When Does Sex Offender Registration Really End? It Depends Where You Live

If you’re on a sex offender registry or care about someone who is, one question looms large:

You might assume that once you complete your required years, you’re done—no more reporting, no more check-ins, no more registry. But as the podcast segment above makes painfully clear, that answer depends entirely on which state you’re in—and sometimes on which state you move to later.

In this article, we’ll unpack that conversation and explain:

  • Why some states end registration automatically after a set term
  • How other states force people to petition a court just to leave the registry
  • What happens when you move from a state with automatic removal to a stricter state
  • Why the Adam Walsh Act (AWA) is often blamed for rules it doesn’t actually require

By the end, you’ll understand the legal landmines people face when their registration “ends” in one jurisdiction but not in another.

The segment begins with a listener from Pennsylvania. They describe their situation:

  • They live in Pennsylvania.
  • They are on tier one, which is a 15-year term.
  • After those 15 years, the registration ends automatically.
  • There is no court petition.
  • There are no extra hoops to jump through.

That experience surprises them once they learn how other states operate. So they ask the hosts and the audience:

Which other states also end registration automatically once you’ve completed your term?

It’s a simple question, but the answer exposes just how fragmented—and sometimes punitive—our registry systems really are.

States That Allow Automatic Removal

The hosts start listing places where, at least for some people, the registry term does end on its own.

Vermont: Off After Ten Years (In Some Cases)

One example mentioned is Vermont.

In Vermont, for certain situations, someone can be removed from the registry after ten years. The important point: that removal is automatic. There’s no separate court battle to get off; when the time is up, the obligation ends, assuming statutory conditions are met.

“We Do That Here, Too” – Limited Automatic Endings

Larry then notes that in his state (context strongly suggests New Mexico, though he doesn’t say it outright in that spot), there are also automatic endings:

  • It applies only to a small list of offenses.
  • Some people come off after ten years, others after twenty years.
  • The process is automatic: no petition, no hearing.
  • The state simply sends you a letter saying you’re done.

So, by this count, we have at least:

  • Pennsylvania (tier one) – automatic after 15 years
  • Vermont – automatic after 10 years for some
  • Larry’s state – automatic for certain offenses at 10 or 20 years

The hosts are clear: there are other states that do something similar, but they don’t have a full 50-state list on hand.

The key takeaway so far: automatic removal exists, but it’s the exception, not the rule—and the details vary wildly.

The Trap of Moving: New Mexico’s “Regina’s Law”

The real twist in this conversation comes when Larry explains how New Mexico interprets its registration statute, in what he jokingly calls “Regina’s Law.”

Who Is Regina?

“Regina’s Law” isn’t an official name in the statute. It’s Larry’s nickname, based on Regina, a former head of New Mexico’s sex offender registration unit.

Regina and her department were responsible for:

  • Formulating and promulgating regulations
  • Implementing the state’s Sex Offender Registration and Notification Act

In doing that, she adopted a particular reading of the law’s timing language.

How One Interpretation Resets the Clock

New Mexico’s law is described as saying something like:

You shall register for ten years after your initial registration (or ten or twenty years, depending on the case).

Under Regina’s interpretation, that phrase doesn’t just mean “ten years total, wherever you are.” Instead, it’s read in a way that’s tied to New Mexico.

So here’s what can happen:

  1. You live in Vermont.
  2. You do ten years on the registry there.
  3. Under Vermont’s rules, you’re done—you’re removed from the Vermont registry.
  4. Later, you move to New Mexico.

Under “Regina’s Law” logic, New Mexico can say:

  • “We don’t care that you finished ten years in Vermont.”
  • “Now that you’re here, you start over with a new ten-year registration term.”

And that’s not the worst-case scenario.

If New Mexico classifies your offense differently, the state might say:

  • “For us, your offense is 20 years, not ten.”
  • Or even: “For us, this is lifetime registration.”

So you could walk in having “completed” your term in Vermont and find out that in New Mexico, you’re just getting started—and perhaps never getting off.

The hosts use dark humor to point out how absurd this can be, but the underlying problem is serious: moving across state lines can resurrect or extend obligations you thought were over.

Washington State: Automatic for Some, Petitions for Others

A listener in the chat adds another example: Washington State.

According to that message:

  • If you’re convicted in Washington State, your registration can end automatically when your term is up.
  • But if you’re convicted out of state or federally, you must petition the court in Washington to be removed.

Larry notes that it’s not entirely clear why Washington would draw that line between in-state and out-of-state/federal convictions, since:

  • The federal government does not directly run registration.
  • Registration is a state-level function.

However, Washington is free to write its own statutes so that they:

  • Provide automatic relief for some people, and
  • Impose petition requirements on others.

