Maryland Sex Offenders

Maryland keeps a public sex offender registry you can search online. The Maryland Department of Public Safety and Correctional Services runs the registry and posts it at dpscs.maryland.gov. You can look up registered sex offenders in Maryland by name, ZIP code, address, or county. Results show each person's photo, current address, tier level, and conviction details. This guide explains how to use the Maryland sex offender registry, what the data means, and where to find local resources across all 24 counties.

Maryland Sex Offender Registry

The Maryland sex offender registry is maintained by the Department of Public Safety and Correctional Services (DPSCS) through a unit called the Sex Offender Registry Unit, or SORU. It sits within the Criminal Justice Information System division. The registry uses the iCrimeWatch network platform to host the public-facing search tool. You reach the search from the main DPSCS registry page, which then sends you to the search interface at sheriffalerts.com with Maryland's specific agency code built in.

The registry is free to use. No account is required. You can search any time of day from any device. Maryland law under Criminal Procedure Article § 11-717 requires that registration statements be made available to the public. This means the state has a legal duty to give you access, not just a policy choice. The registry shows current and accurate data because offenders must update their information within three days of any change.

The SORU office is located at 6776 Reisterstown Road, Suite 209, Baltimore, MD 21215. You can reach them by phone at 410-585-3600 or by fax at 410-653-5690. Mail goes to P.O. Box 5743, Pikesville, MD 21282-5743. The unit also processes written requests for registration statements.

The state registry page displays a scam warning worth noting. Maryland law enforcement will never ask a registered offender to send money, gift cards, or any form of payment to avoid a warrant or arrest. If you get a call like that, it is a scam. Report it to police.

How to Search Maryland Sex Offenders

The Maryland registry gives you several ways to search for sex offenders. You can search by name, ZIP code, address, city, county, or map area. Each method returns a list of matching offenders with photos and basic details. The name search requires at least a last name initial. The system also searches known aliases automatically, so you do not need to know every name a person has used. This is useful when looking up someone who may go by different names.

ZIP code searches are popular for checking a neighborhood. Enter a five-digit postal code and pick a search radius from the dropdown. The radius options run from 0.25 miles up to five miles. The map view shows offender pins on an interactive map, which lets you zoom in and see exact locations. You can also filter results by tier level or check a box to show only non-compliant offenders. Non-compliant means the offender has not met their registration duties.

For deeper court records tied to sex offense cases, the Maryland Judiciary Case Search is available 24 hours a day. You can search by name or case number to pull up case summaries, hearing dates, and dispositions from both District and Circuit Courts across all counties. This is a separate tool from the sex offender registry and covers a wider range of criminal case data.

The National Sex Offender Public Website (NSOPW) lets you run a single search that checks registries in all 50 states at once. It pulls data directly from each state's registry, including Maryland. Use this when you want to check whether someone has a registration in another state.

What Maryland Sex Offender Records Show

Each sex offender profile in Maryland's registry contains a set of data fields defined by state law. Under CP § 11-706, the state collects full legal name and all aliases, current residential address, digital photograph, date of birth, employment or school information, vehicle make and model, and internet identifiers such as email addresses and screen names. Not all of these fields appear in the public profile, but many do.

The public registration statement under CP § 11-717 shows the offender's full name and any known aliases, their current photo, age, residential address, place of employment or school, registration tier, the length of registration required, and a description of the offense both in legal terms and plain language. The conviction date and the jurisdiction where the conviction happened are also listed. Vehicle information including make, model, color, and license plate number appears when available. Some fields are redacted by law. Fingerprints, palm prints, Social Security numbers, victim information, and FBI numbers are not shown to the public.

Each profile also shows the offender's compliance status. The registry flags whether a person is compliant, non-compliant, an absconder, incarcerated, or out of state. This status is updated as local law enforcement conducts verification checks.

Maryland Sex Offender Tier Classifications

Maryland uses a three-tier system to classify registered sex offenders. The tier affects how long a person must register and how often they must appear in person to verify their information. Under CP § 11-707, Tier I offenders register for 15 years and verify every six months. Tier II offenders register for 25 years and verify every six months as well. Tier III offenders must register for life and verify every three months. Sexually violent predators also register for life and must verify every 90 days.

