Roanoke Sex Offender Registry
The Roanoke sex offender registry is part of the Virginia State Police Sex Offender and Crimes Against Minors Registry. Search it free at sex-offender.vsp.virginia.gov/sor or at vspsor.com. Enter a name or zip code to find registered offenders in Roanoke. The city has its own police department and sheriff's office, both of which handle registration and registry compliance for sex offenders who live or work here.
Roanoke Overview
Search Roanoke Sex Offender Records
The Virginia State Police run the official registry for all sex offenders in Roanoke. The search tool is free and open to the public. You do not need an account or ID to use it. Go to sex-offender.vsp.virginia.gov/sor and search by name or by zip code. Roanoke zip codes include 24011, 24012, 24013, 24014, 24015, 24016, 24017, 24018, and 24019. The database updates each business day with new registrations and address changes.
Results show the offender's name and any known aliases. You can also see their current address, date of birth, and a photo when one is on file. Each entry shows the conviction offense and the tier level. Tier III offenders are the highest risk group. Call (804) 674-2825 or email sor.vsp@vsp.virginia.gov if you have questions about the registry or a specific entry.
The Roanoke City Sheriff's Office at 340 Campbell Avenue SW handles fingerprinting for sex offender registration. Walk-in fingerprinting is available Monday through Thursday starting at 9:00 AM. The phone number is (540) 853-2941. Offenders must appear here when they first arrive in Roanoke and when they need to update required information.
The Sheriff's Office processes initial registrations and handles re-registration appointments for Roanoke sex offenders.
The Roanoke Police Department is at 348 Campbell Avenue SW, reachable at (540) 853-2211. Their Investigative Services Division handles sex crimes cases and works with the Sheriff's Office on registry compliance checks.
Virginia Sex Offender Laws
Sex offender registration in Roanoke follows Virginia Code Title 9.1, Chapter 9. The law sets out who must register, how often they must verify, and the penalties for failing to comply. Virginia uses a three-tier system tied to offense type and assessed risk.
Under Virginia Code section 9.1-901, anyone convicted of a qualifying offense on or after July 1, 1994 must register. Qualifying offenses include rape, forcible sodomy, carnal knowledge of a minor, child pornography, and computer solicitation of minors. Persons found not guilty by reason of insanity for those offenses on or after July 1, 2007 must also register.
Tier I offenders verify once a year and may petition for removal after 15 years. Tier II offenders verify annually and can petition after 25 years. Tier III offenders verify every 90 days and generally remain on the registry for life. The process for petitioning for removal is in section 9.1-910 of the Virginia Code.
Tier III offenders may not live within 500 feet of a school or daycare center in most cases. Failing to register is a Class 1 misdemeanor for Tier I and II offenders. For Tier III it is a Class 6 felony. A second Tier III violation is a Class 5 felony. See section 18.2-472.1 for penalties. The full code is at law.lis.virginia.gov.
Registration Requirements
Offenders who live, work, or attend school in Roanoke must register here. This includes people from other states who come to Roanoke for work or school. Out-of-state offenders must register within 10 days of starting employment or school if they are already on a registry in another state.
First-time registration must happen within three days of release from custody, conviction, or arrival in Virginia. Offenders provide their full name, aliases, date of birth, current address, employer, school enrollment if any, and internet identifiers. A photo is taken at the time of registration. The fingerprints go to the Virginia State Police and into the registry system.
Address changes must be reported within three days. Internet identifier changes such as new email addresses or online usernames must be reported within 30 minutes of the change. These fast timelines are set by state law and apply to all registrants in Roanoke. Failing to report on time is a criminal offense under section 18.2-472.1.
The Virginia State Police offender database includes addresses, photos, and full conviction details for all persons registered in Roanoke.
Additional Resources
The National Sex Offender Public Website lets you search Roanoke and all other states from one tool. This helps if you need to check on someone who may have moved to Roanoke from another state. The site links to every state's registry and shows a combined result set.
The Virginia Department of Criminal Justice Services at dcjs.virginia.gov provides information about the registry program and related public safety efforts. They work alongside the Virginia State Police to support registry enforcement and community safety programs across the state.
Note: The registry is for public safety purposes only. Using registry information to harass or intimidate an offender is a Class 1 misdemeanor under Virginia law.
County Information
Roanoke is an independent city and is not part of any county. It is surrounded by Roanoke County, which has its own sheriff and registry processes. City offenders register with the Roanoke City Sheriff's Office, not with the county.
Nearby Virginia Cities
These cities are near Roanoke. Each follows the same Virginia sex offender registry rules.
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.
How to Read Registry Results
When you search the Virginia State Police registry, each result shows a set of standard fields. You will see the offender's full name and any aliases. The current address appears below the name. If the offender's photo is on file, it shows on the left side of the result. The conviction offense is listed, along with the date of conviction and the locality where the case was heard. The tier level appears near the top of each entry. Tier I is the lowest risk, Tier III the highest. All of this information comes directly from state police records and is updated each business day.