U.S. Department of Justice

Office of Justice Programs

Office of Sex Offender Sentencing, Monitoring,

Apprehending, Registering, and Tracking

Guide to SORNA

— Sex Offender Registration and Notification Act —

Implementation in

Indian Country

Second Edition

2020
The Office of Justice Programs provides federal leadership, grants, training, technical 

assistance and other resources to improve the nation’s capacity to prevent and reduce 

crime, assist victims and enhance the rule of law by strengthening the criminal and juvenile 

justice systems. Its six program offices support state and local crime-fighting efforts, fund 

thousands of victim service programs, help communities manage sex offenders, address 

the needs of youth in the system and children in danger, and provide vital research and 

data. OJP’s six program offices are the Bureau of Justice Assistance; the Bureau of Justice 

Statistics; the National Institute of Justice; the Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency 

Prevention; the Office of Sex Offender Sentencing, Monitoring, Apprehending, Registering, 

and Tracking; and the Office for Victims of Crime.

The SMART Office protects the public by supporting the national implementation

of a comprehensive sex offender registration and notification system.

This guide is dedicated to the memory of

SORNA Officers Elmer Lamson and Michael Lee,

who served the White Mountain Apache Tribe Police Department

and the Navajo Nation Police Department, respectively.

Their tireless efforts to implement SORNA in Indian Country

demonstrated their deep commitment to public safety.

U.S. Department of Justice

Office of Justice Programs

810 Seventh St. NW

Washington, DC 20531

www.ojp.gov

Office of Sex Offender Sentencing, Monitoring, 

Apprehending, Registering, and Tracking

www.smart.gov

Guide to SORNA Implementation in Indian Country

Second Edition

Published August 2020
Guide to SORNA Implementation in Indian Country | i

Table of Contents

Introduction................................................................................................................................1

What Is SORNA?.........................................................................................................................3

Duties of a SORNA Officer.........................................................................................................3

SORNA In-Person Registration Requirements .........................................................................4

Who Must Register With a Tribal Jurisdiction?........................................................................4

Where To Register: Registration Jurisdictional Issues............................................................5 

Tiering.........................................................................................................................................6

Required Registration Information ...........................................................................................8

National and Tribal Databases................................................................................................11

Tribe and Territory Sex Offender Registry System.................................................................12

Public Registry Website...........................................................................................................13

Fingerprints and Palm Prints ..................................................................................................14

Submitting Offender Information Into NCIC/NSOR ...............................................................15

DNA Collection and Submission .............................................................................................16

SORNA Exchange Portal..........................................................................................................17

Community Notification Requirements ..................................................................................18

Juvenile Offenders and SORNA ..............................................................................................19

International Travel Notice Information..................................................................................20

Failure To Appear for Registration..........................................................................................21

Establishing a SORNA Program..............................................................................................22

Tribal Training and Technical Assistance...............................................................................22

Guide to SORNA Implementation in Indian Country | 1

Introduction

The Office of Sex Offender Sentencing, Monitoring, Apprehending, Registering, and 

Tracking (SMART) developed this guide to provide sex offender registration personnel 

in Indian Country with useful information to assist in efforts toward implementing 

and maintaining implementation of the Sex Offender Registration and Notification Act 

(SORNA), Title I of the Adam Walsh Child Protection and Safety Act of 2006. This guide 

also contains links to helpful templates and guidance documents designed to help tribes 

with the implementation process. Additionally, SMART Senior Policy Advisors are available 

to answer any questions or address any concerns.

Sex offender registration and community notification are vital components of a nationwide 

commitment to improving the safety of our communities. We look forward to assisting you 

as your tribal jurisdiction works toward becoming an essential component of the seamless 

web of public sex offender databases and law enforcement information-sharing systems 

that SORNA envisions.

The Adam Walsh Act established the SMART Office within the Department of Justice, 

Office of Justice Programs, to administer the federal standards for sex offender 

registration and notification, administer the grant programs authorized by the Adam Walsh 

Act and coordinate related training and technical assistance. The SMART Office assists 

jurisdictions in implementing SORNA and provides guidance and solutions for related sex 

offender management issues.

