Philadelphia Sex Offender Registry
Philadelphia is the largest city in Pennsylvania and the only city-county in the commonwealth. Searching the sex offender registry here means using the Pennsylvania State Police Megan's Law database, which lists every registered offender by name, photo, address, and offense type. Residents can search by name, zip code, or street address. The Philadelphia Police Department works alongside PSP to enforce registration rules and carry out community notification when a Sexually Violent Predator moves into a neighborhood. This guide explains how that process works and what tools are available to you.
Philadelphia Quick Facts
About the Philadelphia Sex Offender Registry
Philadelphia is a unique city in Pennsylvania because it functions as both a city and a county.
That city-county structure means one unified local government handles most services, including coordination with the Pennsylvania State Police on sex offender registration matters.
The statewide registry lives at meganslaw.psp.pa.gov. It is run by the PSP Megan's Law Section under authority granted by 42 Pa.C.S. Chapter 97. Every registered sex offender in Philadelphia appears in that database. The listing includes the offender's current address, physical description, photo, and the offense that triggered registration. The database updates whenever an offender reports a change.
Philadelphia is coterminous with Philadelphia County. That means the county sheriff, the city police, and PSP Troop K all operate within the same geographic boundaries. PSP Troop K serves the Philadelphia area and plays a key role in Megan's Law enforcement. When questions arise about who is registered or whether someone has complied, PSP is the authoritative source.
The registry is free to search. No account is needed. You can look up anyone by last name, by address, or by zip code. Results show current registrants only. Offenders whose registration period has ended do not appear. If you want alerts when someone moves into your area, the free email notification service lets you monitor up to five email addresses within a five-mile radius.
How to Search Philadelphia Sex Offenders
The PSP Megan's Law website is the only official source for this data. Third-party sites may republish registry information, but they can lag behind the official database. Always verify what you find against the PSP site.
To search by location in Philadelphia, go to meganslaw.psp.pa.gov and choose the map or address search option. Enter a Philadelphia street address, intersection, or zip code. The site returns offenders registered within a set distance. You can adjust the search radius to see more or fewer results. Philadelphia has many zip codes, so searching by neighborhood zip code is often the fastest way to check a specific area.
Name searches work well when you know the person you are looking for. Enter the last name and an optional first name. The system returns all matches statewide, so you may need to filter by city or county. Look at the listed address to confirm the person is registered in Philadelphia.
The email alert service is easy to set up. Visit the Megan's Law site and register up to five email addresses. You pick a home address in Philadelphia and a radius of up to five miles. When a new offender registers at an address inside your chosen area, or when an existing registrant updates their address to one inside your area, you get an email. This service is free and runs automatically.
If you need help or cannot find what you are looking for, call the PSP Megan's Law Section directly. The public reporting line is 1-866-771-3170. Staff can answer questions about how to read a registry listing or what a particular offense classification means.
Philadelphia and Pennsylvania Megan's Law
PPD coordinates with PSP to verify offender addresses, distribute community notification materials, and respond to reports of non-compliance.
Pennsylvania's Megan's Law has gone through several updates since it was first enacted. The current version, known as SORNA (the Sex Offender Registration and Notification Act), took effect in December 2012. It aligns Pennsylvania's law with the federal Adam Walsh Act. Anyone convicted of a covered offense on or after December 20, 2012 falls under SORNA. People convicted before that date may fall under an older version of Megan's Law depending on their specific circumstances.
Under SORNA, registration obligations are assigned based on the tier of the offense. Tier I offenders register for 15 years. Tier II offenders register for 25 years. Tier III offenders register for life. Sexually Violent Predators, who are determined by a court-appointed assessment board, also register for life and face additional community notification requirements.
In Philadelphia, the School District of Philadelphia receives formal notification when a Sexually Violent Predator registers at an address within one mile of any school in the district. The Philadelphia Department of Human Services, including its Children and Youth division, also receives notification when an SVP registers in the city. Colleges and universities within 1,000 feet of an SVP's registered address receive written notice from PSP.
These notification procedures are mandatory under state law. PSP handles them directly. The Philadelphia Police Department receives a copy of the notification flyer so local officers are aware of the SVP's presence in the community.
Sex Offender Tiers in Pennsylvania
Pennsylvania uses a three-tier system to classify sex offenders. Each tier comes with a different registration period and a different verification schedule. Understanding the tiers helps you interpret what you see on the Megan's Law website.
Tier I covers the least serious qualifying offenses. Offenders in this category must register for 15 years. They check in with PSP once per year to verify their address, employment, and other personal information. Examples of Tier I offenses include indecent assault of an adult and certain institutional sexual assault cases.
Tier II covers intermediate offenses. These offenders register for 25 years and must verify their information every six months. Offenses in this tier include statutory sexual assault involving an age gap of at least 11 years and sexual exploitation of minors through trafficking or prostitution.
Tier III covers the most serious offenses. These offenders register for life and verify their information every three months, which is four times per year. Rape, involuntary deviate sexual intercourse, and sexual assault are among the offenses that place someone in Tier III.
