California Codes

Cal. Penal Code § 290.011 (2026)

✓ current as of May 2026

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Every person who is required to register pursuant to the act who is living as a transient shall be required to register for the rest of his or her life as follows:

(a)He or she shall register, or reregister if the person has previously registered, within five working days from release from incarceration, placement or commitment, or release on probation, pursuant to subdivision (b) of Section 290, except that if the person previously registered as a transient less than 30 days from the date of his or her release from incarceration, he or she does not need to reregister as a transient until his or her next required 30-day update of registration. If a transient convicted in another jurisdiction enters the state, he or she shall register within five working days of coming into California with the chief of police of the city in which he or she is present or the sheriff of the county if he or she is present in an unincorporated area or city that has no police department. If a transient is not physically present in any one jurisdiction for five consecutive working days, he or she shall register in the jurisdiction in which he or she is physically present on the fifth working day following release, pursuant to subdivision (b) of Section 290. Beginning on or before the 30th day following initial registration upon release, a transient shall reregister no less than once every 30 days thereafter. A transient shall register with the chief of police of the city in which he or she is physically present within that 30-day period, or the sheriff of the county if he or she is physically present in an unincorporated area or city that has no police department, and additionally, with the chief of police of a campus of the University of California, the California State University, or community college if he or she is physically present upon the campus or in any of its facilities. A transient shall reregister no less than once every 30 days regardless of the length of time he or she has been physically present in the particular jurisdiction in which he or she reregisters. If a transient fails to reregister within any 30-day period, he or she may be prosecuted in any jurisdiction in which he or she is physically present.

(b)A transient who moves to a residence shall have five working days within which to register at that address, in accordance with subdivision (b) of Section 290. A person registered at a residence address in accordance with that provision who becomes transient shall have five working days within which to reregister as a transient in accordance with subdivision (a).

(c)Beginning on his or her first birthday following registration, a transient shall register annually, within five working days of his or her birthday, to update his or her registration with the entities described in subdivision (a). A transient shall register in whichever jurisdiction he or she is physically present on that date. At the 30-day updates and the annual update, a transient shall provide current information as required on the Department of Justice annual update form, including the information described in paragraphs (1) to (3), inclusive, of subdivision (a) of Section 290.015, and the information specified in subdivision (d).

(d)A transient shall, upon registration and reregistration, provide current information as required on the Department of Justice registration forms, and shall also list the places where he or she sleeps, eats, works, frequents, and engages in leisure activities. If a transient changes or adds to the places listed on the form during the 30-day period, he or she does not need to report the new place or places until the next required reregistration.

(e)Failure to comply with the requirement of reregistering every 30 days following initial registration pursuant to subdivision (a) shall be punished in accordance with subdivision (g) of Section 290.018. Failure to comply with any other requirement of this section shall be punished in accordance with either subdivision (a) or (b) of Section 290.018.

(f)A transient who moves out of state shall inform, in person, the chief of police in the city in which he or she is physically present, or the sheriff of the county if he or she is physically present in an unincorporated area or city that has no police department, within five working days, of his or her move out of state. The transient shall inform that registering agency of his or her planned destination, residence or transient location out of state, and any plans he or she has to return to California, if known. The law enforcement agency shall, within three days after receipt of this information, forward a copy of the change of location information to the Department of Justice. The department shall forward appropriate registration data to the law enforcement agency having local jurisdiction of the new place of residence or location.

(g)For purposes of the act, “transient” means a person who has no residence. “Residence” means one or more addresses at which a person regularly resides, regardless of the number of days or nights spent there, such as a shelter or structure that can be located by a street address, including, but not limited to, houses, apartment buildings, motels, hotels, homeless shelters, and recreational and other vehicles.

(h)The transient registrant’s duty to update his or her registration no less than every 30 days shall begin with his or her second transient update following the date this section became effective.

Notes of Decisions

Cited in 30 cases (11 in the last 5 years), 2008–2026 · leading case: People v. Gonzalez, 7 Cal. App. 5th 370 (Cal. Ct. App. 2017).