The SMART Office

www.smart.gov

AskSMART@usdoj.gov

202-514-4689
2 | Guide to SORNA Implementation in Indian Country
Guide to SORNA Implementation in Indian Country | 3

What Is SORNA?

SORNA refers to the Sex Offender Registration and Notification Act, which is Title I of 

the Adam Walsh Child Protection and Safety Act of 2006 (Public Law 109-248). SORNA 

provides a comprehensive set of minimum standards for sex offender registration and 

notification in the United States. SORNA aims to close potential gaps and loopholes 

that existed under prior law and strengthens the nationwide network of sex offender 

registration and notification programs. Specifically, SORNA does the following:

l	 Extends the jurisdictions in which registration is required beyond the 50 states, 

the District of Columbia and the principal U.S. territories, to also include certain 

federally recognized Indian tribes.

l	 Incorporates a comprehensive group of sex offenders and sex offenses for which 

registration is required.

l	 Requires sex offenders to register and keep their registration current in each 

jurisdiction where they live, work and go to school. 

l	 Requires sex offenders to provide more extensive registration information.

l	 Establishes a three-tier framework for classifying sex offenders. 

l	 Requires sex offenders to make periodic in-person appearances to verify and 

update their registration information.

l	 Expands what information is publicly available on registered sex offenders.

l	 Changes the required minimum duration of registration for sex offenders.

l	 Creates a new federal offense for failure to register.

Duties of a SORNA Officer

Because SORNA implementation is complex and involves a variety of different 

requirements, many tribal jurisdictions find it helpful to designate a point person — often 

referred to as a SORNA Officer or SORNA Compliance Specialist — to oversee all required 

tasks. The exact title and duties of a SORNA Officer will vary from tribe to tribe. Some 

SORNA Officers are also law enforcement officers for the tribe, in which case the SORNA 

Officer may be able to personally complete the law enforcement duties required under 

SORNA, such as fingerprinting offenders. Other SORNA Officers are civilians who carry 

out all of the non-law-enforcement functions, such as posting offender information to 

the public registry website, and work collaboratively with a law enforcement agency 

to carry out law enforcement tasks. Regardless of whether the SORNA Officer collects 

the information directly or has another agency perform the task, the SORNA Officer 

should serve as a coordinator and ensure that all the information has been collected and 

entered into the tribe’s registry and the required federal databases.
4 | Guide to SORNA Implementation in Indian Country

When Must Initial Registration 

Occur? 

Incarcerated sex offenders must 

be registered before their release 

from imprisonment, while nonincarcerated sex offenders must be 

registered within 3 business days 

of sentencing for the registration 

offense. If convicted, sentenced or 

incarcerated in another jurisdiction, 

registration must take place 

within 3 business days of the sex 

offender establishing a residence, 

employment or school attendance in 

your jurisdiction.

SORNA In-Person Registration Requirements

SORNA requires that a registered sex 

offender periodically appear in person 

to verify and update certain registration 

information according to the following 

duration and frequency requirements:

l	 Tier I offenders must appear once a year 

for 15 years. 

l	 Tier II offenders must appear once every 

6 months for 25 years. 

l	 Tier III offenders must appear once 

every 3 months for life. 

Sex offenders must initially register in 

person in each jurisdiction where they 

live, work or go to school. Further, SORNA 

requires an in-person appearance by the 

offender when updating certain registration 

information, such as residence address.

Who Must Register With a Tribal Jurisdiction?

All adult sex offenders convicted of a 

registerable sex offense must register, 

regardless of whether the offender is 

a native, non-native or tribal member. 

There must be a conviction, not just an 

arrest or accusation. Juveniles convicted 

as adults must also register, as well as 

certain juveniles adjudicated delinquent 

of particular sex offenses. See “Juvenile 

Offenders and SORNA,” page 19. 

Offenses Involving Consensual 

Sexual Conduct: “Romeo & 

Juliet” Exception

An offense involving consensual 

sexual conduct is not a sex 

offense for purposes of SORNA 

and therefore does not require 

registration if the victim is at least 

13 years old and the offender is 

not more than 4 years older than 

the victim or if the victim is an 

adult (unless the adult is under the 

custodial authority of the offender at 

the time of the offense).
Guide to SORNA Implementation in Indian Country | 5

Tribal and State Lands

Some tribal lands are arranged 

in a patchwork around state or 

county land. In such instances, a 

tribe is responsible for registration 

functions on lands subject to its 

law enforcement jurisdiction, and a 

state is responsible for registration 

functions on lands subject to its law 

enforcement jurisdiction.

