Hillsborough County Sex Offender Registry

Hillsborough County sex offenders must register with the Hillsborough County Sheriff's Office, and the public can search the full registry online through the Florida Department of Law Enforcement database. This page explains how registration works, what it requires, and where to find current offender records in Hillsborough County.

Hillsborough County Sheriff's Office

The Hillsborough County Sheriff's Office (HCSO) is the agency responsible for sex offender registration in Hillsborough County. All registered sex offenders and sexual predators who live, work, or go to school in Hillsborough County must report to HCSO to complete their registration under Florida law. The sheriff's office maintains all local registration records and works with the Florida Department of Law Enforcement to keep the statewide registry current for Hillsborough County.

HCSO manages a large and active registry. Hillsborough County is one of the most populous counties in Florida, with over 1.5 million residents. That means the number of registered sex offenders in Hillsborough County is among the highest in the state. The sheriff's office takes registration seriously. They work to make sure every person required to register does so on time, and they share that data with state and federal databases so the public can search it. You can visit the sheriff's office online at teamhcso.com to learn more about HCSO programs and services.

The HCSO homepage gives access to several public safety tools, including links to the sex offender search portal.

From the HCSO site you can reach the FDLE offender search, find registration office locations, and read legal background on Florida sex offender laws.

Where to Register in Hillsborough County

Registration in Hillsborough County takes place at a dedicated unit inside the Hillsborough Re-Entry Center. This is the only site authorized for sex offender registration in the county. You must go in person. You cannot mail in your registration, and you cannot complete it online. Under Florida Statute § 943.0435, sex offenders are required to register in person at the sheriff's office in the county where they live. Hillsborough County is no exception to this rule.

The HCSO locations page lists all offices and specialized units, including the registration center address and contact information. If you are unsure which entrance to use or where to park, call ahead so you don't waste a trip.

The locations page on the HCSO website confirms the Re-Entry Center as the registration site for sex offenders in Hillsborough County.

What Registration Requires in Hillsborough County

Sex offender registration in Hillsborough County is detailed. It goes well beyond giving a name and address. Florida law requires a large amount of personal data from every registered sex offender, and the sheriff's office collects all of it at the time of registration. If any of this information changes, you must update it promptly. Failure to do so is a separate criminal offense.

When you report to the Hillsborough Re-Entry Center to register, you must provide your full legal name and any aliases you use. You also give your date of birth, race, sex, social security number, eye color, hair color, height, and weight. Tattoos and other identifying marks are noted. The registration unit takes palm prints and a current photograph. You must also give your home address, any additional addresses where you stay regularly, your employer's name and address, and your school if you are enrolled as a student in Hillsborough County.

The registration process also captures digital information. This includes all email addresses you use, internet identifiers such as usernames on social media platforms, and any online accounts connected to your identity. Vehicle information is also required. You must list every vehicle you own or regularly use, including the make, model, color, and vehicle identification number. Finally, you must provide the date and place of your conviction and a description of the offense that required you to register as a sex offender in Hillsborough County or anywhere else in Florida. All of this data goes into the HCSO records system and is shared with FDLE for the statewide registry.

You have 48 hours after moving to Florida, being released from jail or prison, or being convicted of a qualifying offense to report to the sheriff's office. Hillsborough County enforces this deadline. Do not wait longer than 48 hours to register.

Vehicle and Address Change Reporting

Registration is not a one-time event for sex offenders in Hillsborough County. State law requires that you keep your information current at all times. Two types of changes trigger an immediate reporting duty: changes to your address and changes to the vehicles you have listed on your registration.

If you get a new car, sell a car, or start regularly using a vehicle that was not on your registration, you must report that change to the Hillsborough County Sheriff's Office within 48 hours. This rule applies to any change in the vehicles you have reported. The same 48-hour window applies to address changes. If you move within Hillsborough County, move to another county, or leave Florida, you must notify HCSO within that window. Moving out of Hillsborough County does not end your duty to notify. You must still report the change to HCSO so they can update their records and transfer the information to the appropriate agency.

These reporting requirements exist because the registry is only useful if it is accurate. An offender who moves without telling the sheriff's office becomes effectively untracked. Under § 943.0435, failing to report an address change is a separate criminal offense, not just a registration violation. Hillsborough County law enforcement treats non-compliance as a serious matter.

Penalties for Non-Compliance in Hillsborough County

Sex offenders in Hillsborough County who do not follow registration rules face criminal charges. This is not a civil fine or a warning. It is a felony. Florida law makes non-compliance a felony of the third degree, which can result in up to five years in prison. For sexual predators, the penalties under Florida Statute § 775.21 are even stricter. Sexual predators face first-degree felony charges for registration violations, which carry a maximum sentence of 30 years.

Legal resources on sex offender registration in Florida spell out these consequences clearly. The law makes no exceptions for people who forgot to re-register or who thought their registration was complete. If you are required to register in Hillsborough County and you miss a deadline or give false information, you are at risk of arrest and prosecution.

Florida criminal defense resources confirm that non-compliance with sex offender registration in Hillsborough County is treated as a standalone criminal offense, independent of the original conviction.

Probation conditions under § 948.30 add another layer of supervision for sex offenders on probation in Hillsborough County. Probation terms often include restrictions on where you can live, who you can contact, and what electronic devices you can use. Violating probation terms while also failing to register can result in multiple charges at once. Hillsborough County courts have handled many such cases. Do not assume you will get a warning first.

Searching the Hillsborough County Sex Offender Registry

The public can search for registered sex offenders and sexual predators in Hillsborough County through the Florida Department of Law Enforcement. FDLE maintains the state's official sex offender database. You can search by name, city, county, or zip code. Hillsborough County has its own filter option, so you can narrow results to only offenders registered in this county. The search is free and available to anyone.

Go to offender.fdle.state.fl.us to run a search. Each result shows the offender's name, photo, address, and offense history. You can see whether they are classified as a sex offender or a sexual predator under § 775.21. Sexual predators are flagged separately because they face stricter rules and carry a higher risk designation under Florida law. The distinction matters when you are reviewing results for Hillsborough County.

Florida Offender Alert is a free notification service that lets you sign up for email alerts when a registered sex offender moves into a specific area. If you want to track changes in the Hillsborough County registry, you can set up an alert at floridaoffenderalert.com. The system will notify you when an offender registers, moves, or updates their information in your chosen area. This tool is useful for parents and residents who want to stay aware of offender activity in Hillsborough County neighborhoods. The national registry at nsopw.gov also covers Hillsborough County records for people searching from outside Florida.

Cities in Hillsborough County

Hillsborough County includes several large cities. All sex offenders who live or work in any of these cities must register with HCSO regardless of which city they are in. The registration location is the same for all of Hillsborough County.

Nearby Counties

These counties share borders with Hillsborough County. Each has its own sheriff's office handling sex offender registration. If an offender lives near a county line, they must register in the county where they actually reside.