Megan’s Law for Montana

Megan’s Law for Montana

updated 3/25/2026

Contact Person: Sexual or Violent Offender Registry Analyst – EMAIL: dojsvor@mt.gov  PHONE: 406-444-7068 sexual offender analyst or 406-444-9877 violent offender analyst
Offenders Required to Register: Adult sex offenders, juvenile sex offenders court-ordered, juveniles convicted as an adult for the following offenses:

 

"Sexual offense" means any violation, attempt, solicitation, or conspiracy to commit a violation, or flight after the attempt or commission of the following:

 

    • 45-5-301, Unlawful Restraint, if the victim is less than 18 years of age and the offender is not a parent of the victim
    • 45-5-302, Kidnapping, if the victim is less than 18 years of age and the offender is not a parent of the victim
    • 45-5-303, Aggravated Kidnapping, if the victim is less than 18 years of age and the offender is not a parent of the victim
    • 45-5-502, Sexual Assault; (2)(c)on a third and subsequent conviction for sexual assault, (3) If the victim is less than 16 years old and the offender is 3 or more years older than the victim or if the offender inflicts bodily injury upon anyone in the course of committing sexual assault, and (4), If the victim is a client receiving psychotherapy services and the offender is providing or purporting to provide psychotherapy services to the victim
    • 45-5-503, Sexual Intercourse without Consent
    • 45-5-504, Indecent Exposure; (2)(c) On a third or subsequent conviction, and (3) A person commits the offense of indecent exposure to a minor if the person commits an offense under subsection (1) and the person knows the conduct will be observed by a person who is under 16 years of age and the offender is more than 4 years older than the victim, and subsection (4)(a) Except when a minor is accompanied by a parent or guardian, or when an individual with developmental disabilities is accompanied by a parent, guardian, or other caretaker or health care provider designated by the parent or guardian, a person commits the offense of indecent exposure in a public place when the person knowingly or purposely, under circumstances in which the person knows the conduct is likely to cause affront or alarm, exposes their genitals or intimate parts to members of the opposite biological sex or opposite the person's sex observed at birth.

(c) As used in this subsection (4), “public place” means a place to which the public or a group of persons has access and includes but is not limited to transportation facilities, restrooms, locker rooms, dressing rooms, and showers that are designated for multiperson, single-sex use, schools, places of amusement, parks, places of business, playgrounds, and hallways, lobbies, and other portions of apartment houses, multifamily dwellings, and hotels, except for rooms or apartments designed for actual residence.

    • 45-5-507, Incest, if the victim is less than 18 years of age and the offender is 3 or more years older than the victim, or if the victim is 12 years of age or younger and the offender is 18 years of age or older at the time of the offense
    • 45-5-508, Aggravated Sexual Intercourse without Consent
    • 45-5-601 Prostitution; (2)(b) A patron may be convicted of patronizing a prostitute if the patron engages in or agrees or offers to engage in sexual intercourse or sexual contact that is direct and not through clothing with another person for compensation, whether the compensation is received or to be received or paid or to be paid and (3), If the person patronized was a child and the patron was 18 years of age or older at the time of the offense, whether or not the patron was aware of the child's age
    • 45-5-625, Sexual Abuse of Children

 

Conviction on or after 10/1/2023

 

    • 45-5-622 Endangering the Welfare of Children;(2)(b)(ii), a parent or guardian or any person who is 18 years of age or older, or other person is supervising the welfare of the child, commits the offense of endangering the welfare of children knowingly contributes to the delinquency of a child less than:16 years old by assisting, promoting, or encouraging the child to: engage in sexual conduct
    • 45-5-627(1)(a), Ritual Abuse of a Minor; A person commits the offense of ritual abuse of a minor if the person purposely or knowingly and as part of any ceremony, rite, or ritual or of any training or practice for any ceremony, rite, or ritual:(a) has sexual intercourse without consent with a person less than 16 years of age; commits assault, aggravated assault, assault on a minor, or assault with a weapon against a victim less than 16 years of age; or kills a person less than 16 years of age
    • 45-5-705, Patronizing a Victim of Sex Trafficking
    • 45-5-706, Aggravated Sex Trafficking
    • 45-5-711, Child Sex Trafficking
    • 45-8-218, Deviate Sexual Conduct; A person who knowingly engages in deviate sexual relations or who causes another to engage in deviate sexual relations commits the offense of deviate sexual conduct.
    • 45-2-101 Sexual Deviant Conduct with Corpse; "deviate sexual relations" is defined as any form of "sexual intercourse with an animal or dead human body"

 

Conviction on or after 07/1/2025

 

    • 45-5-502 Sexual Assault; (2)(b) on a second conviction
    • 45-5-504, Indecent Exposure; (4)(a) Except when a minor is accompanied by a parent or guardian, or when an individual with developmental disabilities is accompanied by a parent, guardian, or other caretaker or health care provider designated by the parent or guardian, a person commits the offense of indecent exposure in a public place when the person knowingly or purposely, under circumstances in which the person knows the conduct is likely to cause affront or alarm, exposes their genitals or intimate parts to members of the opposite biological sex or opposite the person's sex observed at birth.

