NSW Child Protection Register Explained

What you need to know right now

The NSW Child Protection Register is a confidential list kept by the NSW Police Force - it is NOT public and you cannot search it. If you are sentenced for a registrable Class 1 or Class 2 offence, the court must now make a Registrable Person Order placing you on the register, and you must report your personal details to police, in person, within 7 days, then update them and report annually for 8 years, 15 years or life. Failing to report, or giving false information, is a separate criminal offence carrying up to 5 years imprisonment. If you are facing sentence or are already reporting, get free information now on 1800 951 176.

The law in New South Wales

The register is governed by the Child Protection (Offenders Registration) Act 2000 (NSW). It is maintained by the NSW Police Force and feeds the national child-offender database (ANCOR, part of the National Child Offender System run by the Australian Criminal Intelligence Commission). It is a law-enforcement tool, not a public list - members of the public have no right to access it, unlike the public registers that exist in parts of the United States.

You become a registrable person if a court finds you guilty of a registrable offence. These are divided into Class 1 offences (the most serious - for example the murder or aggravated sexual assault of a child, persistent child sexual abuse, incest and child trafficking) and Class 2 offences (a broader range including grooming, sexual touching of a child, kidnapping, and producing or disseminating child abuse material). The Acts and the Crimes Act 1900 (NSW) define exactly which offences fall in each class.

Since the major reforms that commenced on 29 September 2025 (made by the Child Protection (Offenders Registration) Amendment Act 2024), the sentencing court must make a Registrable Person Order (RPO) when it convicts an adult of a registrable offence and imposes a sentence other than a non-conviction order. For a child offender (under 18 at the time of the offence) registration is not automatic - the prosecution must ask for it and the court must be satisfied the young person poses a risk to the safety of children.

Your reporting period depends on the class of offence. A single Class 2 offence carries 8 years of reporting; a single Class 1 offence, or two or more Class 2 offences, carries 15 years; and two or more Class 1 offences (or certain repeat sexual offending) carry reporting for life. For offenders who were under 18 when they offended, these periods are halved - broadly 4 years and 7.5 years.

While registered you must make an initial report in person at a police station within 7 days of being sentenced (or within 7 days of release from custody), then report again each year, and notify police of any change to your details - generally within 7 days, but within 24 hours where the change concerns contact with or living arrangements involving a child. You must also report intended travel, including interstate and overseas travel. The 2025 reforms also expanded police powers to inspect a registrable persons home (up to twice a year), vehicle and electronic devices.

Separately, the Child Protection (Offenders Prohibition Orders) Act 2004 (NSW) lets police apply to a court for a Child Protection Prohibition Order restricting where a person can go or what they can do (for example, being near schools or having contact with children). Breaching reporting obligations is dealt with in the Local Court or District Court; prohibition orders and register reviews involve the Local Court, the NSW Civil and Administrative Tribunal (NCAT) and, for some matters, the Supreme Court.

Key NSW legislation, registers and courts

Primary Act: Child Protection (Offenders Registration) Act 2000 (NSW) - creates the register and reporting obligations
Prohibition orders: Child Protection (Offenders Prohibition Orders) Act 2004 (NSW) - police-sought orders restricting conduct around children
2025 reform: Child Protection (Offenders Registration) Amendment Act 2024 and the 2025 Regulations - commenced 29 September 2025; introduced Registrable Person Orders and expanded police inspection powers
Register keeper: the NSW Police Force - the register is confidential and NOT accessible to the public
National link: ANCOR / National Child Offender System, administered by the Australian Criminal Intelligence Commission
Reporting periods: Class 2 offence = 8 years; Class 1 offence (or 2+ Class 2) = 15 years; 2+ Class 1 = life (halved for under-18 offenders)
Failing to report (s 17) or false/misleading information (s 18): up to 500 penalty units or 5 years imprisonment; Local Court capped at 100 penalty units and/or 2 years
Courts and bodies: Local Court and District Court (offences and most orders), NCAT (review of certain register decisions), Supreme Court (some matters)

