Charlottesville Sex Offender Registry

Charlottesville residents can search the Virginia State Police sex offender registry for free to find registered offenders living, working, or attending school in the city. Charlottesville has roughly 100 to 120 registered sex offenders on file. The database is updated each business day and is searchable by name, address, or zip code. This page explains how to use the search, what the Charlottesville Police Department does locally, and what Virginia law requires of registered offenders.

Searching the Charlottesville Registry

The Virginia Sex Offender and Crimes Against Minors Registry is available at sex-offender.vsp.virginia.gov/sor and at the alternate portal vspsor.com. Both are free and connect to the same database. Charlottesville has several zip codes, including 22902, 22903, 22904, and 22905, so a search by city name or address tends to return more complete results than a zip code search alone.

Each result includes the offender's current address, a photo, date of birth, and a brief summary of the offense that required registration. The registry also shows whether an offender is in compliance or has an active alert. Email notifications are available if you want updates on a specific address or offender.

The National Sex Offender Public Website offers a broader search across all 50 states. This is useful if you want to check whether someone moving to Charlottesville has a registration history in another state. The national tool links back to the Virginia State Police registry for Virginia-based results.

Charlottesville's connection to the University of Virginia means the CPD also works closely with university public safety on cases involving students or university-area residents.

The Charlottesville Police Department at 606 E. Market Street coordinates sex offender registry monitoring with the Virginia State Police and maintains a Special Victims Unit for sex crime investigations.

Charlottesville Police Department

The Charlottesville Police Department (CPD) is at 606 E. Market Street, Charlottesville, VA 22902. The non-emergency line is (434) 970-3280. Chief Michael Kochis leads the department, which operates 24 hours a day.

The CPD has a Special Victims Unit that investigates sexual assaults, child abuse, and other sex crimes. CPD coordinates with VSP on registry compliance, including address verification checks for registered offenders living or working in Charlottesville. The department released a 2025 Snapshot showing significant crime reductions and also partners with the 3A Regional Drug and Gang Taskforce. The Criminal Investigations Division handles complex cases, and FOIA requests are accepted by the Records Section.

Background check services and fingerprinting are available through the department. If you believe an offender in Charlottesville is out of compliance, contact CPD or the VSP Sex Offender Registry unit at (804) 674-2825.

The Charlottesville Police Department also coordinates with the Charlottesville Circuit Court and Albemarle County Sheriff when investigations or registry violations extend beyond city limits.

Charlottesville Circuit Court

The Charlottesville Circuit Court is at 315 E. High Street, Charlottesville, VA 22902. Clerk Llezelle A. Dugger runs the office, which is open Monday through Friday from 8:00 AM to 4:30 PM. The phone is (434) 970-3386.

This court handles felony sex offense cases that result in registration requirements. Court records are available online through the Virginia Case Information System. Copy fees are $0.50 per page and $2.00 for certified copies. Offenders who have completed their registration period may petition through this court for removal from the registry, if their tier allows it.

The court also handles protective orders and civil commitment proceedings related to sex offenders. For serious Tier III cases, the Circuit Court is the venue for hearings on lifetime registration obligations.

Registration Rules Under Virginia Law

Virginia's sex offender registration framework is in Virginia Code Title 9.1, Chapter 9. Every person convicted of a qualifying offense must register within three days of sentencing or release. In-person registration is required, and offenders must provide an updated photo and confirm their home and work address at each visit.

Tier I requires annual in-person verification for 15 years. Tier II also requires annual verification but for 25 years. Tier III requires verification every 90 days for life. Home address changes must be reported within three days. Internet identifier changes must be reported within 30 minutes of the change. These rules apply to all offenders in Charlottesville without exception.

Failure to comply is a Class 1 misdemeanor for Tier I and II offenders and a Class 6 felony for Tier III. Charlottesville courts handle charges that result from registry violations within the city. Residency restrictions also apply: offenders cannot live or work within 500 feet of schools, daycares, or parks.

Note: Anyone convicted of a qualifying offense in another state who moves to Charlottesville must register in Virginia within three days of establishing residence.

State Resources for Charlottesville Residents

The Virginia State Police Sex Offender Registry unit is the main contact for registry questions. Phone is (804) 674-2825 and email is sor.vsp@vsp.virginia.gov. VSP handles address verification checks, compliance investigations, and the technical side of the registry database. If you suspect a Charlottesville offender is violating their registration requirements, start by calling VSP or CPD.

The Virginia Department of Criminal Justice Services supports training for local agencies and oversees community notification programs. DCJS resources are accessible to Charlottesville residents who want to understand how the notification system works in their neighborhood. The DCJS website also has guidance on how to request community notification briefings from law enforcement.

For formal criminal background checks beyond the free public registry, the VSP Criminal Justice Information Services division handles fee-based requests using fingerprints and formal request forms. This is separate from the free search tool. For most day-to-day residential concerns, the free public registry at the VSP portal is sufficient and takes only a few minutes to use.

County Information

Charlottesville is an independent city surrounded by Albemarle County. The Albemarle County Sheriff's Office covers the areas outside city limits and uses the same Virginia State Police registry. For offenders in the broader Charlottesville area who live in the county rather than the city, check the Albemarle County page.

Nearby Virginia Cities

Other Central Virginia cities with sex offender registry information are listed below.

Registry Use and Public Safety

Virginia law makes sex offender registry information available to the public to help protect communities. You can use the registry to check if an offender lives near your home, school, or workplace. The National Sex Offender Public Website at nsopw.gov also lets you search across all states at once. This is useful when checking on someone who may have moved to Virginia from out of state. The Virginia Department of Criminal Justice Services at dcjs.virginia.gov has more information about the registry program and community safety resources available to local agencies.

Note: Registry information is for public safety purposes only. Using it to harass or intimidate an offender is prohibited under Virginia law and can result in criminal charges.