Sex Offender Registration in Upson County: Deadlines, Fees, Moving, and Penalties
If you or someone you care about has to register in Upson County, timing is everything. Georgia uses tight 72-hour windows for initial registration and most updates—and the penalties for missing them are severe.
Registration requirements in Upson County depend on your conviction type and date. If you were convicted on or after July 1, 1996 of a criminal offense against a minor victim, you must register as a sexual offender. The same applies if you were convicted on or after July 1, 2006 of a dangerous sexual offense. Those dates matter. If you're unsure which category applies, confirm your conviction date and offense type before making plans to move or report.
Note: The deadlines and requirements below reflect Upson County guidance based on Georgia’s registration law, including the strict 72-hour reporting windows.
The Georgia Bureau of Investigation (GBI) serves as the central repository for Georgia’s Violent Sexual Offender Registry under O.C.G.A. § 42-1-12. In plain terms, the registry is handled at the state level, even though your required in-person reporting happens through the sheriff in the county where you live.
Initial registration runs on a strict 72-hour clock. You must register with the sheriff of the county where you reside within 72 hours after release from prison, placement on parole, supervised release, or probation - or within 72 hours after entering Georgia. Coming home from custody? Starting supervision? Relocating into the state? Don't treat registration as something you'll get to eventually. The deadline is measured in hours, not days.
Deadline reminder: The 72-hour requirement applies after release, after being placed on supervision, and after entering Georgia - different situations, same short window.
Registration isn't one-and-done. Each year, you must renew by reporting to the sheriff of the county where you live within 72 hours before your birthday. This annual visit includes being photographed and fingerprinted, so it's more than a quick check-in. Plan ahead - don't let work schedules, transportation issues, or last-minute problems squeeze you into missing the window.
If any of your required registration information changes (other than your residence address), you have 72 hours to report it. Give the new information to the sheriff of the county where you're registered within 72 hours of the change. Treat updates as a deadline, not a suggestion - waiting until your next birthday reporting can put you out of compliance.
Moving? There's a two-part rule that trips people up. You must notify the sheriff of the county where you last registered within 72 hours before you move. Then, after you move, you must notify the sheriff of your new county within 72 hours after arriving. Two sheriffs, two separate deadlines - one before, one after.
Don’t mix these up: Most registration info changes are reported within 72 hours after the change, but a residence move requires notice both 72 hours before leaving and within 72 hours after arriving.
Some registrants also face an annual fee. If you were convicted of a dangerous sexual offense on or after July 1, 2006, you must pay $250 each year to the sheriff of the county where you live, due on each anniversary. If you move, the payment goes to the sheriff of your new county.
Georgia treats noncompliance as a serious felony. Fail to register, provide false information, or miss your 72-hour birthday reporting window? The punishment is 10 to 30 years in prison. A second offense can mean life imprisonment.
These consequences extend to others, too. Harboring, concealing, or providing false information to help a sexual offender evade law enforcement is a felony punishable by at least five years in prison. If a family member wants to help, the safest approach is practical support that keeps everything accurate and on time - not hiding someone or providing misleading information.
Warning: Missing a registration deadline or giving false information can lead to a felony with 10–30 years in prison - and a second offense can mean life. Helping someone evade compliance can also be a felony.
Registration typically lasts for life. However, Georgia law allows some eligible people to petition the superior court for release from registration requirements if they meet statutory criteria. Think of a petition as a separate legal process from day-to-day compliance - you still need to follow all reporting rules unless and until a court releases you.
Registry records come from multiple sources. The Department of Corrections and the State Board of Pardons and Paroles enter sexual offender records, while the Georgia Bureau of Investigation (GBI) serves as the central repository under O.C.G.A. § 42-1-12.
Find an Inmate at Upson County Jail, GA
Search for a loved one and send messages and photos in minutes.