(c) As used in this subsection (4), “public place” means a place to which the public or a group of persons has access and includes but is not limited to transportation facilities, restrooms, locker rooms, dressing rooms, and showers that are designated for multiperson, single-sex use, schools, places of amusement, parks, places of business, playgrounds, and hallways, lobbies, and other portions of apartment houses, multifamily dwellings, and hotels, except for rooms or apartments designed for actual residence.

    • 45-5-629 Grooming of Child for Sexual Offense

(1) A person commits the offense of grooming of a child for a sexual offense if the person purposely or knowingly engages in a pattern of grooming behavior, including in-person or electronic communication, aimed at a child or the child’s guardian with the intent to:  (a) manipulate the child into engaging in sexual conduct, actual or simulated;  (b) coerce or entice a child under 16 years of age to meet in person to engage in sexual conduct, actual or simulated;  (c) distribute or facilitate access to sexually explicit material; or  (d) exploit a position of authority to develop an intimate or secretive relationship with a minor.

    • 45-5-802(1) Sexual Abuse of a Vulnerable Adult

(1) Except as provided in subsection (3), a person who purposely or knowingly abuses, sexually abuses, or neglects a vulnerable adult is guilty of a felony and shall be imprisoned for a term not to exceed 10 years and be fined an amount not to exceed $10,000, or both.

 

If a sexual offender is required to register in original conviction state, then they are required to register in Montana (Even if they are relieved of registration from the conviction state)

Out of State/Federal/Tribal/Foreign Offenses; Statute of conviction must be reasonably equivalent to MT qualifying offenses

Determination by our Legal advisor in AG’s office (In some instances, the conviction state does not require registration, but Montana does).

MCA 46-23-502 (9)(b) any violation of a law of another state, a tribal government, or the federal government that is reasonably equivalent to a violation listed in subsection (9)(a) or for which the offender was required to register as a sex offender after an adjudication or conviction

Montana registers violent (non-sexual) offenders, which include offenders with convictions for the following offenses: Strangulation of Partner or Family Member,  Deliberate Homicide, Mitigated Deliberate Homicide, Aggravated Assault, Partner/Family Member Assault, Assault on a Peace Officer, Assault on a Minor, Assault with a Weapon, Kidnapping, Aggravated Kidnapping, Robbery, Arson, Operation of a Clandestine Laboratory, and Abuse of a Vulnerable Adult.
Information Collected: Fingerprints, photograph, certain ID numbers, and type of offense, physical description, and date of birth, citizenship, phone number, current address, offense/conviction information, DNA, social media and email accounts.
Administrating Agency: State Department of Justice.
Timeframe for Registration: MCA 46-23-504 (1)(a-d)

(a) Sex or Violent offender shall register immediately upon conclusion of the sentencing hearing if the offender is not sentenced to confinement or is not sentenced to the department and placed in confinement by the department

(b) Must be registered at least 10 days prior to release from confinement if sentenced to confinement or sentenced to the department and placed in confinement by the department

(c) Shall register within 3 business days of entering a county of this state for the purpose of residing or setting up a temporary residence for 10 days or more or for an aggregate period exceeding 30 days in a calendar year.

(d) Who is a transient shall register within 3 business days of entering a county of this state
Applies to Out of State Offenders: Yes
Duration of Requirement: A sexual offender required to register, shall register for the remainder of the sexual offender's life.  The requirements and responsibilities of registration for sexual or violent offenders are explained in Title 46 Chapter 23 Part 5 of the Montana Code Annotated.

 

 

Who can petition (46-23-506)?

Tier Level 1 – after 10 years of registration

Tier Level 2 – after 25 years of registration

EXCEPT: (3) at any time after 10 years of registration for a level 1 sexual offender and at any time after 25 years of registration for a level 2 sexual offender, an offender may petition the sentencing court or the district court for the judicial district in which the offender resides for an order relieving the offender of the duty to register. The petition must be served on the county attorney in the county where the petition is filed. Prior to a hearing on the petition, the county attorney shall mail a copy of the petition to the attorney general's office and to the victim of the last offense for which the offender was convicted if the victim's address is reasonably available. The court shall consider any written or oral statements of the victim. The court may grant the petition on finding that:

(a) the offender has maintained a clean record during their period of registration; and

(b) continued registration is not necessary for public protection and that relief from registration is in the best interests of society.

