Mass. Gen. Laws » Part I Title II Chapter 6
Massachusetts General Laws

Mass. Gen. Laws ch. 6, § 178F (2026)

Annual verification of registration data; homeless sex offenders; juveniles; disclosure of information

✓ current as of July 2026
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Section 178F. Except as provided in section 178F1/2 for a sex offender finally classified by the board as a level 2 or a level 3 sex offender, a sex offender required to register pursuant to sections 178C to 178P, inclusive, shall annually verify that the registration data on file with the board remains true and accurate by mailing to the board on a form approved by the board and signed under the pains and penalties of perjury, the sex offender's name, date of birth, home address or intended home address, any secondary addresses or intended secondary addresses, work address or intended work address and, if the sex offender is or intends to become a part-time or full-time employee of an institution of higher learning, the name and address of said institution and, if the sex offender is a part-time or full-time student at an institution of higher learning or intends to become a part-time or full-time student of an institution of higher learning, the name and address of said institution of higher learning. A homeless sex offender shall verify registration data every 30 days with the board by mailing to the board on a form approved by the board and signed under the pains and penalties of perjury the sex offender's name, date of birth, primary address, any secondary addresses and work address. A homeless shelter receiving state funding shall cooperate in providing information in the possession of or known to such shelter, when a request for information is made to such shelter by the board; provided, however, that such request for information shall be limited to that which is necessary to verify an offender's registration data or a sex offender's whereabouts. A shelter that violates the provisions of this paragraph shall be punished by a fine of $100 a day for each day that such shelter continues to violate the provisions of this paragraph. In addition, in each subsequent year during the month of birth of any sex offender required to register, the board shall mail a nonforwardable verification form to the last reported address of such sex offender. If such sex offender is a juvenile at the time of such notification, notification shall also be mailed to such sex offender's legal guardian or the agency having custody of the juvenile in the absence of a legal guardian and his most recent attorney of record. Such sex offender shall, within five days of receipt, sign the verification form under the penalties of perjury and mail it back to the board. The board shall periodically, and at least annually, send written notice to a city or town police department regarding any sex offender required to register whose last known address was in such city or town or who gave notice of his intent to move to or is otherwise believed to live or work or attend an institution of higher learning in such city or town, but who has failed to register or verify registration information as required.

The board shall examine through electronic transfer of information the tax returns, wage reports, child support enforcement records, papers or other documents on file with the commissioner of revenue or any other entity within the executive branch when there is reason to believe a sex offender required to register has not so registered in accordance with this chapter or where the address of such sex offender cannot be verified through other means; provided, however, that nothing herein shall be construed to authorize the disclosure, directly or indirectly, of any information other than the address of such sex offender.

Notes of Decisions
Cited in 31 cases (1 in the last 5 years), 1996–2022 · leading case: Roe v. Attorney Gen., 434 Mass. 418 (Mass. 2001).
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Roe v. Attorney Gen., 434 Mass. 418 (Mass. 2001). · cites it 6× “G. L. c. 6, § 178F. As long as his classification remains at level one, an offender’s registry information is available only to law enforcement agencies, not to any member of the public.”
Commonwealth v. Rosado, 881 N.E.2d 112 (Mass. 2008). · cites it 9× “Because we conclude that the defendant complied with his statutory obligation to register pursuant to G. L. c. 6, § 178F V2, and the instructions promulgated *658 by the Sex Offender Registry Board (board), we reverse the defendant’s conviction.”
Doe, SORB No. 380316 v. Sex Offender Registry Bd., 473 Mass. 297 (Mass. 2015). · cites it 2× “10 See G. L. c. 6, § 178F, as amended by St. 2010, c.”
Doe, Sex Offender Registry Bd. No. 3844 v. Sex Offender Registry Bd., 857 N.E.2d 485 (Mass. 2006). · cites it 2× “6, §§ 1781 and 178J, 6 and such offenders are obligated to comply with the registration requirements of G. L. c. 6, § 178F V2.6 7 Id. Level three offenders are considered high risk and, in addition to the notification process required for levels one and two, the police…”
Commonwealth v. Hammond, 78 N.E.3d 1128 (Mass. 2017). · cites it 2× “G. L. c. 6, § 178F. The police and SORB may release the registration data of level one offenders to the Department of Children and Families, which may question the safety of the defendant's children.”
Shaw v. Patton, 823 F.3d 556 (10th Cir. 2016). “2014); Mass. Gen. Laws ch. 6, § 178F (2012); Mont.”
State v. Iverson, 664 N.W.2d 346 (Minn. 2003). “14 (2001) (citing Mass. Gen. Laws ch. 6, §§ 178F, 178F1/4) (1999) (relying on a statute that explicitly requires that homeless offenders verify their registration data every ninety days); State v.”
Commonwealth v. Sylvester, 62 N.E.3d 502 (Mass. 2016). “13 G. L. c. 6, § 178F, inserted by St. 1999 c.”
Doe, Sex Offender Registry Bd. No. 1211 v. Sex Offender Registry Bd., 857 N.E.2d 473 (Mass. 2006). “G. L. c. 6, § 178F. As long as his classification remains at level one, an offender’s registry information is available only to law enforcement agencies, not to any member of the public.”
Commonwealth v. Williamson, 971 N.E.2d 250 (Mass. 2012). “See G. L. c. 6, § 178F. Level 2 and 3 sex offenders, those at “moderate” and “high” risk of reoffense, respectively, see G.”
Commonwealth v. Loring, 978 N.E.2d 763 (Mass. 2012). · cites it 4× “On June 20, 2008, while he was living in Brockton, he registered, as required by G. L. c. 6, § 178F V2, with the Brockton police department.”
United States v. Lacouture, 835 F.3d 187 (1st Cir. 2016). “§ 16913 (b); Mass. Gen. Laws ch. 6, § 178F. Because Lacouture was homeless at the time of his release, he was required to verify his SORB registration by appearing in person at the local police department every 30 days, see Mass.”
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