West Palm Beach Sex Offender Registry

West Palm Beach sex offenders register with the Palm Beach County Sheriff's Office, which handles all sex offender and predator registrations for city residents and the broader county. What sets West Palm Beach apart from most Florida cities is that the city has enacted its own local residency restriction ordinance extending the exclusion zone around schools, parks, and playgrounds to 2,500 feet within city limits, which is well above the 1,000-foot state standard. Anyone required to register who moves to West Palm Beach must report to PBSO within 48 hours and should understand these stricter local rules before establishing any address in the city.

Where to Register in West Palm Beach

West Palm Beach residents required to register as sex offenders or predators report to the Palm Beach County Sheriff's Office. West Palm Beach is the county seat of Palm Beach County, and PBSO handles all sex offender registration for residents citywide. There is no separate local intake at the West Palm Beach Police Department.

The Palm Beach County iCrimeWatch registry provides a searchable map of registered sex offenders in West Palm Beach and throughout the county. This tool is a useful starting point for location-based searches, letting you see offender concentrations on a map rather than just a list. You can zoom in to specific West Palm Beach neighborhoods and view individual records directly from the map.

West Palm Beach enforces residency restrictions stricter than state law, extending the exclusion zone around schools, parks, and playgrounds to 2,500 feet within city limits. This local ordinance significantly narrows the available housing options for anyone subject to residency restrictions in West Palm Beach. The downtown area, which has many parks and school facilities within a relatively compact geography, is largely off-limits for most registrants subject to this rule.

West Palm Beach Registration Requirements

Florida sex offender registration rules come from Florida Statute § 943.0435. All West Palm Beach registrants must comply with this statute. PBSO enforces it locally, and failing to meet any deadline is a felony under Florida law.

The 48-hour rule is the first obligation. When you move to West Palm Beach, whether from another Florida county, from another state, or upon release from custody, you must appear in person at PBSO within 48 hours of establishing your address. The clock starts the moment you have a West Palm Beach address to report. This is not a business-hours rule. The 48-hour window runs continuously from the time you establish residence.

Re-registration occurs on a fixed schedule. Standard sex offenders must report in person to PBSO at least twice per year. Offenders with more serious classifications must report four times per year. The schedule is determined at intake based on the offense. You will be told your re-registration dates when you first register. Missing any of these visits is a felony, and no reason for missing a scheduled check-in excuses the violation under Florida law.

Any change in registered information requires a return to PBSO within 48 hours. This includes address changes, new vehicles, phone numbers, email addresses, and social media accounts. West Palm Beach has a dynamic real estate market, and many residents move within the city or the county fairly often. Each address change requires a new in-person visit to PBSO to update the record.

Transient individuals in West Palm Beach without a fixed address must check in with PBSO every 30 days. If you are staying in the city but do not have stable housing, the monthly check-in requirement applies from the first day. Missing a 30-day check-in carries the same felony consequences as missing a standard re-registration.

Florida's registration requirement is permanent for most qualifying offenders. Some may seek removal from the registry through a court petition under limited circumstances, but the process is not automatic, and most registrants remain on the public database for life.

Sexual Predators in West Palm Beach

Florida distinguishes between sex offenders and sexual predators under Florida Statute § 775.21, the Florida Sexual Predators Act. Sexual predators in West Palm Beach face more frequent registration requirements and active community notification beyond what applies to standard offenders.

Predator status is assigned at sentencing or by FDLE based on offense type. Serious crimes against minors and repeat sexual offenses typically result in predator classification. A predator in West Palm Beach must report to PBSO four times per year at minimum, compared to twice per year for standard sex offenders.

When a sexual predator moves into West Palm Beach, PBSO notifies nearby residents, local schools, licensed childcare providers, and relevant community organizations. This notification is required by law and goes out regardless of whether anyone has searched the registry. West Palm Beach has a large concentration of schools, parks, and community facilities, and predator notifications can reach a significant portion of the surrounding neighborhood depending on location. The FDLE public database clearly labels each record as either "sex offender" or "sexual predator" so anyone searching can identify the classification at once.

