ACT Sex Offenders Register Explained

What you need to know right now

In the ACT, the sex offenders register is a confidential police database created under the Crimes (Child Sex Offenders) Act 2005 (ACT) and administered by ACT Policing (the Australian Federal Police delivering policing services to the Territory). It is NOT open to the public - there is no website or community lookup, and an ACT court does not 'sentence' you to the register. Instead, you become a 'registrable offender' automatically if a court sentences you for a registrable child sex offence, or if a court makes a child sex offender registration order. Once on the register you must report your personal details to police, keep them up to date, report travel, and report in person each year, for a reporting period of 8 years, 15 years, or life depending on your offences. Failing to report without a reasonable excuse is itself a serious criminal offence (maximum 500 penalty units, 5 years imprisonment, or both). If this affects you, call 1800 951 176 for free information any time.

The law in Australian Capital Territory

The ACT scheme lives almost entirely in one statute: the Crimes (Child Sex Offenders) Act 2005 (ACT). Unlike a sentence of imprisonment or a fine, registration is generally not something a court 'orders' as a punishment. Under section 8, a person becomes a registrable offender automatically when they are sentenced by an ACT court for a 'registrable offence'. Registrable offences are divided into class 1 and class 2 offences, set out in Schedules 1 and 2 of the Act - broadly, the most serious child sexual offences (such as sexual intercourse with a child) sit in class 1, while a wider range of child sexual and exploitation offences sit in class 2.

There is also a discretionary path. Under sections 14 to 18, a court may make a child sex offender registration order for a person found guilty of an offence that is not a class 1 or class 2 offence, but only if the court is satisfied the person poses a risk to the sexual safety of children, only as part of sentencing, and only on the prosecution's application. This is how someone convicted of a related or borderline offence can still end up with reporting obligations.

Once a person is a registrable offender, Chapter 3 imposes the reporting obligations. They must make an initial report of their personal details - generally within 7 days of being sentenced, or within 7 days of being released from custody (section 16 and following). 'Personal details' under section 59 are extensive: names and aliases, address, date of birth, employment, vehicles, tattoos, telephone and internet identifiers, contact with children, and more. After the initial report, the offender must report in person at least once a year under section 37, must report any change of details, and must report travel - including reporting before leaving the ACT - under sections 42 and 45.

The length of the obligation is fixed by Part 3.5. A single class 2 offence carries an 8-year reporting period (section 85); a single class 1 offence carries 15 years (section 84); two class 2 offences carry 15 years (section 86); and a class 1 combination, or more than two registrable offences, carries reporting for the rest of the offender's life (section 87). Young offenders get reduced periods under section 89 - 7.5 years, or 4 years for a single class 2 offence.

The register itself is created and tightly controlled by Chapter 4. Section 117 establishes the child sex offenders register; section 118 requires the chief police officer to ensure it is only accessed by authorised people and that information is only disclosed for law enforcement purposes. Crucially, section 120 makes it a criminal offence for an unauthorised person to access the register. The ACT register feeds the national system - the Australian National Child Offender Register (ANCOR), part of the National Child Offender System operated by the Australian Criminal Intelligence Commission - so authorised police across Australia can share information, but the public cannot.

Separately, Chapter 5A allows a court to make a prohibition order or interim prohibition order (sections 132B to 132I) restricting what a registrable offender may do - for example, contact with children or attending certain places. Contravening a prohibition order is an offence under section 132ZI carrying up to 500 penalty units, 5 years imprisonment, or both.

The ACT law at a glance

Governing Act: Crimes (Child Sex Offenders) Act 2005 (ACT)
Administered by: ACT Policing (Australian Federal Police), feeding the national ANCOR / National Child Offender System run by the ACIC
You become a registrable offender automatically on sentence for a registrable offence (s8), or by a court registration order (ss14-18)
Reporting periods: single class 2 = 8 years (s85); single class 1 = 15 years (s84); two class 2 = 15 years (s86); class 1 combination or 3+ offences = life (s87)
Young offenders: reduced periods of 7.5 years, or 4 years for a single class 2 offence (s89)
Initial report generally within 7 days of sentence or release; annual in-person reporting (s37); travel must be reported (ss42, 45)
Failing to report without reasonable excuse: max 500 penalty units, 5 years imprisonment, or both (s58A)
The register is NOT public - access is restricted (s118) and unauthorised access is an offence (s120)

