Roanoke County Sex Offender Registry

Roanoke County residents can access the sex offender registry at no charge through the Virginia State Police public database. The registry lists all offenders who must register in Roanoke County and supports searches by name, address, or zip code. This page covers the search tools available, which offices handle registration locally, how Virginia's tier system works, and what to do if you believe an offender is out of compliance in the Roanoke Valley area.

Search the Roanoke County Sex Offender Registry

The Virginia Sex Offender and Crimes Against Minors Registry is the official database for Roanoke County sex offender information. It is run by the Virginia State Police and is available at sex-offender.vsp.virginia.gov/sor. An alternate portal at vspsor.com pulls from the same database. No login is needed. Access is free to the public.

Roanoke County surrounds the independent cities of Roanoke and Salem, so zip codes can vary depending on the part of the county you are searching. Common zip codes for Roanoke County communities include 24018, 24019, 24153, and 24179, among others. Searching by street address with a set radius is often more precise for this area. Results show each offender's name, current address, photograph, date of birth, tier level, and the offense that triggered registration.

The Roanoke County Police Department is a full-service law enforcement agency that coordinates with the Sheriff's Office on sex offender monitoring. The Police Department can be reached through roanokecountyva.gov/departments/police-department. For non-emergency contact, call (540) 562-3265. The department has an investigations division for sex crimes and participates in regional law enforcement coordination across the Roanoke Valley.

Roanoke County public safety resources at roanokecountyva.gov include the Police Department and Sheriff's Office, both of which support sex offender registry enforcement in the county.

Roanoke County Sheriff's Office and Registration

The Roanoke County Sheriff's Office is located at the Roanoke County Courthouse. The Sheriff's Office handles court security, prisoner transport, civil process service, and warrant service, as well as sex offender registration processing. Their official page is at roanokecountyva.gov/departments/sheriffs-office.

When a court conviction triggers registration, the offender must report to the Sheriff's Office within three days of sentencing or release. They provide a current address, a photo, fingerprints, and identifying information. All future changes must also be reported promptly. Address changes require a three-day notice. New employer, school, or vehicle information also requires reporting within three days. Changes to email addresses or social media accounts must be reported within 30 minutes.

Offenders who move to Roanoke County from another part of Virginia or from out of state must register with the local Sheriff's Office within three days of arriving. Virginia law applies to anyone who establishes a residence, takes a job, or enrolls in school in the state on a continuing basis. The Roanoke County Sheriff's Office can confirm whether an offender is currently registered and compliant.

Note: Virginia State Police support local agencies through the statewide registry system. For registry questions or to report non-compliance, contact VSP at (804) 674-2825 or sor.vsp@vsp.virginia.gov.

Virginia's Tier System in Roanoke County

Virginia assigns all sex offenders to one of three tiers at sentencing. The tier is based on the nature of the offense and determines both re-registration frequency and total registration duration. These rules come from Virginia Code Title 9.1, Chapter 9.

Tier I requires annual registration. After 15 years without a new offense, the offender may petition the court for removal from the registry. Tier II offenses are more serious, with a focus on crimes involving minors. Tier II offenders also register annually but must do so for 25 years before seeking removal. In both cases, the court reviews the petition and decides whether removal is appropriate.

Tier III covers the most serious offenses and repeat sex offenders. These individuals must register every 90 days for the rest of their lives. No petition process exists for Tier III removal. Tier III offenders are also prohibited from living, working, or loitering within 500 feet of schools or facilities that serve children primarily. Failing to register on time is a Class 1 misdemeanor for Tier I and Tier II, and a Class 6 felony for Tier III under Virginia Code Title 9.1, Chapter 9.

National Registry and Other Search Resources

The National Sex Offender Public Website is maintained by the U.S. Department of Justice and provides access to all 50 state registries through a single search. This is useful if you are checking whether someone who lives or works in Roanoke County was previously registered in another state, or if you want to track an offender who has moved out of Virginia. National results for Virginia link to the VSP database, so the data is consistent.

The Virginia Department of Criminal Justice Services at dcjs.virginia.gov offers research and policy guidance on sex offender management in Virginia. Their resources cover how the registry system works, what communities can do to support compliance, and how local agencies coordinate with state-level enforcement. It is a helpful reference for schools, parent groups, and neighborhood organizations in Roanoke County.

Cities in Roanoke County

Two independent cities are surrounded by Roanoke County and have their own sex offender registry pages on this site.

Nearby Counties

These counties border or adjoin Roanoke County and maintain their own sex offender listings through the Virginia State Police registry.

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.