Again, the pattern emerges: same underlying conduct, different state, very different process to get free of the registry.

Blaming the Adam Walsh Act: What It Actually Says

Whenever registry rules are discussed, the Adam Walsh Act (AWA) and its sex-offender-related piece, SORNA, are often named as the villain.

The hosts address a common misconception:

  • Many people believe AWA requires a petition process to get off the registry when your tier time is up.
  • Others think AWA at least recommends that states do it that way.

Larry’s clarification is blunt:

  • The AWA does not require a petition process at the end of a tier term.
  • It does not even suggest that such a petition is necessary.

So where do these petition requirements come from?

Petition Processes Are a State Invention

According to the discussion, petition procedures at the end of a term are:

  • Inventions of the states, not federal mandates.
  • Often designed to:
  • Create work for attorneys (and by extension, the courts), and
  • Placate victims and advocacy groups who want to maintain leverage and oversight.

What that means in practice:

  • Even if AWA says a tier one person should be on for, say, 15 years, a state can add:
  • A requirement that they go to court,
  • Hire a lawyer,
  • Pay fees,
  • Possibly convince a judge they’re still “safe” enough to come off.

So AWA sets some baseline standards, but many of the hardest, most burdensome parts of registry termination are state-level policy decisions, not federal commands.

The Bigger Picture: A Patchwork, Not a System

Zooming out, the segment illustrates a few big themes.

1. There Is No Single “Registry Law”

Instead of one unified system, the United States has:

  • 50+ sets of rules and interpretations
  • Different terms, tiers, and endpoints
  • States that honor completion elsewhere, and states that essentially ignore it

This is why two people with very similar histories can have completely different experiences based solely on where they live—or where they move.

2. Moving Can Be Legally Dangerous for Registrants

For someone on a registry, or someone who has finished in one state, interstate relocation is not just a simple change of address. It can mean:

  • A new clock starting from zero
  • A longer required registration period
  • In extreme cases, a shift from a finite term to a lifetime obligation

Anyone in this situation needs to:

  • Research destination state law in detail before moving.
  • Consider getting legal advice from an attorney who knows that state’s registry rules.

3. Politics and Bureaucracy Shape Outcomes

A single administrator’s interpretation—like Regina’s—can significantly shape how a statute works for thousands of people.

Victim advocates, political pressures, and bureaucratic preferences often:

  • Push states toward harsher interpretations, and
  • Resist automatic relief, even when the time period is clearly defined.

This leads to what we see in the segment: bewilderment from people in relatively more rational states (like Pennsylvania’s automatic tier one ending) as they discover how different, and often harsher, other states can be.

A Bit of Humor on a Heavy Topic

The hosts close the segment with some light political joking about:

  • Whether we should say 50 states or 51 states, and
  • A reference to President Obama’s well-known slip about the U.S. having “57 states.”

It’s a brief moment of levity after a fairly heavy legal discussion, but it underscores something important: even policy experts sometimes cope with absurd systems through humor.

Practical Takeaways for People on the Registry

If you or someone you know is subject to sex offender registration, here are some concrete lessons from this discussion:

1. Never Assume Your Term Is Universal

Completing a registration term in one state does not guarantee you’re finished everywhere.

  • Before moving, carefully check destination state law.
  • Look specifically for:
  • Whether prior completion elsewhere is recognized, and
  • Whether moving triggers a new registration period.

2. Understand Whether Your State Uses Automatic or Petition-Based Removal

Ask these questions about your current state:

  • Does my term end automatically when the statute says it does?
  • Or must I petition the court and prove I qualify for release?
  • Are there different rules if my conviction was out-of-state or federal?

If petition is required, plan ahead—these processes can take time and money.

3. Don’t Over-Blame the Adam Walsh Act

While AWA and SORNA set some overarching standards, many of the most frustrating parts of getting off the registry exist because:

  • States chose to make them that way.
  • Local politics and advocacy heavily influenced those choices.

Understanding that distinction can help target reform efforts where they actually belong: at the state level.

Conclusion: Same Crime, Different Zip Code, Different Future

This podcast segment lays bare a fundamental problem in American criminal justice: your rights, restrictions, and chances for relief can change dramatically just by crossing a state line.

When it comes to sex offender registration:

  • Some states, like Pennsylvania and Vermont, allow automatic removal after a clear term.
  • Others, like New Mexico under “Regina’s Law,” may restart or extend your time if you move in.
  • Still others, like Washington, mix automatic endings for some people with petition requirements for others.

Until there is more rational, consistent policy across jurisdictions, people on registries must navigate a complex, fragmented landscape—one where “time served” doesn’t always mean what it should.

If you’re in that position, the most important step you can take is to learn your state’s rules in detail and research any state you might move to long before you pack a single box.