It is the reporting - not the conviction - that sends people back to court

Most people assume the hard part ends at sentencing. On the NSW register, the obligations are only just beginning - and the part that catches people out is how long and how strict they are. You must report in person within 7 days, update police whenever your details change, and keep doing it for 8 years, 15 years or life. A change of address you forgot to report, a new phone number, a trip interstate, or moving in somewhere a child lives can each be a fresh offence under section 17, punishable by up to 5 years imprisonment - entirely separate from your original sentence. People most often breach by accident, not defiance. If you are unsure exactly what you must report and when, call 1800 951 176 before a deadline passes.

What this means in practice

What the register actually means in practice depends on your offence class, your age at the time, and whether police seek further orders. The main outcomes are:

8 years reporting (Class 2)

A single Class 2 offence (such as grooming or sexual touching of a child) generally carries an 8-year reporting period - halved to about 4 years if you were under 18 when you offended.

15 years reporting (Class 1)

A single Class 1 offence, or two or more Class 2 offences, generally carries 15 years of reporting - halved to about 7.5 years for offenders who were under 18 at the time.

Life reporting

Two or more Class 1 offences, or certain repeat sexual offending, can trigger reporting for life. After 15 years a registered person may apply to NCAT to suspend life reporting if they no longer pose a risk to children.

Breach penalties (s 17 / s 18)

Failing to comply with reporting obligations, or giving false or misleading information, carries up to 500 penalty units or 5 years imprisonment. Dealt with in the Local Court, the maximum is 100 penalty units and/or 2 years.

Child Protection Prohibition Orders

Under the 2004 Act, police can ask a court to bar you from certain places, work or contact with children. Breaching a prohibition order is itself a serious offence.

Police monitoring

Since 29 September 2025 police can inspect a registrable persons home up to twice a year, and inspect vehicles and electronic devices, to verify reported information.

What to do now — step by step

1

Confirm your exact reporting period and class - whether you face 8 years, 15 years or life depends on the precise offence you were sentenced for. Call 1800 951 176 for free help reading your court paperwork.

2

Write down every reporting deadline now - your initial 7-day report, your annual report date, and the rule that child-contact changes must be reported within 24 hours. If anything is unclear, call 1800 951 176 before the clock runs out.

3

Before you move, change your phone, start a new job, or travel, check whether it must be reported and how quickly. A quick call to 1800 951 176 can stop an accidental breach.

4

If police have charged you with breaching reporting obligations (s 17) or applied for a Child Protection Prohibition Order, get advice immediately - these are serious criminal matters. Call 1800 951 176 to understand your position and book a vetted NSW criminal lawyer.

5

If you are nearing 15 years on life reporting, ask about applying to NCAT to suspend your obligations. Call 1800 951 176 for free information on whether that path is open to you and how it works.

Mistakes to avoid

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Assuming the register is public and panicking - in NSW it is confidential and held only by police; your neighbours cannot look you up.

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Missing the 7-day initial report or an annual report because no one reminded you - police do not have to chase you, and a missed deadline can be a separate offence under section 17.

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Not reporting a change fast enough - most changes must be reported within 7 days, but anything about living with or having contact with a child must be reported within 24 hours.

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Travelling interstate or overseas without giving police the advance notice the Act requires, which can breach your obligations even if the trip itself is innocent.

Free & low-cost help in New South Wales

If you cannot afford a private lawyer, free and low-cost help is available in NSW. The services below are independent of Legal Hotline - we are a free information service, not a law firm, and we can connect you with a vetted local lawyer when you need representation.

Legal Aid NSW

Free legal information, advice and, in eligible criminal matters, representation. Publishes plain-English guides on the Child Protection Register and protection orders.

LawAccess NSW

Free government phone service that gives initial legal information and referrals across NSW, including criminal law.