Previously Registered Offenders

If an offender moves out of your 

jurisdiction and is no longer 

required to register with your tribe, 

you may still retain that offender’s 

information in your administrative 

database or public registry website.

State Dual Registration

Some states go beyond SORNA’s 

requirements and require all 

sex offenders living within state 

boundaries to register with the state, 

even if they live, work or go to school 

exclusively on tribal land. 

Where To Register: Registration 

Jurisdictional Issues

SORNA requires that sex offenders initially 

register in the jurisdiction of conviction. 

Thereafter, they must register in any 

jurisdiction where they —

l	 live,

l	 work, and

l	 go to school.

It is possible that a sex offender will 

have to register in multiple registration 

jurisdictions. For example, a sex offender 

who lives in New Mexico, works in Arizona 

and goes to school in Colorado is required 

to register in all three states and keep their 

registration current in each. Similarly, a sex 

offender who works on the Navajo Nation 

Indian Reservation and lives in Gallup, 

New Mexico, is required to register with 

both the Navajo Nation and the state of 

New Mexico. If the sex offender moves to 

Flagstaff, Arizona, and continues working 

on the Navajo Nation Indian Reservation, 

they must notify the appropriate 

registration agency in New Mexico of their 

change in residence, notify the Navajo 

Nation that they now live in Arizona, and 

register with Arizona. 

A sex offender may also live, work and go 

to school exclusively in a tribal jurisdiction. 

If so, the offender is required to register 

only with the tribal jurisdiction. See “State 

Dual Registration” box at right for additional 

state requirements.

A sex offender may have 

to register in multiple 

registration jurisdictions.
6 | Guide to SORNA Implementation in Indian Country

Tiering

SORNA classifies sex offense convictions into three tiers based on the nature and 

seriousness of the offense, the victim’s age and the offender’s prior sex offense 

conviction(s). Tier I offenses generally include only misdemeanor offenses punishable 

by no more than 1 year in jail; tier II and tier III offenses are more serious felony offenses 

punishable by more than 1 year in jail. Tribes must ensure that sex offense convictions 

are tiered correctly. The SORNA Officer or tribal prosecutor is typically responsible for 

assessing sex offense convictions and determining the appropriate tier.

Tribal offenses: Tribes that have enhanced sentencing under the Tribal Law and Order Act 

must tier tribal offenses similarly to federal or state offenses. Otherwise, tribes can opt to 

tier all tribal sex offenses as tier I offenses regardless of the nature of the offense. 

State offenses: State offenses should be tiered similarly to federal offenses. This includes 

offenses from Washington, D.C., and the principal U.S. territories.

Military offenses: Military offenses under § 115(a)(8)(C)(i) of Public Law 105-119 should 

be tiered similarly to federal or state offenses. For assistance with military convictions 

and obtaining supporting documentation, contact the military fellows at the U.S. Marshals 

Service’s National Sex Offender Targeting Center at IOD.NSOTC@usdoj.gov.

Foreign offenses: Foreign offenses should be tiered similarly to federal or state offenses.

Tribal Offenses: Any tribal offenses where maximum punishment was limited to 1 year in jail

Federal Offenses

• 18 U.S.C. § 1801 (video voyeurism of a minor)

• 18 U.S.C. § 2252 (receipt or possession of child pornography)

• 18 U.S.C. § 2252A (receipt or possession of child pornography)

• 18 U.S.C. § 2252B (misleading domain names on the internet)

• 18 U.S.C. § 2252C (misleading words or digital images on the internet)

• 18 U.S.C. § 2422(a) (coercion and enticement of an adult to engage in prostitution)

• 18 U.S.C. § 2423(b) (travel with intent to engage in illicit sexual conduct)

• 18 U.S.C. § 2423(c) (engaging in illicit sexual conduct in foreign places)

