Georgia

Visitors must register after staying 8 to 29 days.

Visitors register after8–29 days

Georgia requires nonresident registrants to register if they stay more than 14 consecutive days or more than 30 days total in a calendar year. Registration is in person with the county sheriff within 72 hours, and attending school triggers it with no day threshold. Registrants appear on public sheriff and GBI lists, and loitering at schools, child care facilities, or areas where minors congregate is a felony.

Registering as a visitor

When it's required

After 14 days, counted in total over a calendar year.

Deadline

Register in person with the sheriff of the county where they reside or sleep, within 72 hours; the statute measures 72 hours from entry into the state, though the duty arises once the day thresholds are exceeded. Homeless visitors register with the sheriff of the county where they sleep and report the sleeping location.

Where

Sheriff of each county in Georgia where they reside or sleep (not GBI directly)

Also required if

More than 14 consecutive days in the state for any reason
More than 30 aggregate days in the state during a calendar year
Attending school in Georgia full-time or part-time (no day threshold)
Employment, including unpaid volunteer work, exceeding the 14-consecutive/30-aggregate day thresholds

Public registry

The law doesn't clearly say whether visitors appear on the public registry.

Each sheriff maintains a public list (office, county and municipal buildings, court clerk, sheriff's website) and GBI maintains a statewide public website. The statute draws no resident/visitor distinction and provides no removal upon departure; practice after departure is not governed by statute.

Places registrants can't go

Child care facility, school, or area where minors congregateUnlawful to loiter (as prohibited by O.C.G.A. § 16-11-36) at these places; knowing violation is a felony punishable by 10 to 30 years. 'Area where minors congregate' includes public and private parks and recreation facilities, playgrounds, skating rinks, neighborhood centers, gymnasiums, school bus stops, public libraries, and public and community swimming pools. 'Child care facility' includes pre-kindergarten facilities, child care learning centers, preschools, and long-term care facilities for children.Applies to: Any individual required to register under § 42-1-12, including nonresidents; no offense-date cutoff in subsection (d)
Within 1,000 feet of any child care facility, church, school, or area where minors congregateMay not reside there; measured outer boundary to outer boundaryApplies to: Registrants whose registrable offense occurred on or after July 1, 2008
Child care facility, school, church, or any business within 1,000 feet of oneMay not be employed by or volunteer at such places; 'volunteer' excludes adult-only activities and worship participation not involving unsupervised minorsApplies to: Registrants whose offense occurred on or after July 1, 2008
Business within 1,000 feet of an area where minors congregateMay not be employed by or volunteer thereApplies to: Sexually dangerous predators with offense on or after July 1, 2008

Laws cited

O.C.G.A. § 42-1-12 · Georgia Bureau of Investigation
O.C.G.A. § 42-1-15 · Georgia Bureau of Investigation
GBI Sex Offender Registry FAQ · Georgia Bureau of Investigation

Last checked September 19, 2026 · full review September 19, 2026

Research notes

Timing ambiguity: § 42-1-12(f)(2) runs 72 hours from 'entry into this state' while § 42-1-12(e)(7) triggers the duty only after 14 consecutive/30 aggregate days; no case read resolves this. §§ 16-11-36, 42-1-16, 42-1-17, and 42-1-19 were not read in official text, so the scope of 'loiter' and rules for pre-2008 offenses are unverified. No statewide Halloween provision was found in the two sections read; such restrictions in Georgia typically come from probation/parole conditions. The GBI-hosted § 42-1-12 text is an annotated compilation and may not reflect the most recent amendments. Registration practice varies among 159 county sheriffs. [Reviewer 2026-09-19: public listing changed from long_term to unknown: the statute is silent on removing visitors, which isn't evidence that they stay listed.]

Common questions

Do registered sex offenders have to register when visiting Georgia?

Visitors must register after 14 days, counted in total over a calendar year. Register in person with the sheriff of the county where they reside or sleep, within 72 hours; the statute measures 72 hours from entry into the state, though the duty arises once the day thresholds are exceeded. Homeless visitors register with the sheriff of the county where they sleep and report the sleeping location.

Will a visiting registrant appear on Georgia's public registry?

Georgia's law doesn't clearly say whether visitors appear on the public registry.

Are there places registrants can't go in Georgia?

The state restricts registrants from: child care facility, school, or area where minors congregate; within 1,000 feet of any child care facility, church, school, or area where minors congregate; child care facility, school, church, or any business within 1,000 feet of one; business within 1,000 feet of an area where minors congregate. Details and who they apply to are listed on this page.

General information, not legal advice. Laws change and local rules may add requirements. Confirm with the state registry agency or an attorney before you travel.