Reading Sex Offender Registry
Reading is the county seat of Berks County and the fourth-largest city in Pennsylvania. Located in southeastern Pennsylvania, it sits in the heart of a region with a large and growing population. Residents who want to look up registered sex offenders in Reading use the Pennsylvania State Police Megan's Law website at meganslaw.psp.pa.gov. That database is the only official source for registered offender information in the city and across the state. The Reading Police Department works alongside PSP to enforce registration requirements and support community notification. This page explains how the registry works, how to search it, and what local enforcement covers.
Reading Quick Facts
About the Reading Sex Offender Registry
The county government at berkspa.gov oversees local services, while the sex offender registry itself is run by the Pennsylvania State Police under state law.
The statewide registry lives at meganslaw.psp.pa.gov. PSP administers it under 42 Pa.C.S. Chapter 97. Every person required to register as a sex offender in Pennsylvania appears in that database. This includes all registrants in Reading and throughout Berks County. Each listing shows the offender's full name, current address, photograph, date of birth, physical description, and the offense that triggered the registration requirement.
Berks County has PSP-approved registration and verification sites where Reading offenders complete their required in-person check-ins. The number and location of those sites can change over time, so offenders must verify the current approved locations with PSP. All check-ins must be done in person. No mail or phone verification is accepted.
The Reading Police Department, which can be reached through readingpa.gov, coordinates with PSP on enforcement within city limits. Officers conduct address checks, respond to public complaints, and assist in PSP-led compliance operations. For the official registry and all registration-related questions, PSP is the primary contact at 1-866-771-3170.
How to Search Reading Sex Offenders
The PSP Megan's Law website is the only official source for registered sex offender data in Reading. Third-party sites sometimes republish registry information, but those databases may not be current. Always check the official PSP site for the most accurate and up-to-date results.
To search by location, go to meganslaw.psp.pa.gov and use the address or map search. Enter a Reading street address, intersection, or zip code. Reading has several zip codes, and searching by zip code is a quick way to check a specific part of the city. The system returns a list of registered offenders within a set radius. You can adjust the radius to see more or fewer results.
The name search is useful when you have a specific person in mind. Enter the last name and, if you know it, the first name. Results come from the full statewide database. To confirm the person is registered in Reading, check the listed address. You can narrow results by city or county if the name is common.
Reading area residents can also use the radius search feature centered on a specific Reading address. This is helpful for checking the area around a home, school, daycare, or workplace. The site generates a map showing all registered offenders within the chosen radius along with a sortable list below the map.
The free email alert service is available to all Pennsylvania residents. Register up to five email addresses at meganslaw.psp.pa.gov. Choose a center address in Reading and a radius of up to five miles. When an offender registers or updates their address to one inside your chosen zone, you automatically receive an email notification. The service is free and runs without any follow-up action after setup.
For help with a search or a question about a specific listing, call PSP at 1-866-771-3170.
Reading and Pennsylvania Megan's Law
Pennsylvania's Megan's Law is administered statewide by PSP under 42 Pa.C.S. Chapter 97. The current version, known as SORNA, took effect December 20, 2012. SORNA stands for the Sex Offender Registration and Notification Act and aligns Pennsylvania with the federal Adam Walsh Act. Anyone convicted of a qualifying offense on or after December 20, 2012 is subject to SORNA.
Offenders convicted before that date may fall under an earlier version of Megan's Law. Their specific obligations depend on their conviction date, offense type, and any prior rulings from courts or PSP. The PSP Megan's Law Section makes these determinations on a case-by-case basis.
When a Sexually Violent Predator registers a new address in Reading, PSP carries out mandatory community notification. PSP provides the Reading Police Department with notification flyers. Officers in the relevant patrol area are informed of the SVP's presence and registration. This helps local law enforcement stay aware of who is living in the neighborhoods they patrol.
The Reading School District receives formal written notification when an SVP registers at an address within one mile of any district school. This notification comes directly from PSP and goes to district administration. Daycares and licensed child care facilities within the notification zone also receive written notice. Colleges and universities within 1,000 feet of an SVP's registered address in Reading receive notification as well.
Berks County is one of the more populous counties in Pennsylvania, and Reading as its county seat has a significant number of registered offenders relative to other cities in the state. The PSP registry covers all of them. For more on PSP's statewide role, visit pa.gov/agencies/psp.
Sex Offender Tiers in Pennsylvania
Pennsylvania uses a three-tier system under SORNA to classify registered sex offenders. Each tier sets a different registration length and verification frequency. All Reading offenders convicted after December 20, 2012 are assigned to a tier based on their offense.
Tier I covers the least serious qualifying offenses. Registration lasts 15 years. During that period, the offender verifies their personal information with PSP once per year. That annual check-in requires an in-person visit to a PSP-approved site. Examples of Tier I offenses include indecent assault of an adult and some forms of institutional sexual assault.
Tier II covers intermediate offenses. The registration period is 25 years. Verification occurs every six months, meaning two in-person visits per year. Statutory sexual assault involving a large age gap and crimes related to sexual exploitation for commercial purposes fall into this tier.
Tier III covers the most serious offenses. Registration is for life. Verification is required four times per year, once every three months. Rape, involuntary deviate sexual intercourse, and sexual assault are among the offenses that place a person in Tier III. There is no end date for Tier III registration. It continues until the offender dies.
Sexually Violent Predators are evaluated separately by the Sex Offenders Assessment Board at pa.gov/agencies/soab. The board examines defendants before sentencing and submits findings to the court. If the court finds that the defendant has a mental abnormality or personality disorder making sexual reoffense likely, the court designates the person an SVP. SVPs register for life and verify quarterly, the same as Tier III, but they also trigger mandatory community notification whenever they register a new address.