Search West Palm Beach Sex Offenders Online

Two tools give you the best coverage for searching West Palm Beach sex offenders. The first is the Palm Beach County iCrimeWatch registry, which offers a map-based view of registered offenders in the city. You can zoom to any West Palm Beach address and see nearby registrants plotted on the map. Individual records include photos, addresses, and offense information.

The second tool is the FDLE sex offender search. This statewide database includes all Palm Beach County registrations submitted by PBSO. Search by name, city, or ZIP code. West Palm Beach ZIP codes include 33401, 33405, 33406, 33407, 33409, 33411, and 33412. Searching by ZIP code lets you narrow results to a specific section of the city. The FDLE database is free, public, and does not require any account or registration.

Use both tools together for the most complete picture. iCrimeWatch gives you a visual map view, while FDLE provides the most detailed individual records including vehicle information and full offense history.

Residency Restrictions in West Palm Beach

Florida's base residency restriction statute, § 775.215, prohibits certain sex offenders and all sexual predators from living within 1,000 feet of schools, licensed daycare facilities, parks, playgrounds, and other locations where children regularly gather. West Palm Beach has gone further with a local ordinance extending this zone to 2,500 feet within city limits.

The 2,500-foot exclusion zone in West Palm Beach is one of the strictest in Florida. A 2,500-foot radius around each school, park, or playground covers roughly half a mile in all directions. In a dense urban city like West Palm Beach, overlapping exclusion zones from multiple nearby schools and parks eliminate most of the city's residential areas from compliant housing. This makes it very difficult to find a legal address within West Palm Beach city limits for anyone subject to this restriction.

Some registrants subject to the state 1,000-foot rule may not be subject to the stricter city ordinance, depending on the nature of their conviction and designation. The rules are complex and the difference between state and city requirements matters in practice. Anyone subject to residency restrictions who wants to live in West Palm Beach should consult a licensed Florida attorney before signing any lease or purchase agreement. Confirm current ordinance details with PBSO at (561) 688-3000.

The measurement for both state and city restrictions runs from the nearest point of the restricted location's property boundary, not from the front door of the building. School properties often have large lots that extend beyond the school building, expanding the effective exclusion zone.

Palm Beach iCrimeWatch Registry

The Palm Beach County iCrimeWatch registry provides a searchable map of registered sex offenders in West Palm Beach and throughout the county.

West Palm Beach enforces residency restrictions stricter than state law, extending the exclusion zone around schools, parks, and playgrounds to 2,500 feet within city limits. The iCrimeWatch map can help residents visualize where registered offenders are located in relation to homes, schools, and parks.

FDLE Statewide Registry

The Florida Department of Law Enforcement maintains the official statewide sex offender registry, which includes all West Palm Beach registrations submitted by PBSO. The FDLE database is the authoritative source for complete offender records across all of Florida.

Use the FDLE search tool to find current registry data for West Palm Beach and all of Palm Beach County. Search by name, ZIP code, or city for results with photos, addresses, and offense details.

Florida Offender Alert

The Florida Offender Alert system is a free email notification service available to all Florida residents. Enter a West Palm Beach address and choose a search radius. You receive an email alert whenever any sex offender or predator registers or updates their information within that area.

The service is operated through FDLE and reflects the same data as the public registry search. It is particularly useful for West Palm Beach residents given the city's strict residency restrictions. Knowing when a new registration occurs near your address allows you to stay informed without manually checking the registry every few weeks. Schools, parks, and community organizations in West Palm Beach can also sign up to receive location-based alerts. The service is free and there is no limit on the number of addresses you can monitor.

Palm Beach County Sex Offender Records

West Palm Beach is the county seat of Palm Beach County, and all sex offender registrations for city residents are processed and maintained by the Palm Beach County Sheriff's Office. For full details on Palm Beach County's registration process, sheriff contact information, and county-wide registry resources, visit the county records page.

View Palm Beach County Records

Nearby Florida Cities

Sex offender registration requirements are the same across Florida, but each city's registrants report to the sheriff's office in their county. Find registry information for other nearby qualifying cities below.