Sexually Violent Predators are a separate designation that sits on top of the tier system. An SVP is someone who a court finds has a mental abnormality or personality disorder that makes them likely to reoffend. SVPs register for life and must verify quarterly, just like Tier III offenders. However, SVPs also trigger mandatory community notification that Tier III offenders do not.
The Sex Offenders Assessment Board, which operates under pa.gov/agencies/soab, evaluates defendants before sentencing to determine whether they meet the SVP criteria. The board's assessment goes to the sentencing court, which makes the final determination.
Philadelphia Law Enforcement and Megan's Law
The Philadelphia Police Department and PSP Troop K share responsibilities under Megan's Law within Philadelphia's boundaries. PSP holds primary authority over the statewide registry, but local officers handle day-to-day enforcement in their patrol areas.
When an offender fails to register or provides false information, it is a felony of the third degree under 18 Pa.C.S. section 3130. PPD officers can make arrests for these violations. Charges go through the Philadelphia court system. Convictions can result in years of additional incarceration on top of any other penalties.
PPD also participates in periodic compliance checks. Officers visit addresses listed in the registry to confirm that offenders still live where they are registered. If an officer finds that the registrant no longer lives at the address, the case is referred to PSP for follow-up and potential prosecution.
Philadelphia residents who suspect an offender is living at an unregistered address, using a false name, or otherwise violating their registration terms should report that to PSP at 1-866-771-3170. You can also contact the Philadelphia Police Department's non-emergency line. Reports can be made anonymously.
For information about PSP's broader law enforcement role in Pennsylvania, visit pa.gov/agencies/psp. That page links to the Megan's Law Section and explains how the statewide enforcement structure works.
Sex Offender Registration Requirements
Offenders who do not follow these rules face felony charges under state law.
Every registered offender must report to an approved PSP registration or verification site. Philadelphia has PSP-approved sites within the city. Offenders must appear in person at each required interval. During the visit, PSP staff verify the offender's address, phone number, email address, employer, vehicle information, and internet identifiers. All of this information must be current and accurate.
If anything changes between scheduled visits, the offender has three business days to report the change to PSP. This applies to changes in address, employment, vehicle, phone number, email, or online usernames. Three business days is a strict deadline. Missing it is a separate violation from failing to register altogether.
Offenders who plan to travel internationally must notify PSP at least 21 days before their departure. This rule applies to offenders whose conviction occurred on or after December 20, 2012. PSP then shares that travel information with relevant federal agencies. The offender must also report their return after the trip.
Philadelphia residents who are subject to registration and have questions about their specific obligations should contact PSP directly. Obligations vary based on the tier, the date of conviction, and whether the offender has been designated an SVP. Getting the details wrong is not a defense to a non-compliance charge.
Community Notification in Philadelphia
Community notification in Philadelphia is triggered when a Sexually Violent Predator registers a new address in the city. PSP handles this process, and the reach of each notification is set by state law.
Neighbors within 250 feet of the SVP's registered address receive a written notification flyer. If 250 feet does not capture at least 25 residences, PSP extends the notification until 25 households have been reached. This ensures that a meaningful number of neighbors receive notice even in areas where homes are spread out.
Schools within one mile of the SVP's address receive notification. In Philadelphia, the School District of Philadelphia coordinates receipt of these notices. Individual school principals and district administrators are informed. Daycare facilities within the notification zone also receive written notice.
The Office of Victim Advocate can assist crime victims who want to stay informed about the registry status of their offender. The OVA can be reached at ova.pa.gov or by calling 1-800-563-6399. Victims may be eligible to receive direct notification of changes in the offender's registration status.
Ordinary Tier I, II, and III offenders do not trigger the formal community notification process. Their information is public and searchable on the Megan's Law website, but PSP does not send flyers to neighbors. The active notification process is reserved for Sexually Violent Predators because that designation reflects a higher assessed risk of reoffense.
Reporting Non-Compliance in Philadelphia
If you believe a registered sex offender in Philadelphia is violating their registration requirements, you should report it. The PSP Megan's Law Section handles these complaints statewide. Call 1-866-771-3170 to make a report. Calls can be anonymous.
Common violations include failing to register after moving, not showing up for a required verification appointment, providing a false address, and failing to report a new job or vehicle. Each of these is a separate criminal act. A felony of the third degree carries a maximum sentence of seven years in Pennsylvania.
You can also report violations to the Philadelphia Police Department. PPD can take the report and forward it to PSP for action. If the situation is urgent or you believe a crime is in progress, call 911.
Do not confront an offender directly. Leave enforcement to law enforcement. Your job is to report. PSP and PPD will investigate and take appropriate action. Providing as much detail as possible in your report, including dates, times, and locations you observed, helps investigators act faster.
Philadelphia residents who want to stay informed about offenders in their neighborhood should sign up for email alerts at meganslaw.psp.pa.gov. You can monitor up to five email addresses and set a radius of up to five miles centered on any Philadelphia address. The alerts are free and automatic. This is one of the most practical tools available to Philadelphia residents who want to stay aware of changes in their community.
Related Pages
Browse the Philadelphia County registry page or check sex offender listings for nearby Pennsylvania cities.