• 18 U.S.C. § 2423(d) (ancillary offenses where the victim is 18 or older)

• 18 U.S.C. § 2424 (failure to file factual statement about an alien individual)

• 18 U.S.C. § 2425 (use of interstate facilities to transmit information about a minor)

• Any other offense defined as a tier I offense under 34 U.S.C. § 20911(2), as may be amended

TIER I OFFENSES

State Offenses

General

• Sex offenses not constituting a tier II or 

III offense

Offenses involving minors

• False imprisonment

• Video voyeurism

• Possession or receipt of child sexual 

abuse material (child pornography)
Guide to SORNA Implementation in Indian Country | 7

State Offenses

Offenses involving minors

• Use of minors in prostitution

• Sex trafficking of minors 

• Enticing a minor to engage in criminal 

sexual activity

• Nonforcible sexual act with a minor 16 or 

17 years old

• Sexual contact with a minor 13 years old 

or older

• Use of a minor in a sexual performance

• Production or distribution of child sexual 

abuse material (child pornography)

Recidivism and felonies

• Any sex offense that is not a first sex 

offense and that is punishable by more 

than 1 year in jail

TIER III OFFENSES

Federal Offenses 

• 18 U.S.C. § 1591 (sex trafficking of children, or by force, fraud or coercion)

• 18 U.S.C. § 2244 (abusive sexual contact, where the victim is 13 or older)

• 18 U.S.C. § 2251 (sexual exploitation of children)

• 18 U.S.C. § 2251A (selling or buying of children)

• 18 U.S.C. § 2252 (production or distribution of child pornography)

• 18 U.S.C. § 2252A (production or distribution of child pornography)

• 18 U.S.C. § 2260 (production of sexually explicit depictions of a minor for import into U.S.)

• 18 U.S.C. § 2421 (transportation of a minor for illegal sexual activity)

• 18 U.S.C. § 2422(b) (coercion and enticement of a minor to engage in prostitution)

• 18 U.S.C. § 2423(a) (transportation of minor with intent to engage in criminal sexual activity)

• 18 U.S.C. § 2423(d) (ancillary offenses where the victim is under 18)

• Any other offense defined as a tier II offense under 34 U.S.C. § 20911(3), as may be amended

Federal Offenses

• 18 U.S.C. § 2241 (aggravated sexual abuse)

• 18 U.S.C. § 2242 (sexual abuse)

• 18 U.S.C. § 2243 (sexual abuse of a minor or ward)

• 18 U.S.C. § 2244 (abusive sexual contact, where the victim is 12 or younger)

• Any other offense defined as a tier III offense under 34 U.S.C. § 20911(4), as may be amended

State Offenses

General

• A sexual act with another by force or 

threat

• A sexual act with another who has been 

rendered unconscious or involuntarily 

drugged, or who is otherwise incapable 

of appraising the nature of the conduct or 

declining to participate

Offenses involving minors

• Nonparental kidnapping of a minor

• Sexual contact with a minor 12 years old 

or younger

•A sexual act with a minor under age 16 

(Note “Romeo & Juliet” exception, page 4)

Recidivism and felonies

• Any sex offense punishable by more than 

1 year in jail where the offender has at 

least one prior tier II offense

TIER II OFFENSES
8 | Guide to SORNA Implementation in Indian Country

Required Registration Information 

During registration, the SORNA Officer or 

other designated official must obtain the 

following information from sex offenders 

required to register with the tribe:

l	 Name

— Full primary given name

— All aliases, nicknames and 

pseudonyms

— All ethnic or tribal names by which the sex offender is commonly known (does not 

include any religious or sacred names not otherwise commonly known)

l	 Date of Birth

— Actual date of birth and any other date of birth used by the sex offender 

l	 Social Security Number

— Includes purported Social Security numbers

l	 Phone Number(s)

l	 Picture

— Photograph the sex offender at every scheduled appearance (unless the offender’s 

appearance has not changed significantly).

• Every 3 months for tier III offenders

• Every 6 months for tier II offenders

• Every year for tier I offenders

l	 Physical Description

— Note an accurate physical description of the offender, including distinct 

characteristics like identifying marks, scars, tattoos, etc. 