Why the ACT is different from the states

It is easy to assume the ACT works like New South Wales or Victoria, but it does not. The ACT is a Territory, so there is no standalone 'ACT Police' - policing is delivered by ACT Policing, a function of the Australian Federal Police, and it is the AFP chief police officer who controls the register and brings applications. The ACT has its own statute, the Crimes (Child Sex Offenders) Act 2005, with its own section numbers, its own Schedules 1 and 2 of registrable offences, and its own reporting periods. Matters are heard in the ACT Magistrates Court and, for suspension of life-long obligations, the ACT Supreme Court. Advice or a template written for another state can be wrong here, which is exactly why ACT-specific information matters.

What this means in practice

What 'being on the register' actually means in the ACT depends on your offences and your circumstances. These are the common outcomes registrable offenders face:

8-year reporting period

Applies to a single class 2 offence (s85). You must report your details to ACT Policing initially, keep them current, report travel, and report in person each year for eight years from when the period begins.

15-year reporting period

Applies to a single class 1 offence (s84) or two class 2 offences (s86). Fifteen years of ongoing obligations - missing any of them can be a separate criminal charge.

Life reporting

Applies where there is a class 1 combination of offences or more than two registrable offences (s87). The obligations continue for life unless the ACT Supreme Court makes a suspension order under section 97.

Reduced period for young offenders

If the person was a young person for every registrable offence, the period is 7.5 years - or just 4 years if the only offence ever is a single class 2 offence (s89).

Prohibition order

On top of reporting, a court can impose a prohibition order under Part 5A.2 limiting contact with children, internet use, or movement. Breaching it carries up to 500 penalty units, 5 years jail, or both (s132ZI).

Removal or suspension

The chief police officer can apply to the ACT Magistrates Court to remove an offender (s122A), and a person with life-long obligations can ask the ACT Supreme Court for a suspension order (s97). Neither is automatic.

What to do now — step by step

1

Find out exactly where you stand: whether you are already a registrable offender, what class your offence falls into, and which reporting period (8 years, 15 years, or life) applies under the Crimes (Child Sex Offenders) Act 2005.

2

Locate every obligation that applies to you right now - the initial report, annual in-person report, change-of-details reports, and travel reports - and the exact dates they are due, so nothing is missed.

3

Gather your documents: court paperwork, any reporting obligations notice given to you by police, and a record of every report you have made and when.

4

If you are facing a registration order, a prohibition order, or want to apply for removal or suspension, understand the test the ACT court will apply before you respond or apply.

5

Call our free 24/7 legal hotline on 1800 951 176 to talk through your situation and, if you want, be connected with a vetted ACT criminal lawyer who can act for you.

Mistakes to avoid

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Assuming the register is public, or that your name will appear on a community website. In the ACT it will not - access is restricted by law (s118) and unauthorised access is itself an offence (s120). Do not act on rumours about 'public lists'.

⚠️

Missing the 7-day initial report or an annual report because you did not realise the clock had started. Reporting obligations begin from sentence or release - not when police remind you - and failing to report without a reasonable excuse is a separate crime under section 58A.

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Forgetting to report travel before leaving the ACT, or not updating changed details (new phone number, car, address, online account, or contact with a child). These all fall within reportable personal details and are easy to overlook.

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Trying to handle a registration order, prohibition order, or removal application without ACT-specific legal help - or relying on information written for another state. The Act, the courts, and the section numbers are unique to the ACT.

Free & low-cost help in Australian Capital Territory

If you cannot afford a private lawyer, or you just need somewhere reliable to start, these ACT services can help. Our hotline can also point you in the right direction and connect you with a local lawyer:

Legal Aid ACT

Free legal information, a telephone helpline, and means-tested representation for serious criminal matters in the ACT, including child sex offence and registration-related charges.

ACT Policing (AFP) - Child Sex Offender Register

The agency that administers the ACT register and handles reporting. Use official AFP / ACT Policing channels to confirm your reporting requirements.

Canberra Community Law

A community legal centre offering free legal help to disadvantaged Canberrans; can assist or refer on criminal and related issues.

ACT Law Society - Find a Lawyer

Official directory of practising solicitors in the ACT to help you find a criminal law specialist.

Frequently asked questions — Child Sex Offenders Register in Australian Capital Territory

Is the ACT sex offenders register public - can people look me up?