Reading Law Enforcement and Megan's Law
The Reading Police Department and PSP share enforcement responsibility for Megan's Law in Reading. PSP holds authority over the statewide registry and the formal registration system. The Reading Police Department handles local enforcement, including periodic address verification and response to public complaints.
Reading officers conduct compliance checks by visiting addresses listed in the registry. They confirm that the registered offender is still living at the listed address. If the offender has moved without notifying PSP, the case is referred to PSP for investigation and potential prosecution.
Failure to register or verify as required is a felony of the third degree under 18 Pa.C.S. section 3130. In Pennsylvania, a third-degree felony carries a maximum sentence of seven years. Each missed verification visit can be charged as a separate offense. Providing false information during a verification is also a criminal act.
PSP and local agencies periodically conduct joint compliance operations in Berks County. These operations involve officers visiting multiple registered offenders in a short period to check compliance across a large area. They are an important tool for identifying violations that routine patrol might not catch.
Reading residents who believe a sex offender is violating their registration terms should call 1-866-771-3170 to report it to PSP. You can also contact the Reading Police Department non-emergency line. Reports can be made anonymously. Do not approach or confront the offender. Provide your observations to law enforcement and let them investigate.
Sex Offender Registration Requirements
Failing to meet these requirements is a felony, and the law is enforced actively in Reading and throughout Berks County.
At each required verification visit, the offender must confirm their current home address, phone number, email address, employer name and work address, vehicle information including make, model, and license plate, and any internet identifiers they use such as usernames or handles. PSP photographs the offender at each visit to ensure the photo in the database stays current.
Between scheduled visits, offenders must report any changes within three business days. This includes a new home address, a new job, a new phone number, a new email address, a new vehicle, or a new online account. Three business days is a strict legal deadline. Missing it is a criminal act, separate from the underlying registration violation.
Offenders who plan to travel internationally must notify PSP at least 21 days before they leave. This applies to offenders convicted on or after December 20, 2012. PSP shares the travel information with relevant federal agencies. The offender must also notify PSP when they return from the trip.
Offenders released from a Pennsylvania correctional facility must register before release or within three days of release. Those who move to Reading from another Pennsylvania county must report the address change within three business days. Those who move to Pennsylvania from another state must register within three business days of establishing a home in the state.
All registration and verification must be done in person at a PSP-approved site in Berks County. Phone or mail verification is not accepted. Offenders should confirm the current list of approved sites with PSP before their scheduled visit to make sure they go to the right location.
Community Notification in Reading
Community notification in Reading is a mandatory PSP process triggered whenever a Sexually Violent Predator registers a new address in the city. The scope of notification is defined by state law and applied the same way across all of Pennsylvania, including Reading and Berks County.
Neighbors within 250 feet of the SVP's registered address receive written notification flyers from PSP. If that 250-foot radius does not include at least 25 residences, PSP expands the notification area until 25 households have been notified. This ensures that a meaningful number of community members near the address receive direct notice, regardless of how densely the area is developed.
Schools within one mile of the SVP's registered address in Reading receive notification from PSP. The Reading School District receives these notices through district administration. Individual schools within the one-mile zone are informed. Daycares and licensed child care facilities within the zone also receive direct written notice from PSP.
Colleges and universities within 1,000 feet of the SVP's registered address in Reading receive notification. This ensures that campus security and administrators are informed when an SVP registers in close proximity to a campus.
Victims who want to receive direct notification of changes in their offender's registry status can contact the Office of Victim Advocate at ova.pa.gov or 1-800-563-6399. The OVA helps crime victims access all available notification options under Pennsylvania law and can walk victims through the process of enrolling for alerts.
Regular Tier I, II, and III offenders do not trigger the formal notification process. Their information is public and searchable on the Megan's Law website, but PSP does not send flyers to neighbors unless the person has been designated an SVP. Neighborhood awareness for non-SVP offenders comes through the public search tools and the free email alert service.
Reporting Non-Compliance in Reading
Reading residents who believe a registered sex offender is violating their registration requirements should report it to PSP. Call 1-866-771-3170. The line is available for public reporting of Megan's Law violations. Reports can be made anonymously. Provide as much detail as you can, including the offender's name if known, the address where you believe they are actually living, and any observations that suggest they are not complying.
Non-compliance violations in Reading take many forms. An offender might fail to appear for a scheduled verification visit. They might move to a new apartment without notifying PSP within three business days. They might provide a false employer or phone number. They might use social media accounts under names that are not registered with PSP. Each of these is a separate criminal act under Pennsylvania law.
Under 18 Pa.C.S. section 3130, non-compliance is a felony of the third degree. A conviction in Pennsylvania for a third-degree felony can mean up to seven years of incarceration. Multiple violations can be charged separately, leading to longer combined sentences. The law treats Megan's Law non-compliance as a serious crime because the registration system exists to protect community safety.
You can also contact the Reading Police Department with your concern. For emergencies or situations where a crime is actively occurring, call 911. Never confront a registered offender on your own. Your role is to observe and report. Trained officers handle the investigation and any resulting enforcement action.
For ongoing monitoring, the free email alert service at meganslaw.psp.pa.gov is the most practical tool available to Reading residents. Set a center address in Reading and a radius of up to five miles. You can register up to five email addresses for alerts. When any offender registers or moves to an address inside your zone, you receive an automatic email. The service requires no action after setup and is completely free. It is one of the best ways to stay informed about changes in your immediate neighborhood over time.
Related Pages
Browse the Berks County registry page or view sex offender listings for nearby cities in southeastern Pennsylvania.