— Photograph any distinct markings. 

l	 Driver’s Licenses, Identification Cards, Passports and Immigration Documents

— Photocopy or scan all of the sex offender’s valid driver’s licenses issued by any 

jurisdiction, tribal enrollment card(s), passport(s) and all immigration documents 

used by the sex offender.

Digitization and Electronic 

Database Requirement

All required registration information 

must be, at a minimum, maintained 

in a digitized format and in an 

electronic database.
Guide to SORNA Implementation in Indian Country | 9

l	 Residence Address

— Includes any location or description that identifies where the sex offender 

habitually resides, regardless of whether it is a permanent residence or whether it 

has a street address

l	 School Information

— Name and address of each school where the sex offender is or will be a student

l	 Employment Information

— Obtain the name and address of employer, including where the offender reports to 

work if it differs from employer’s main address.

— Includes all paid, volunteer and unpaid positions

l	 Criminal History

— Date of all arrests

— Date of all convictions

— Status of parole, probation or 

supervised release 

— Registration status

— Outstanding arrest warrants 

l	 Fingerprints and Palm Prints See 

“Fingerprints and Palm Prints,” page 14.

— Submit fingerprints and palm 

prints to the FBI Next Generation 

Identification (NGI) system. 

l	 DNA Sample See “DNA Collection and 

Submission,” page 16.

— Submit all DNA samples to the 

Combined DNA Index System 

(CODIS). To check if the sex offender’s DNA is already in CODIS, contact the state 

DNA laboratory (if tribal DNA submissions are sent through the state) or contact 

the FBI’s Federal DNA Database Unit for direct submissions. 

l	 Internet Identifiers

— All email addresses used by the sex offender

— All instant message addresses and identifiers used by the sex offender

— All other designations or monikers used for self-identification in internet 

communications or postings used by the sex offender, including social network 

identifications such as Twitter accounts

Offense Information 

In addition to information obtained 

from the sex offender, the SORNA 

Officer must obtain the text of the 

criminal offense for which the sex 

offender is registered. The historical 

statutes database, which provides 

the text of federal, military and state 

sex offenses, is available on the 

SORNA Exchange Portal. The Tribe 

and Territory Sex Offender Registry 

System can also automatically 

populate the text of these offenses. 

See “Tribe and Territory Sex Offender 

Registry System,” page 12, and 

“SORNA Exchange Portal,” page 17.
10 | Guide to SORNA Implementation in Indian Country

l	 Professional Licensing Information

— All licensing information that 

authorizes the sex offender to engage 

in an occupation or carry out a trade 

or business (e.g., electrician or state 

bar license)

l	 Vehicle Information

— Includes work and personal use 

vehicles — including land vehicles, 

aircraft and watercraft. The sex 

offender does not need to be the 

vehicle owner.

• License plate numbers

• Vehicle identification numbers

• Description of the vehicle (i.e., color, make, model, year)

• Permanent or frequent location where the vehicle is kept

l	 Temporary Lodging (Domestic)

— Whenever a registered sex offender will be absent from their residence temporarily 

(7 days or more), collect the following information:

• Identifying information of the temporary lodging locations, including addresses 

and names (e.g., hotel name)

• Dates the sex offender will be staying at each temporary lodging location 

— Consult your tribe’s code to determine how far in advance of travel the offender is 

required to provide this information and whether it must be in person. 

l	 International Travel 

— Offenders who intend to travel internationally must provide 21 days’ advance 

notice to all registration jurisdictions. See “International Travel Notice Information,” 

page 20.

“Immediate” Transfer of 

Information

The initial or updated registration 

information must be immediately 

sent to other jurisdictions where 

the offender is required to register, 

as well as to the national crime 

databases and the tribe’s public sex 

offender registry website. SORNA 

defines “immediately” as within 3 

business days of entry or update. 
Guide to SORNA Implementation in Indian Country | 11

National and Tribal Databases

After the required registration information is collected, it must be entered into the

appropriate databases to fulfill SORNA’s information-sharing requirements.

