(1) A person commits the crime of failure to register as a sex offender if the person has a duty to register under RCW 9A.44.130 for a felony sex offense and knowingly fails to comply with any of the requirements of RCW 9A.44.130.

Attorney's Note

Under the Washington Code, punishments for crimes depend on the classification. In the case of this section:
ClassPrisonFine
class B felonyup to 10 yearsup to $20,000
class C felonyup to 5 yearsup to $10,000
gross misdemeanorup to 364 daysup to $5,000
For details, see Wash. Rev. Code § 9A.20.021

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Terms Used In Washington Code 9A.44.132

  • Conviction: A judgement of guilt against a criminal defendant.
  • person: may be construed to include the United States, this state, or any state or territory, or any public or private corporation or limited liability company, as well as an individual. See Washington Code 1.16.080
  • Statute of limitations: A law that sets the time within which parties must take action to enforce their rights.
(a) The failure to register as a sex offender pursuant to this subsection is a class C felony if the person has a duty to register under RCW 9A.44.130(1)(a) and:
(i) It is the person’s first conviction for a felony failure to register; or
(ii) The person has previously been convicted of a felony failure to register as a sex offender in this state or pursuant to the laws of another state, or pursuant to federal law.
(b) If a person has a duty to register under RCW 9A.44.130(1)(a) and has been convicted of a felony failure to register as a sex offender in this state or pursuant to the laws of another state, or pursuant to federal law, on two or more prior occasions, the failure to register under this subsection is a class B felony.
(c) The failure to register as a sex offender is a gross misdemeanor if the person has a duty to register under RCW 9A.44.130(1)(b).
(2) A person is guilty of failure to register as a sex offender if the person has a duty to register under RCW 9A.44.130 for a sex offense other than a felony and knowingly fails to comply with any of the requirements of RCW 9A.44.130. The failure to register as a sex offender under this subsection is a gross misdemeanor.
(3) A person commits the crime of failure to register as a kidnapping offender if the person has a duty to register under RCW 9A.44.130 for a kidnapping offense and knowingly fails to comply with any of the requirements of RCW 9A.44.130.
(a) If the person has a duty to register for a felony kidnapping offense, the failure to register as a kidnapping offender is a class C felony.
(b) If the person has a duty to register for a kidnapping offense other than a felony, the failure to register as a kidnapping offender is a gross misdemeanor.
(4) Unless relieved of the duty to register pursuant to RCW 9A.44.141 and 9A.44.142, a violation of this section is an ongoing offense for purposes of the statute of limitations under RCW 9A.04.080.

NOTES:

FindingsIntent2023 c 150: See note following RCW 9A.44.130.
Short titleFindings2019 c 443: See notes following RCW 43.43.754.
Application2010 c 267: See note following RCW 9A.44.128.