Removing Name from Megan’s Law Website

If a person has been convicted of certain registerable offenses, that person may file an application with the Department of Justice for exclusion from the Megan’s Law website.  He or she bears the burden of proving the facts that make him or her eligible for exclusion from the Megan’s Law website.

Eligible Offenses

If you were convicted of the following offenses you may be able to get removed from the Megan’s law website: 

  • A felony violation of subdivision (a) of Section 243.4.
  • Section 647.6, if the offense is a misdemeanor.
  • A felony violation of Section 311.1, subdivision (b), (c), or (d) of Section 311.2, or Section 311.3, 311.4, 311.10, or 311.11 if the person submits a certified copy of a probation report that clearly states that all victims were at least 16 years of age or older.
  • An offense for which the offender successfully completed probation, provided that the offender submits to the department a certified copy of a probation report, pre-sentencing report, report prepared pursuant to Section 288.1, that clearly demonstrates that the offender was the victim’s parent, step parent, sibling, or grandparent and that the crime did not involve either oral copulation or penetration of the vagina or rectum of either the victim or the offender by the penis of the other or by any foreign object.

Successful completion of probation is required

“Successfully completed probation” means that during the period of probation the offender neither received additional county jail or state prison time for a violation of probation nor was convicted of another offense resulting in a sentence to county jail or state prison.  If the offender commits a violation of probation resulting in his or her incarceration in county jail or state prison, the application for exclusion from the Internet Web site shall be terminated.

Low Risk Offender 

No person shall be excluded pursuant to this subdivision unless the offender has submitted to the department documentation sufficient for the department to determine that he or she has a SARATSO risk level of low or moderate-low.

Benefit of Removal from Megan’s Law Website

If the department determines that the person meets the requirements for exclusion, the department shall grant the exclusion and no information concerning the person shall be made available via the Website.

Duty to Register still Required

A person who has filed for or been granted an exclusion from the Internet Website is not relieved of his or her duty to register as a sex offender pursuant to Section 290 nor from any otherwise applicable provision of law.

California Penal Code Section 290.46.  

“(e) (1) If a person has been convicted of the commission or the attempted commission of any of the offenses listed in this subdivision, and he or she has been convicted of no other offense listed in subdivision (b), (c), or (d) other than those listed in this subdivision, that person may file an application with the Department of Justice, on a form approved by the department, for exclusion from the Internet Web site. If the department determines that the person meets the requirements of this subdivision, the department shall grant the exclusion and no information concerning the person shall be made available via the Internet Web site described in this section. He or she bears the burden of proving the facts that make him or her eligible for exclusion from the Internet Web site. However, a person who has filed for or been granted an exclusion from the Internet Web site is not relieved of his or her duty to register as a sex offender pursuant to Section 290 nor from any otherwise applicable provision of law.
(2) This subdivision shall apply to the following offenses:
(A) A felony violation of subdivision (a) of Section 243.4.
(B) Section 647.6, if the offense is a misdemeanor.
(C) A felony violation of Section 311.1, subdivision (b), (c), or (d) of Section 311.2, or Section 311.3, 311.4, 311.10, or 311.11 if the person submits to the department a certified copy of a probation report filed in court that clearly states that all victims involved in the commission of the offense were at least 16 years of age or older at the time of the commission of the offense.
(D) (i) An offense for which the offender successfully completed probation, provided that the offender submits to the department a certified copy of a probation report, presentencing report, report prepared pursuant to Section 288.1, or other official court document that clearly demonstrates that the offender was the victim’s parent, stepparent, sibling, or grandparent and that the crime did not involve either oral copulation or penetration of the vagina or rectum of either the victim or the offender by the penis of the other or by any foreign object.
(ii) An offense for which the offender is on probation at the time of his or her application, provided that the offender submits to the department a certified copy of a probation report, presentencing report, report prepared pursuant to Section 288.1, or other official court document that clearly demonstrates that the offender was the victim’s parent, stepparent, sibling, or grandparent and that the crime did not involve either oral copulation or penetration of the vagina or rectum of either the victim or the offender by the penis of the other or by any foreign object.
(iii) If, subsequent to his or her application, the offender commits a violation of probation resulting in his or her incarceration in county jail or state prison, his or her exclusion, or application for exclusion, from the Internet Web site shall be terminated.
(iv) For the purposes of this subparagraph, “successfully completed probation” means that during the period of probation the offender neither received additional county jail or state prison time for a violation of probation nor was convicted of another offense resulting in a sentence to county jail or state prison.
(3) If the department determines that a person who was granted an exclusion under a former version of this subdivision would not qualify for an exclusion under the current version of this subdivision, the department shall rescind the exclusion, make a reasonable effort to provide notification to the person that the exclusion has been rescinded, and, no sooner than 30 days after notification is attempted, make information about the offender available to the public on the Internet Web site as provided in this section.
(4) Effective January 1, 2012, no person shall be excluded pursuant to this subdivision unless the offender has submitted to the department documentation sufficient for the department to determine that he or she has a SARATSO risk level of low or moderate-low.
(f) The Department of Justice shall make a reasonable effort to provide notification to persons who have been convicted of the commission or attempted commission of an offense specified in subdivision (b), (c), or (d), that on or before July 1, 2005, the department is required to make information about specified sex offenders available to the public via an Internet Web site as specified in this section. The Department of Justice shall also make a reasonable effort to provide notice that some offenders are eligible to apply for exclusion from the Internet Web site.