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Washington statute

RCW 9A.44.132 — Failure to register as sex offender or kidnapping offender

Current through 2026 Regular Session

Part of Chapter 9A.44: Sex Offenses, Revised Code of Washington.

Criminal charges under this statute

Full text of RCW 9A.44.132

Statutory text current through the 2026 Regular Session. This publication reproduces the official text of the Revised Code of Washington from the Code Reviser's published files; it is not the official statutes of the State of Washington.

RCW 9A.44.132Primary source, current through the 2026 Regular Session
(1) A person commits the crime of failure to register as a sex offender if the person has a duty to register under RCW 9A.44.130 for a felony sex offense and knowingly fails to comply with any of the requirements of RCW 9A.44.130. (a) The failure to register as a sex offender pursuant to this subsection is a class C felony if the person has a duty to register under RCW 9A.44.130(1)(a) and: (i) It is the person's first conviction for a felony failure to register; or (ii) The person has previously been convicted of a felony failure to register as a sex offender in this state or pursuant to the laws of another state, or pursuant to federal law. (b) If a person has a duty to register under RCW 9A.44.130(1)(a) and has been convicted of a felony failure to register as a sex offender in this state or pursuant to the laws of another state, or pursuant to federal law, on two or more prior occasions, the failure to register under this subsection is a class B felony. (c) The failure to register as a sex offender is a gross misdemeanor if the person has a duty to register under RCW 9A.44.130(1)(b). (2) A person is guilty of failure to register as a sex offender if the person has a duty to register under RCW 9A.44.130 for a sex offense other than a felony and knowingly fails to comply with any of the requirements of RCW 9A.44.130. The failure to register as a sex offender under this subsection is a gross misdemeanor. (3) A person commits the crime of failure to register as a kidnapping offender if the person has a duty to register under RCW 9A.44.130 for a kidnapping offense and knowingly fails to comply with any of the requirements of RCW 9A.44.130. (a) If the person has a duty to register for a felony kidnapping offense, the failure to register as a kidnapping offender is a class C felony. (b) If the person has a duty to register for a kidnapping offense other than a felony, the failure to register as a kidnapping offender is a gross misdemeanor. (4) Unless relieved of the duty to register pursuant to RCW 9A.44.141 and 9A.44.142, a violation of this section is an ongoing offense for purposes of the statute of limitations under RCW 9A.04.080.

Official sources

Legal terms used in this section

Questions this section answers

Is failure to register as sex offender or kidnapping offender a felony or a misdemeanor in Washington?

It depends on the circumstances: failure to register as sex offender or kidnapping offender ranges from a Gross Misdemeanor to a Class B Felony in Washington under RCW 9A.44.132.

Failure to register as sex offender — felony duty, first or subsequent single prior conviction: Class C Felony (RCW 9A.44.132(1)(a)) · Failure to register as sex offender — felony duty, two or more prior convictions: Class B Felony (RCW 9A.44.132(1)(b)) · Failure to register as sex offender — non-felony duty (felony sex offense provision): Gross Misdemeanor (RCW 9A.44.132(1)(c)) · Failure to register as sex offender — non-felony sex offense: Gross Misdemeanor (RCW 9A.44.132(2)) · Failure to register as kidnapping offender — felony kidnapping duty: Class C Felony (RCW 9A.44.132(3)(a)) · Failure to register as kidnapping offender — non-felony kidnapping duty: Gross Misdemeanor (RCW 9A.44.132(3)(b))

Which Washington statute covers failure to register as sex offender or kidnapping offender?

Failure to register as sex offender or kidnapping offender is governed by RCW 9A.44.132 (Failure to register as sex offender or kidnapping offender).

This reference is informational and is not legal advice.