(a) A person who is a State resident and who has a reportable conviction shall be required to maintain registration with the sheriff of the county where the person resides. If the person moves to North Carolina from outside this State, the person shall register within three business days of establishing residence in this State, or whenever the person has been present in the State for 15 days, whichever comes first. If the person is a current resident of North Carolina, the person shall register:

(1) Within three business days of release from a penal institution or arrival in a county to live outside a penal institution; or

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Terms Used In North Carolina General Statutes 14-208.7

  • Conviction: A judgement of guilt against a criminal defendant.
  • following: when used by way of reference to any section of a statute, shall be construed to mean the section next preceding or next following that in which such reference is made; unless when some other section is expressly designated in such reference. See North Carolina General Statutes 12-3
  • state: when applied to the different parts of the United States, shall be construed to extend to and include the District of Columbia and the several territories, so called; and the words "United States" shall be construed to include the said district and territories and all dependencies. See North Carolina General Statutes 12-3

(2) Immediately upon conviction for a reportable offense where an active term of imprisonment was not imposed.

Registration shall be maintained for a period of at least 30 years following the date of initial county registration unless the person, after 10 years of registration, successfully petitions the superior court to shorten his or her registration time period under N.C. Gen. Stat. § 14-208.12A.

(a1) A person who is a nonresident student or a nonresident worker and who has a reportable conviction, or is required to register in the person’s state of residency, is required to maintain registration with the sheriff of the county where the person works or attends school. In addition to the information required under subsection (b) of this section, the person shall also provide information regarding the person’s school or place of employment as appropriate and the person’s address in his or her state of residence.

(b) The Department of Public Safety shall provide each sheriff with forms for registering persons as required by this Article. The registration form shall require all of the following:

(1) The person’s full name, each alias, date of birth, sex, race, height, weight, eye color, hair color, drivers license number, and home address.

(1a) A statement indicating what the person’s name was at the time of the conviction for the offense that requires registration; what alias, if any, the person was using at the time of the conviction of that offense; and the name of the person as it appears on the judgment imposing the sentence on the person for the conviction of the offense.

(2) The type of offense for which the person was convicted, the date of conviction, and the sentence imposed.

(3) A current photograph taken by the sheriff, without charge, at the time of registration.

(4) The person’s fingerprints taken by the sheriff, without charge, at the time of registration.

(5) A statement indicating whether the person is a student or expects to enroll as a student within a year of registering. If the person is a student or expects to enroll as a student within a year of registration, then the registration form shall also require the name and address of the educational institution at which the person is a student or expects to enroll as a student.

(6) A statement indicating whether the person is employed or expects to be employed at an institution of higher education within a year of registering. If the person is employed or expects to be employed at an institution of higher education within a year of registration, then the registration form shall also require the name and address of the educational institution at which the person is or expects to be employed.

(7) Any online identifier that the person uses or intends to use.

(c) When a person registers, the sheriff with whom the person registered shall immediately send the registration information to the Department of Public Safety in a manner determined by the Department of Public Safety. The sheriff shall retain the original registration form and other information collected and shall compile the information that is a public record under this Part into a county registry.

(d) Any person required to register under this section shall report in person at the appropriate sheriff’s office to comply with the registration requirements set out in this section. The sheriff shall provide the registrant with written proof of registration at the time of registration. (1995, c. 545, s. 1; 1997-516, s. 1; 2001-373, s. 4; 2002-147, s. 17; 2006-247, s. 5(a); 2008-117, s. 8; 2008-220, s. 2; 2011-61, s. 1; 2014-100, s. 17.1(r).)