Find Sex Offenders in Wakulla County

Wakulla County sex offenders and sexual predators are required by Florida law to register with the Wakulla County Sheriff's Office, and every active registrant in the county is listed in the Florida Department of Law Enforcement public database, which anyone can search free of charge without an account. Wakulla County is a rural north Florida county bordering the Gulf of Mexico south of Tallahassee, with Crawfordville as the county seat, and anyone who lives, works, or regularly spends time here must register in person at the sheriff's office regardless of what state the underlying conviction came from.

Wakulla County Sheriff and Sex Offender Registration

The Wakulla County Sheriff's Office processes all sex offender and predator registrations for the county. Florida law requires anyone convicted of a qualifying sexual offense who lives, works, or regularly spends time in Wakulla County to register in person. The obligation applies to people with Florida convictions and to those relocating from other states with offenses that would qualify for registration under Florida statutes. Where the conviction happened does not change what is required here.

Registration must be done in person. No mail-in or online option exists. When you arrive at the sheriff's office, staff collect your full legal name, date of birth, Social Security number, current address, physical description, all vehicle information, phone numbers, and every electronic identifier you use, including email addresses and social media accounts. A photo is taken at registration. Bring valid government-issued ID and all documentation from your case. If you are transferring from another county or state, bring prior registration paperwork so staff can determine your classification and set your schedule.

After registration, the sheriff's office sends your fingerprints and photo to the FDLE. Your record typically shows up in the public database within a short period. Any changes, including new addresses, vehicles, phone numbers, and online accounts, must be reported to the sheriff within 48 hours. That window does not stop for weekends or holidays. Failing to report a change on time carries the same legal consequences as failing to register entirely.

Registration Requirements in Wakulla County

Florida's registration rules are set out in Florida Statute § 943.0435. The rules apply the same way in Wakulla County as they do in every county across Florida. There are no local exceptions. The statute defines what information registrants must provide, how often they must appear, and what penalties apply for failing to comply.

How often you must re-register depends on your designation. Standard sex offenders must appear in person twice a year. The first visit is due during your birth month. The second comes six months later. Sexual predators face a stricter schedule. They must re-register four times per year, once every three months. The more frequent requirement for predators reflects the higher level of assessed risk under Florida law.

Transient registrants, those without a fixed address who move between locations regularly, must report to the Wakulla County Sheriff's Office every 30 days. Not having a permanent home does not reduce registration obligations. It just shifts the cycle to monthly check-ins rather than twice or four times yearly.

The 48-hour reporting window applies to all changes, not only address updates. A new car, a new email, a new phone, a new place of work, each one must be reported within two days. These cannot be held until the next regular visit. Registration in Florida is a lifetime obligation in most cases. Failing to register, or missing the 48-hour window for any change, is a third-degree felony under Florida law, regardless of when or where the original offense occurred.

Sexual Predators and Sexual Offenders in Wakulla County

Florida law separates registrants into two categories: sexual offenders and sexual predators. Both appear in the FDLE public database, but the obligations and notification procedures that apply to each group are different.

Sexual offenders are people convicted of qualifying crimes under Florida law, or people convicted elsewhere of offenses that would require registration here. They must appear twice yearly, report changes within 48 hours, and follow residency restrictions. Their records are in the FDLE database and available to the public. The state does not run an active notification program for this category. Neighbors are not formally alerted when a standard offender moves in nearby, though the information is publicly searchable.

Sexual predators carry a more serious legal designation. The predator label is not applied automatically at sentencing. A court must make a specific finding that the person meets the criteria laid out in Florida Statute § 775.21. Once designated, a predator must re-register every three months and is subject to active community notification. When a predator registers at a new Wakulla County address, the sheriff's office may notify nearby residents, schools, and childcare providers directly. Both tiers appear in the same FDLE search tool. Predator records are clearly labeled so the public can tell them apart from standard offender records.

Wakulla County's proximity to Tallahassee in Leon County means some registrants commute between the two counties for work. Anyone who regularly works or spends time in Wakulla County but lives in Leon County may still have registration obligations in Wakulla County depending on how much time they spend here.

Search Wakulla County Sex Offenders Online

The FDLE sex offender search portal is the main tool for finding registered offenders and predators in Wakulla County. No account is needed. The search is free. You can look up by county, city, ZIP code, individual name, or radius from a specific street address.

Results show each registrant's photo, current registered address, physical description, offense history, and predator status where applicable. Wakulla County's small population means filtering to the county in the FDLE portal will return a manageable list of registrants. The radius search is useful if you want to check registrations near a specific school or address. Records reflect the most recent information submitted through the Wakulla County Sheriff's Office.

For people who recently moved to Wakulla County from another state, nsopw.gov provides a national search covering all participating state registries. Once a person establishes a Wakulla County address and completes registration here, their record will appear in the FDLE database.

The FDLE registry provides public access to all sex offender and predator records across Florida, including every registrant in Wakulla County.

Residency Restrictions in Wakulla County

Under § 775.215, registered sex offenders and sexual predators in Florida may not live within 1,000 feet of any school, childcare facility, park, playground, or location where children regularly gather. That distance is measured property line to property line. The restriction is established by state law and applies uniformly throughout Wakulla County.

The rule covers both permanent residences and temporary stays. Spending even one night at a non-compliant address is a violation. The Wakulla County Sheriff's Office reviews new addresses against these restrictions during registration. If an address falls within the 1,000-foot buffer, the registrant must find a compliant location before the address can be accepted on file.

Some municipalities in Wakulla County may have enacted local ordinances that go further than the state's minimum 1,000-foot requirement. Local governments can expand the buffer zone or restrict registrants from certain public spaces. Anyone selecting a new address in Wakulla County should verify both state law and any local rules before committing to a move. Moving to a non-compliant address in good faith is still a violation under Florida law.

The FDLE search portal lets you look up Wakulla County sex offenders by name, ZIP code, or proximity to a specific address, free of charge and without any account required.

Florida Offender Alert Notifications for Wakulla County

Wakulla County residents can set up free email notifications through Florida Offender Alert. The service monitors new registrations and address changes in the ZIP codes you select. When activity occurs in a zone you are tracking, you receive an email with the registrant's photo and their registered address.

The service costs nothing. Pick the ZIP codes for your neighborhood or any other areas you want to watch, and the system monitors them automatically. You can track multiple ZIP codes from a single account. For residents of Crawfordville and other small Wakulla County communities, the alert service is a straightforward way to stay informed without manually checking the FDLE portal each week.

Cities in Wakulla County

Crawfordville is the county seat of Wakulla County, though it is an unincorporated community rather than an incorporated city. Sopchoppy and St. Marks are the only incorporated municipalities in the county, both very small. None of these communities come close to the population threshold for a dedicated city page on this site. All sex offender registrations in Wakulla County are handled through the Wakulla County Sheriff's Office at 15 Oak St in Crawfordville.

Nearby Counties

Registrants who move out of Wakulla County must notify the sheriff and register with the receiving county's sheriff within 48 hours of the move. All surrounding counties operate under Florida's statewide registration framework.