No. The ACT child sex offenders register is a confidential police database. Section 118 of the Crimes (Child Sex Offenders) Act 2005 requires that only authorised people access it, and section 120 makes it a criminal offence (up to 200 penalty units or 2 years imprisonment) for an unauthorised person to access it. There is no public website and no community notification scheme in the ACT.

Which law and which police run the register in the ACT?

The Crimes (Child Sex Offenders) Act 2005 (ACT) governs the scheme. It is administered by ACT Policing - the Australian Federal Police delivering policing services to the Territory - rather than a separate state police force. The ACT register feeds the national ANCOR / National Child Offender System operated by the Australian Criminal Intelligence Commission, so authorised police across Australia can share information.

How long will I have to report for?

It depends on your offences. A single class 2 offence is 8 years (s85), a single class 1 offence is 15 years (s84), two class 2 offences is 15 years (s86), and a class 1 combination or more than two registrable offences means reporting for life (s87). Young offenders get reduced periods of 7.5 years, or 4 years for a single class 2 offence (s89).

What do I actually have to report to police?

A wide range of personal details under section 59 - your names and aliases, address, date of birth, employment, the vehicles you use, tattoos, telephone numbers and internet identifiers, and any contact with children, among other things. You make an initial report (generally within 7 days of sentence or release), report in person at least once a year (s37), report changes, and report travel before leaving the ACT (ss42, 45).

What happens if I forget to report or report late?

Failing to comply with a reporting obligation is a serious offence in its own right under section 58A, carrying a maximum of 500 penalty units (about $80,000 at the current $160 per unit), 5 years imprisonment, or both. There is a defence if you have a reasonable excuse, but you carry an evidential burden to raise it, and the court looks at factors like your age and any disability. If you have missed a report, get legal advice quickly - call 1800 951 176.

Does the court 'sentence' me to the register?

Not usually. For class 1 and class 2 offences you become a registrable offender automatically when an ACT court sentences you for that offence (s8) - the judge does not have a discretion to leave you off. The only discretionary path is a child sex offender registration order (ss14-18), which a court can make for certain other offences if satisfied you pose a risk to the sexual safety of children.

Can I ever be taken off the ACT register?

There are limited pathways. The chief police officer can apply to the ACT Magistrates Court for an order removing you from the register if it would be inappropriate for you to remain (s122A). Separately, a person with life-long obligations can apply to the ACT Supreme Court for a suspension order under section 97, but an unsuccessful applicant generally cannot reapply for 5 years (s100), and a suspension ends if you reoffend (s101). None of this is automatic.

What is a prohibition order and how is it different from reporting?

Reporting obligations are about keeping police informed. A prohibition order, made by a court under Part 5A.2 of the Act, actively restricts what you may do - for instance, contact with children, internet use, or going to certain places. Contravening a prohibition order is an offence under section 132ZI with a maximum of 500 penalty units, 5 years imprisonment, or both. A court can also make an interim prohibition order.

I committed the offence interstate or overseas - do ACT obligations apply?

They can. The Act deals with corresponding offenders and corresponding orders, so a person who is reporting in another state or who has a corresponding registration obligation can be required to report once they are in the ACT. The interaction between jurisdictions is complex, so this is an area where ACT-specific advice is important - call 1800 951 176 to talk it through.

Will being on the register stop me working with or living near children?

The register itself does not automatically ban you, but it has knock-on effects. Reportable details include contact with children and your employment, a prohibition order can directly restrict contact or movement, and separate working-with-children checks in the ACT will be affected by a child sex offence history. If your job, study, or living arrangements involve children, get advice before you rely on any assumption.

Sources & further reading

Last reviewed: 2026-06-19. Laws change — confirm current details with the linked official sources or call 1800 951 176.

Talk to an ACT criminal lawyer who knows this scheme

Registration is one of the most far-reaching consequences in ACT criminal law - it can shape your life for 8 years, 15 years, or longer, and a single missed report can become a fresh charge. Whether you are still fighting the underlying charge, facing a registration order or prohibition order, or trying to apply for removal or suspension, the detail of the Crimes (Child Sex Offenders) Act 2005 matters enormously. Our free hotline gives you accurate ACT-specific information any time of day, and if you want a lawyer to act for you we can connect you with a vetted Canberra criminal defence solicitor. Call 1800 951 176.

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The Sex Offenders Register in the Australian Capital Territory