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People v. Gonzalez, 7 Cal. App. 5th 370 (Cal. Ct. App. 2017). · cites it 8× “The Sex Offender Registration Act, in contrast, not only defines “residence” but defines “transient” (Pen. Code, § 290.011, subd. (g)) and sets forth a means by which transients can comply with registration requirements {id.”

Santos v. State, 668 S.E.2d 676 (Ga. 2008). · cites it 2× “Compare California, Cal. Penal Code § 290.011 (a) and (d) (transient offenders must register every 30 days and report all “places where he or she sleeps, eats, works, frequents, and engages in leisure activities”); Illinois, § 730 ILCS 150/6 (offender who lacks fixed residence…”

Shaw v. Patton, 823 F.3d 556 (10th Cir. 2016). “2015); Cal. Penal Code § 290.011 (a) (Deering Supp.”

People v. Armas, 191 Cal. App. 4th 1173 (Cal. Ct. App. 2011). · cites it 4× “” (Pen. Code, § 290.011, subd. (g).) If an offender has no residence, that person is considered to be “transient,” within the meaning of the Act.”

State of Alabama v. Thornal Lee Adams., 91 So. 3d 724 (Ala. Crim. App. 2010). “” CaLPenal Code § 290.011(a) and (d). The Florida Legislature has enacted statutory provisions defining “permanent *743 residence,” “temporary residence,” and “transient residence,” the latter being defined as: “a place or county where a person lives, remains, or is located for…”

State v. Dinkins, 2012 WI 24 (Wis. 2012). “, Cal. Penal Code § 290.011 (2008); 730 Ill.”

Vann v. State, 143 So. 3d 850 (Ala. Crim. App. 2013). “’ Cal.Penal Code § 290.011(a) and (d). “The Florida Legislature has enacted statutory provisions defining ‘permanent residence,’ ‘temporary residence,’ and ‘transient residence,’ the latter being defined as: “ ‘a place or county where a person lives, remains, or is located for a…”

(HC) Williams v. Lizarraga (E.D. Cal. 2022). · cites it 7× “32-2 at 213-14); Cal. Penal Code § 290.011 (b) (“A transient who 7 moves to a residence shall have five working days within which to register at that address, in 8 accordance with subdivision (b) of Section 290.”

State v. Edwards, 87 A.3d 1144 (Conn. App. Ct. 2014). “Compare Cal. Penal Code § 290.011 (a) (transient offenders must register every thirty days and report all “places where he or she sleeps, eats, works, frequents, and engages in leisure activities”).”

(PC) Holston v. Viera Rosa (E.D. Cal. 2022). · cites it 2× “7 at 20 (Special 23 Condition of Parole Number 28) 16 California Penal Code § 290.011 requires all transients who have no residence to register and 24 comply with all transient registration requirements.”

People v. Williams CA5 (Cal. Ct. App. 2016). “Defendant Lawrence Dee Williams was convicted by jury trial of failure to register a residence (Pen. Code, § 290.011, subd. (b)).1 The trial court found true allegations that defendant had suffered three strike convictions (§§ 667, subds.”

People v. Adams (Cal. Ct. App. 2020). “A few months after being placed on probation in the first case, defendant was charged in the second case with failing to register as a sex offender (Pen. Code, § 290.011, subd. (b)) as a felony (case No.”

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— Cal. Penal Code § 290.011(a) — 3 cases

Santos v. State, 668 S.E.2d 676 (Ga. 2008). “Compare California, Cal. Penal Code § 290.011 (a) and (d) (transient offenders must register every 30 days and report all “places where he or she sleeps, eats, works, frequents, and engages in leisure activities”); Illinois, § 730 ILCS 150/6 (offender who lacks fixed residence…”

— Cal. Penal Code § 290.011(b) — 2 cases

(HC) Williams v. Lizarraga (E.D. Cal. 2022). “32-2 at 213-14); Cal. Penal Code § 290.011 (b) (“A transient who 7 moves to a residence shall have five working days within which to register at that address, in 8 accordance with subdivision (b) of Section 290.”

(HC) Williams v. Lizarraga (E.D. Cal. 2021).

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