How long do you have to register as a sex offender in Texas?
For life if the offense is a sexually violent offense, such as sexual assault, aggravated sexual assault, continuous sexual abuse of a young child or indecency with a child by contact, or is child pornography or certain trafficking. For most other reportable offenses, the duty ends 10 years after release, discharge or dismissal, whichever is later (Code of Criminal Procedure article 62.101).
- Texas requires registration after a conviction, and for most listed offenses after deferred adjudication too.
- Registrants report details such as name, address, physical description, a photograph, the offense and their job, and the registry is public.
- Registration lasts for life for sexually violent offenses, child pornography and certain trafficking offenses; for most others it ends 10 years after release, discharge or dismissal.
- Most registrants verify once a year; some must verify every 90 days.
- Failing to register is a separate felony, and deregistration is available only in narrow cases.
A conviction for a sex crime in Texas often requires the defendant to register as a sex offender in the state. This means that the convicted person must report various kinds of biographical information about themselves to the police on a regular basis so that they may appear in the online sex offender database.
Information that one may have to report can include the following:
- Name
- Date of Birth
- Address
- Sex
- Race
- Height
- Weight
- Eye and Hair Color
- Other aliases used
- A recent photograph
- Details of the convicted offense
- Job title/status
The sex offender registry is publicly accessible, so anyone can view this information.
How Long Does Sex Offender Registration Last?
Registration in Texas lasts either for life or for 10 years. It lasts for life for sexually violent offenses committed at 17 or older, such as sexual assault, aggravated sexual assault, continuous sexual abuse of a young child, indecency with a child by contact and sexual performance by a child, and for child pornography and certain trafficking offenses. For most other reportable offenses, the duty ends 10 years after the person’s release, discharge or dismissal, whichever is later.
Because the 10-year period runs from release, discharge or dismissal, time spent in prison does not count toward it. Most registrants must verify their information once a year, and some, such as people with two or more sexually violent convictions, must verify every 90 days.
Which Offenses Require Sex Offender Registration?
In Texas, a conviction, and for most of these offenses a deferred adjudication, for any of the following requires registration:
- Aggravated Sexual Assault
- Child Pornography
- Compelling Prostitution
- Continuous Sexual Abuse of a Young Child
- Indecency by Contact
- Indecency by Exposure
- Indecent Exposure (on a second conviction)
- Online Solicitation of a Minor
- Sexual Assault
- Sexual Assault of a Child
- Sexual Performance by a Child
- Invasive Visual Recording (added in 2025)
- Trafficking
- Attempt, Conspiracy, or Solicitation of these Offenses
What Happens If You Fail to Register?
Failing to register or verify is a separate felony under Code of Criminal Procedure article 62.102. It is a state jail felony for someone with a 10-year duty, a third-degree felony for a lifetime registrant who verifies annually, and a second-degree felony for a lifetime registrant who verifies every 90 days, one level higher with a prior failure to register.
Can You Get Off the Registry?
Sometimes. Texas allows deregistration only for a person with a single reportable offense on the list where Texas requires registration longer than federal law does. The process starts with an evaluation through the Texas Council on Sex Offender Treatment and ends with a motion to the court that handled the case, which can deny it.
How Do I Avoid the Sex Offender Registry?
The best way to avoid the sex offender registry is to avoid a conviction for a sex crime. You should want to avoid placement on the registry because registered sex offenders often do not practically hold the same rights as other people: for example, you may find it difficult to find a job or live in certain places as a registered sex offender.
If you want to avoid this potential consequence of a conviction, Attorney Peter Barrett can help. With trial court experience since 1994, he can provide the legal defense you need to mitigate your responsibility for the charges against you.
Learn more about how Attorney Peter Barrett can help by contacting him online to request an initial consultation.
Common questions
Does deferred adjudication require sex offender registration in Texas?
For most reportable sexual offenses, yes. Texas treats a deferred adjudication like a conviction for registration purposes. Indecent exposure is an exception: it becomes reportable only on a second conviction, not after deferred adjudication.
How often do registered sex offenders have to check in?
Most registrants verify their information once a year, within 30 days of their birthday. People with two or more sexually violent convictions or deferred adjudications, and people who are civilly committed, verify every 90 days.
What is the penalty for failing to register as a sex offender in Texas?
It depends on the registration duty: a state jail felony for a 10-year registrant, a third-degree felony for a lifetime registrant who verifies annually, and a second-degree felony for a lifetime registrant who verifies every 90 days, one level higher with a prior failure to register.
Can a sex offender get off the registry in Texas?
Only in narrow cases. A person with a single reportable offense for which Texas requires longer registration than federal law may seek deregistration through a Texas Council on Sex Offender Treatment evaluation and a motion to the sentencing court, which can deny it.
The law this article describes, at the source. Every figure above can be checked against it.
- Texas Code of Criminal Procedure, Chapter 62: who registers (art. 62.001), duration (art. 62.101), verification (art. 62.058), failure to register (art. 62.102) and deregistration (arts. 62.401 to 62.408)
- Texas Penal Code, Chapter 21: continuous sexual abuse, indecent exposure, indecency with a child, invasive visual recording
- Texas Penal Code, Chapter 22: sexual assault and aggravated sexual assault
This article is general legal information about Texas law, not legal advice about your case. Reading it does not create an attorney-client relationship. Laws change, so confirm the current rule with a licensed Texas criminal defense attorney about your specific facts. Request a free case review.