Tier I covers lower-level offenses such as fourth-degree sex offense, visual surveillance with prurient intent, possession of child pornography, and sex trafficking by force, fraud, or coercion. These offenses carry a 15-year registration period. Tier II applies to more serious conduct including third-degree sex offense (statutory), distribution of child pornography, human trafficking, hiring a minor for prohibited purposes, and abduction of a child under 16 for prostitution. Tier II carries a 25-year registration period.

Tier III is the most serious level. It includes first and second degree rape, first and second degree sex offense, incest, kidnapping, child kidnapping of a child under 12, forcible sodomy, continuing course of conduct with a child, sexual abuse of a minor, murder with intent to rape or sexually abuse a minor, and assault with intent to rape. Anyone in Tier III must register for life.

Offenders who are homeless must register once per week for the duration of their homelessness. This weekly check-in requirement is specific to Maryland and helps law enforcement track individuals without a fixed address. Any change in address, employment, school, vehicle, phone, email, or legal name must be reported to local law enforcement within three days under CP § 11-704.

Get Alerts About Sex Offenders in Maryland

Maryland offers several free alert systems so you can get notified when a registered sex offender moves into your area. The Maryland Sex Offender Alert Line is a phone-based system. Call 1-866-559-8017, enter your phone number, and enter the ZIP code you want to monitor. The system will call you automatically when a registered offender moves into that ZIP code. It costs nothing and works for any ZIP code in the state.

The iCrimeWatch system at icrimewatch.net lets you register an address and choose a monitoring radius from 0.25 to five miles. You can add multiple addresses, such as your home and a child's school. The system sends email or phone alerts when a registered offender moves within your chosen radius. Registration is free. Check your junk mail folder if you do not receive the confirmation email within 24 hours.

VINE (Victim Information and Notification Everyday) is a different kind of alert tool. VineLink notifies registered victims when an incarcerated person's custody status changes. If you want to know when someone is released from a Maryland correctional facility, VINE is the right tool. It handles notifications by email, text, or phone call and is free to use.

Request Maryland Sex Offender Registration Statements

You can ask the Sex Offender Registry Unit for a copy of a specific person's registration statement by mail or fax. No special form is required. A written letter is enough. Your request must be in writing, must name the specific offender or request records by ZIP code or county, and must include your name and mailing address. You can also state a reason for the request, though this is not required. The unit has 30 working days to respond under the Maryland Public Information Act.

Send your written request to: Sex Offender Registry Unit, P.O. Box 5743, Pikesville, MD 21282-5743. You can also fax to 410-653-5690. For court case records tied to sex offense convictions, visit the Maryland Judiciary Case Search online or contact the Circuit Court Clerk in the county where the case was heard. Copy fees at Circuit Courts run $0.50 per page for standard copies and $5.00 for certified copies. District Courts charge the same rates.

Maryland Sex Offender Registration Laws

Maryland's sex offender registration laws are found in Criminal Procedure Article, Subtitle 7. Under CP § 11-705, new registrants must appear within three days of release from a correctional facility, release to community supervision, or moving into Maryland. Out-of-state offenders moving to Maryland must register within seven days of establishing a residence or applying for a driver's license. Those starting a job or school in Maryland have 14 days to register.

Failing to register is a serious offense in Maryland. Under CP § 11-721, a first failure-to-register offense is a misdemeanor punishable by up to three years in jail and a fine up to $5,000. A second or later offense becomes a felony with up to five years in prison and a fine up to $10,000. The same penalties apply for failing to update required information on time. Under CP § 11-722, registered sex offenders are prohibited from entering school or daycare property without permission of the principal or owner.

Local law enforcement agencies are the designated registration units in each county. They conduct compliance checks, verify addresses, and keep records in the statewide database. Each county handles registration through its sheriff's office or police department, depending on local structure. You can find county-specific contact information on each county page in this directory.

Browse Maryland Sex Offender Records by County

Each Maryland county has its own local law enforcement unit that handles sex offender registration. Pick a county below to find registration contacts, local court resources, and victim services.

View All 24 Maryland Counties

Maryland Sex Offenders by City

Residents of major Maryland cities can search for local sex offender information and find the county agency that handles registration for their area.

View Major Maryland Cities