Community Legal Centres NSW

Network of local community legal centres offering free advice; find your nearest centre by location and area of law.

Aboriginal Legal Service (NSW/ACT)

Free legal help for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people in criminal, care and other matters.

Frequently asked questions — Child Protection Register in New South Wales

Is the NSW Child Protection Register public?

No. The register is kept by the NSW Police Force under the Child Protection (Offenders Registration) Act 2000 and is confidential. Members of the public cannot search it or find out who is on it. Access is limited to police and authorised agencies, and it feeds the national ANCOR system used by police across Australia. For free information about what being on it means, call 1800 951 176.

How long will I have to report?

It depends on your offence class. A single Class 2 offence carries about 8 years; a single Class 1 offence, or two or more Class 2 offences, carries 15 years; and two or more Class 1 offences (or certain repeat sexual offending) can mean reporting for life. If you were under 18 when you offended, these periods are roughly halved. To check your exact period, call 1800 951 176.

What changed on 29 September 2025?

Major reforms commenced. The biggest change is that a sentencing court must now make a Registrable Person Order to place an adult on the register following conviction for a registrable offence, the Class 1 and Class 2 offence lists were broadened, and police gained expanded powers to inspect a registrable persons home (up to twice a year), vehicle and electronic devices. NCAT review of certain decisions, such as travel refusals, was also introduced. Call 1800 951 176 to understand how the new rules affect you.

What exactly do I have to report to police?

You must report your personal details in person - things like your name and any aliases, address, phone numbers, vehicles, employment, internet and email details, tattoos, and any contact with children. You make an initial report within 7 days of sentence or release, report again every year, and update police when details change. Most changes must be reported within 7 days, but anything about living with or having contact with a child must be reported within 24 hours.

What happens if I miss a report or get something wrong?

Failing to comply with your reporting obligations is an offence under section 17 of the Act, and giving false or misleading information is an offence under section 18. The maximum penalty is 500 penalty units or 5 years imprisonment, or both; if the matter stays in the Local Court the maximum is 100 penalty units and/or 2 years. There is a reasonable excuse defence, but you must prove it. If you have been charged, call 1800 951 176 straight away.

Can children be put on the register in NSW?

Yes, but not automatically. Since the 2025 reforms, for a person who was under 18 when they offended the prosecution must ask the court to register them and the court must be satisfied the young person poses a risk to the safety of children. Reporting periods for under-18 offenders are also halved. Because the test is discretionary, getting advice early matters - call 1800 951 176.

Can I ever get off the register or reduce my obligations?

Reporting periods are fixed by class, so most people simply report until their period ends. For people on life reporting, you may apply to the NSW Civil and Administrative Tribunal (NCAT) after 15 years to suspend the obligation if you can show you no longer pose a risk to the lives or safety of children. The 2025 reforms also added NCAT review of certain other decisions. Call 1800 951 176 to find out whether a review is open to you.

What is a Child Protection Prohibition Order?

It is a separate order under the Child Protection (Offenders Prohibition Orders) Act 2004 (NSW). Police can apply to a court for an order prohibiting a person from doing certain things - such as being near schools or children, or doing certain work - if they pose a risk. Breaching a prohibition order is a serious criminal offence. If police have applied for one against you, call 1800 951 176 for information.

Do I have to tell police every time I travel?

Yes - the Act requires registrable persons to report intended travel, including interstate trips and travel overseas, usually in advance. Travelling without giving the required notice can breach your obligations even if the trip is entirely innocent. If you are planning a trip, call 1800 951 176 first to check what notice you must give.

Is Legal Hotline a law firm?

No. Legal Hotline is a free 24/7 service that gives you clear legal information - not legal advice - and can connect you with a vetted local NSW criminal lawyer if you need representation. Calling 1800 951 176 costs nothing and is confidential.

Sources & further reading

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

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The Child Protection Register in NSW: Your Reporting Obligations Explained