclear rules (difficult to determine guidelines, but assume you must register according to these state guidelines): AK, Amer. Samoa, AZ, MD, MI, WV

In regards to certain low level offenses, some states/territories only require registration if the offense is similar to registerable offenses in that state/territory, while some require registration for out-of-state convictions if required to register in convicting jurisdiction, even if the offense would not be registerable in the state you are moving to. Below is the breakdown:

  • States/territories that require registration if offense in another jurisdiction is comparable, similar, or equivalent to registerable offenses in the state/territory: AZ, AK, Am. Samoa, CO, DC, DE, FL, Guam, IL, KS, ME, MA, MN, MT, NE, NV, NJ, NM, NC, OH, OK, RI, SD, TN, TX, USVI
  • States/territories that will also require registration if the jurisdiction of conviction requires registration regardless of whether offense would require registration if convicted within the state: AL, AR, CT, GA, HI, ID, MD, MS, MO, NH, No. Mariana Is., OR, SC, UT, VT, VA, WA
  • States/territories that explicitly states in a statute require a review before determining registration status: CA, KY, NY, ND, OR, WY* (if offense is not otherwise registrable under WY law)
  • States that do not mention how extra-jurisdictional registration is determined (I can only assume all are required to register): AK, IN, Puerto Rico

QUESTION #11: CAN I LIVE WITH MY CHILDREN OR STEPCHILDREN WHILE ON THE REGISTRY?

It depends on the state and the circumstances. Most states that do have any existing ban registrants from living with minors only do so as a condition of probation/ parole or court order.

Some states do have complex rules regarding allowing registered citizens the right to live with their children or stepchildren. My advice is contacting the registry office where you plan on living before you move to a new location.

Info about parental rights and other potential living restrictions, with corresponding state statutes, are found APPENDIX 2: Summary of State/Territory Sex Offense Laws of my book, YOUR LIFE ON THE LIST.

However, just because very few states have any prohibition on registered persons living with minors does not mean you are free from investigations from that state’s Child Protective Service. 

QUESTION #12: I’M BEING HARASSED. IS THERE ANYTHING I CAN DO ABOUT IT?

Sadly, it is difficult to seek justice when you are facing harassment, especially if the harassment is coming from an agent of law enforcement. I have covered tips on dealing with harassment or scammers in Chaper 8 of YOUR LIFE ON THE LIST. However, I’ll summarize a few tips to help those experiencing harassment:

  • Blocking Online Harassment: If you are only being harassed on social media or any Internet service, the easiest way to deal with trolls is to simply block/ mute them whenever possible, or simply not to respond to them. Most Internet harassment is little more than trolling behavior, so their only reason for harassment is to get a rise out of you; if you respond, they “win” in their eyes.
  • Document every instance: If you are experiencing real-life harassment, download phone call recording software, install cameras, and take notes of every instance. The more evidence you have, the better.
  • File a police report: Even if it is an exercise in futility, try filing a report if the harassment is threatening enough.
  • File a grievance: If the harasser is a cop, inquire about the grievance procedure is, if any. Take it to the police chief/ sheriff, or the prosecutor, or even talk with the state’s Attorney General Office.
  • Sue your harassers: The police might not invest time and energy into taking down your harassers, so consider suing them for harassment. If you win, you can place liens on their tangible property.
  • Protect yourself: Find out what weapons you are legally allowed to carry, like knives, mace, stun guns and crossbows. Some folks have suggested investing in a dog, particularly a large breed that can attack intruders.

Question #13: I’M NO LONGER REQUIRED TO REGISTER. WILL I STILL FACE PROBLEMS AND BE SUBJECT TO CERTAIN LAWS AS I WAS AS A REGISTERED PERSON?

Once you are no longer required to register as a “sex offender,” you will definitely see a quality of life improvement. However, you may still suffer some residual effects from your time on the registry, and only a court order or civil suit may grant some relief:

  • Your criminal record still appears on background checks. Thus, you may still struggle with employment. 
  • Some states do not honor pardons/ registry relief orders from other states or may classify your offense differently. Thus, another state may attempt to force you to register. 
  • Your information may appear on Internet searches in other ways, such as news reports about your arrest or your personal information was added to a private registry datbase like Homefacts or Family Watchdog. 

If you were a person whose offense was against a minor and you are no longer required to register, you should no longer be compelled to brandish a passport mark on your passport since “covered sex offenders” is defined under 22 US Code §212b(c)(1) as “currently required to register under the sex offender registration program of any jurisdiction.” You should not have to register International Travel under Int’l Megan’s Law. 

Question #14: HOW DO I GET INVOLVED IN THE FIGHT AGAINST AMERICA’S SEX OFFENDER LAWS?

Feel free to CONTACT ME if you have would like to discuss getting involved. I have a page on this website called GET ACTIVE, which covers the basics of fighting back.