(4) A level 3 sexual offender may have their period of registration reduced to 25 years if the sexual offender was adjudicated delinquent of an offense as a juvenile that required level 3 sexual offender registration and the sexual offender has maintained a clean record for 25 consecutive years.

(5) For the purposes of this section, the sexual offender has a clean record if, during the period of time in which the sexual offender was required to register as a sexual offender:

(a) the sexual offender was not convicted of any felony offense;

(b) the sexual offender was not convicted of any sexual offense;

(c) the sexual offender successfully completed, without revocation, any period of supervised release, probation, or parole; and

(d) the sexual offender has successfully completed an appropriate sexual offender treatment program.

(6) The offender may move that all or part of the proceedings in a hearing under subsections (2)(e) and (3) be closed to the public, or the judge may close them on the judge's own motion. If a proceeding under subsections (2)(e) and (3) is closed to the public, the judge shall permit a victim of the offense to be present unless the judge determines that exclusion of the victim is necessary to protect the offender's right of privacy or the safety of the victim. If the victim is present, the judge, at the victim's request, shall permit the presence of an individual to provide support to the victim unless the judge determines that exclusion of the individual is necessary to protect the offender's right to privacy.

 

Relief of registration does not apply to an offender who was convicted of:

(a) a violation of 45-5-503 if:

(i) the victim was compelled to submit by force, as defined in 45-5-501, against the victim or another; or

(ii) at the time the offense occurred, the victim was under 12 years of age;

(b) a violation of 45-5-507 if at the time the offense occurred the victim was under 12 years of age and the offender was 3 or more years older than the victim;

(c) a second or subsequent sexual or violent offense that requires registration; or

(d) a sexual offense and was designated as a sexually violent predator under 46-23-509.

 

A violent offender required to register under this part shall register for the 10 years following release from confinement or, if not confined following sentencing, for the 10 years following the conclusion of the sentencing hearing and after registering for 10 years, is automatically relieved of the duty to register unless convicted as provided in subsection (2)(b).

(b) If convicted during the 10-year period provided in subsection (2)(a) of failing to register or keep registration current or of a felony, the violent offender shall register for the remainder of the violent offender's life unless relieved of the duty to register as provided in subsection.
Verification of Address: 90 days for tier 3 sexual offenders, 180 days for tier 2 sexual offenders, annually for tier 1 or non-designated sexual offender and violent offenders.
Penalties for Non-Compliance: Possible 5 years prison term and/or up to $10,000 fine.
Access to Information: Dissemination of information

Information maintained is confidential criminal justice information, except that:

  • The name and address of a registered sexual or violent offender are public criminal justice information
  • The Department of Justice or the registration agency shall release any offender registration information that it possesses relevant to the public if the Department of Justice or the registration agency determines that a registered offender is a risk to the safety of the community and that disclosure of the registration information that it possesses may protect the public and, at a minimum:
    1. If the offender is also a violent offender, the Department of Justice shall and the registration agency may disseminate to the victim and the public
      • (A) the offender’s name and address
      • (B) the offenses for which the offender is required to register
    2. If a sexual offender was given a level 1 designation, the Department of Justice shall and the registration agency may disseminate to the public:
      • (A) the offender’s name and address
      • (B) the photograph and physical description of the offender if convicted after May 11, 2007
      • (C) the offender’s date of birth if convicted after May 11, 2007
      • (D) the offenses for which the offender is required to register under this part if convicted after May 11, 2007
      • (E) the offender’s employer address if convicted after May 11, 2007
      • (F) the offender’s postsecondary school address if convicted after May 11, 2007
    3. If a sexual offender was given a level 1 designation and committed an offense against a minor or was given a level 2 or 3 designation, the Department of Justice shall, and the registration agency may disseminate to the victim and the public:
      • (A) the offender’s name and address
      • (B) the type of victim targeted by the offense
      • (C) the photograph, and physical description of the offender
      • (D) the offender’s date of birth
      • (E) the license plate number and a description of any motor vehicle owned or operated by the offender
      • (F) the offenses for which the offender is required to register
      • (G) the offender’s employer address
      • (H) the offender’s postsecondary school address
      • (I) any conditions imposed by the court upon the offender for the safety of the public

If a photo or other additional information about a registrant who falls into one of these categories is not displayed, the Department of Justice does not yet have that information.

 

Under Montana law, photographs are not available for violent offenders, unless they are transient or non-compliant registrants.
Confidentiality Provision: No
Number Registered: Total Active: 2,983  Total Inactive: 2,706.  Total: 5,689 as of 03/25/2026.
Percent Compliance: 3% Non-Compliant
Internet Access: Sexual or Violent Offender Registry