Wash. Rev. Code » Title 43 · Chapter 43.43
Revised Code of Washington

Wash. Rev. Code § 43.43.540 (2026)

✓ current as of May 2026
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(1) The county sheriff shall forward registration information, photographs, and fingerprints obtained pursuant to RCW 9A.44.130, including the sex offender's risk level classification and any notice of change of address, to the Washington state patrol within five working days.
(2) Upon implementation of RCW 4.24.550(5)(a), the Washington state patrol shall maintain a central registry of sex offenders and kidnapping offenders required to register under RCW 9A.44.130 and shall adopt rules consistent with chapters 10.97, 10.98, and 43.43 RCW as are necessary to carry out the purposes of RCW 9A.44.130, 9A.44.140, 10.01.200, 43.43.540, 46.20.187, 70.48.470, and 72.09.330. The Washington state patrol shall reimburse the counties for the costs of processing the offender registration, including taking the offender's fingerprints and photograph.
[ 2011 c 337 s 8; 2006 c 136 s 1; 2002 c 118 s 2; 1998 c 220 s 4; 1997 c 113 s 6; 1990 c 3 s 403.]

Notes:

Reviser's note: The definitions in RCW 9A.44.128 apply to this section.
Conflict with federal requirements—2002 c 118: See note following RCW 4.24.550.
Severability—1998 c 220: See note following RCW 9A.44.130.
Findings—1997 c 113: See note following RCW 4.24.550.
Sex offense and kidnapping offense defined: RCW 9A.44.128.
Notes of Decisions
Cited in 7 cases, 1994–2016 · leading case: State v. Ward, 870 P.2d 295 (Wash. 1994).
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State v. Ward, 870 P.2d 295 (Wash. 1994). · cites it 4× “RCW 43.43.540. A person who knowingly fails to register is guilty of either a class C felony or gross misdemeanor, depending on the severity of the prior conviction.”
Doe v. Washington State Patrol, 374 P.3d 63 (Wash. 2016). “040, the central registry of sex offenders and kidnapping offenders under RCW 43.43.540, or another public agency. Resp’ts John Does’ Notice of Suppl.”
Doe v. Gregoire, 960 F. Supp. 1478 (W.D. Wash. 1997). “RCW 43.43.540. If an offender intends to move from a registered address, he must send written notice of the change to the county sheriff at least fourteen days in advance.”
John Doe v. Benton Cnty. Prosecuting Attorney, 192 Wash. App. 612 (Wash. Ct. App. 2016). “RCW 43.43.540. The county sheriff must assess all local registered sex offenders and assign them to one of three categories based on the risk of reoffense.”
John Doe v. Benton Cnty. Prosecuting Attorney (Wash. Ct. App. 2016). “RCW 43.43.540. The county sheriff must assess all local registered sex offenders and assign them to one of three categories based on the risk ofreoffense.”
John Doe A v. Wash. State Patrol (Wash. 2016). “040, the central registry of sex offenders and kidnapping offenders under RCW 43.43.540, or another public agency. Resp'ts John Does' Notice ofSuppl.”
Vernon Paul Vance, V Pierce Cnty. (Wash. Ct. App. 2015). “345(1), RCW 43.43.540. Under Wood, those publications—even if arguably defamatory—are conditionally privileged.”
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