Search Sex Offenders in Manatee County

Manatee County sex offenders and sexual predators must register with the Manatee County Sheriff's Office, and their information is searchable through the FDLE statewide registry by any member of the public at no charge.

Manatee County Sheriff's Office Registration Process

The Manatee County Sheriff's Office (MCSO) handles all sex offender and sexual predator registration for the county. The registration location is 600 Highway 301 Boulevard West, Bradenton, FL. That is the main MCSO facility, and it is where all in-person registrations take place. Florida law requires in-person registration for all initial registrations and all periodic re-registrations. You cannot register by mail, phone, or any online portal.

If you are new to Manatee County and need to register, the Sheriff's Office asks that you call the Sex Offender Unit first at (941) 747-3011 before coming in. That initial call helps staff prepare for your registration and can answer any procedural questions about what to bring. Showing up unannounced is allowed but calling ahead makes the process smoother. Once at the registration office, you will go through the standard Florida registration process, which includes providing a photograph, fingerprints, and a full set of personal information required by state law.

The MCSO Sex Offender Unit is the direct point of contact for registration matters. The main Sheriff's Office number is (941) 747-3011. Staff can connect callers to the appropriate unit for registration-related questions, compliance issues, or public inquiries about specific registrants in the county.

The Manatee County Sheriff's Office provides registration information and public resources for residents looking up sex offenders in the county.

The MCSO website is the starting point for Manatee County sex offender registration information, contact details, and links to the FDLE registry.

Sex Offender Unit Resources

The MCSO sex offender information page gives residents an overview of how the county handles sex offender registration and what options are available for public searches. The page links to the FDLE statewide registry and provides guidance on how to use search tools to find registrants by name or location within Manatee County.

Florida law requires that sex offender registration information be made available to the public. The MCSO fulfills that obligation through the FDLE database and through direct public inquiries to the Sheriff's Office. Anyone with concerns about a specific person in Manatee County can contact the MCSO directly. The Sex Offender Unit handles those inquiries along with its regular registration and compliance work.

The MCSO sex offender page outlines registration procedures, public search options, and how to contact the Sex Offender Unit with questions or concerns.

What Registrants Must Provide

Registration in Manatee County follows the same state requirements that apply across all 67 Florida counties. Registrants must provide their full legal name, Social Security number, date of birth, age, race, and sex. They must also provide physical descriptors including height, weight, hair color, and eye color. A photograph is taken at each registration. The registrant's current residential address is required, along with any temporary addresses they may be using. All phone numbers, email addresses, and instant messaging accounts must be disclosed.

Vehicle information is part of the required disclosure. If a registrant uses a motor vehicle, trailer, or mobile home as a residence, they must provide the vehicle identification number, license tag number, registration number, and a description of the vehicle. The same detail is required for anyone living on a boat, with hull identification number, manufacturer's serial number, vessel name, and registration number all collected. A post office box cannot substitute for a physical address. Registrants must provide a street address for their primary residence.

Employment location, education enrollment, and conviction history are also collected. The registrant provides a brief description of the crime or crimes they were convicted of. Fingerprints are taken at each registration cycle. All of this information flows into the FDLE database and becomes part of the public record that anyone can search through the statewide registry.

Florida Statutes Governing Manatee County Registration

Sex offender registration in Manatee County is governed primarily by Florida Statute § 943.0435. That statute defines who must register as a sex offender in Florida and spells out the complete list of reporting obligations. Under that law, any change to a registrant's address, vehicle, employment, phone number, or online accounts must be reported to the Sheriff's Office within 48 hours of the change. The 48-hour rule applies regardless of whether the change is permanent or temporary.

The sexual predator designation is handled separately under § 775.21. A court must issue a formal written order to impose the predator designation. Once designated, a predator must re-register four times a year, every three months, rather than the twice-a-year schedule that applies to standard sex offenders. Both schedules require in-person appearances at the MCSO.

Residency restrictions under § 775.215 prohibit registered sex offenders from living within 1,000 feet of a school, childcare center, park, playground, or other place where children gather regularly. That rule applies throughout Manatee County. Violations of registration requirements are third-degree felonies under Florida law, carrying up to five years in prison. The MCSO enforces compliance through regular checks and responds to tip-based complaints from the public.

Searching the FDLE Registry for Manatee County

The best starting point for searching Manatee County sex offender records is the FDLE sex offender search. You can filter by Manatee County to see all active registrants with addresses in the county. Search results show each registrant's name, photo, physical description, registered address, and offense history. Sexual predator profiles are labeled and can be filtered separately. The tool also supports radius-based searches, letting you find all registrants within a specified distance of a given address or intersection.

For searches that go beyond Florida, the National Sex Offender Public Website (NSOPW) pulls from all participating state registries. It is useful when you want to check whether someone has a registration history in another state before moving to Manatee County. NSOPW includes Florida's FDLE data, so results for Florida residents should match what you find in the FDLE system directly.

Residents who want ongoing awareness of new registrations in their area can sign up for Florida Offender Alert. The system sends free email notifications any time a registered sex offender or predator moves into or near a location you specify. You can monitor your home ZIP code, a school zone, or any other area you choose. The alerts run automatically and require no ongoing effort to maintain.

Cities in Manatee County

Manatee County's county seat is Bradenton, which is the largest city in the county. Bradenton does not currently meet the population threshold for a dedicated city page on this site, but residents in Bradenton and all other Manatee County municipalities register with the Sheriff's Office at 600 Highway 301 Boulevard West. The FDLE registry covers all city and unincorporated areas equally.

Nearby Counties

Sex offenders who relocate out of Manatee County must register with the Sheriff's Office of their new county within 48 hours of moving. Neighboring counties each have their own registration offices and enforcement programs.