Enter and maintain offender 

registration information in

tribe’s registry system; 

display required 

information on 

public registry 

website (which 

will also display 

on NSOPW.gov)

Submit

fingerprints, 

palm prints and 

photos to NGI

Submit offender

registration 

information to 

NCIC/NSOR

Submit DNA

to CODIS

CODIS

(Combined

DNA Index

System)

NSOR

(National

Sex Offender

Registry)

NGI

(Next

Generation

Index)

TTSORS

(Tribal

Registry)

The Importance of Submitting to All Databases

It is important to ensure that registration 

information is submitted to all required 

databases. Failing to submit registration 

information to even one of the above 

databases can result in the appropriate 

public and/or law enforcement 

notifications not being made. If 

registration information is not entered 

into an electronic registry database 

such as TTSORS and not displayed on 

a public registry website, the offender 

will not appear in a search of NSOPW.

gov. If fingerprints are not submitted to 

NGI, a fingerprint-based criminal history 

record check will not display a notice 

that the offender is a registered sex 

offender. If biographical information is 

not submitted to NSOR, a name-based 

criminal history record check will not 

display a notice that the offender is a 

registered sex offender. Finally, if DNA is 

not submitted to CODIS, the offender’s 

DNA profile is unknown and will not 

be linked to any unsolved crimes the 

offender may have committed.
12 | Guide to SORNA Implementation in Indian Country

NSOPW.gov

The Dru Sjodin National Sex 

Offender Public Website (NSOPW.

gov) is the only government 

system to link state, territory and 

tribal public sex offender registries 

from a national search site. Make 

sure your tribe’s public website is 

linked to NSOPW.gov. Contact IIR 

for assistance (registrysupport@

nsopw.gov). 

Getting Started With TTSORS

To get your tribe or territory started 

with TTSORS, send a request to 

the Institute for Intergovernmental 

Research (IIR) at registrysupport@

nsopw.gov or call 850-385-0600, 

ext. 222.

Tribe and Territory Sex Offender Registry System

The Tribe and Territory Sex Offender 

Registry System (TTSORS) is provided 

by the SMART Office to assist tribes and 

territories in implementing SORNA registry 

system requirements. TTSORS functions 

as both the administrative registry system 

and the public sex offender registry 

website, and allows offender records to be 

submitted directly to the FBI’s National Sex 

Offender Registry (NSOR) file.

Only tribal and territorial agencies that 

manage and register sex offenders can 

enter and update information in TTSORS. 

The SMART Office provides TTSORS free 

of charge so that tribal jurisdictions do not 

need to develop or purchase any special 

information technology systems to have 

a SORNA-compliant registry system. 

TTSORS is hosted and managed for tribal 

jurisdictions, and ongoing professional 

assistance is available by phone, email or 

chat. All that is needed to use TTSORS is a 

computer with internet access.

SORNA requirements are already included 

in TTSORS, so when a tribe participates 

in TTSORS, the tribe is automatically able to participate in NSOPW.gov and with the 

SORNA Exchange Portal. By using TTSORS, a tribe’s registry system will be able to —

l	 Provide community notifications,

l	 Collect all offender information required by SORNA, and

l	 Share information with other SORNA jurisdictions.

Tribes can customize the look of the public website to be unique to the jurisdiction. 

There are also custom offender information fields that can be tailored to collect 

additional information as needed. 

Over 90% of tribes implementing 

SORNA use TTSORS as their registry 

system and public website. 
Guide to SORNA Implementation in Indian Country | 13

Public Registry Website

The SORNA Officer is typically responsible for maintaining the tribe’s public sex offender 

registry website and should ensure that the tribe’s public website is immediately updated 

with the required registration information. If your tribe uses TTSORS, see “Tribe and 

Territory Sex Offender Registry System,” page 12. When posting registration information, 

make certain that prohibited information is not publicly posted. If a tribe has a 

memorandum of understanding with a state or other entity to use its public website, the 

SORNA Officer should check that the state is actually posting the required information. 

Minimum Required Information Prohibited Information 

3 Name of offender

3 Physical description of offender

3 Current photo

3 Residence address

3 Employment address

3 School address

3 Vehicle information

3 All sex offenses for which the 

offender has been convicted

3 Sex offense(s) for which the sex 

offender is registered, including the 

text of the statute(s)

3 Notice that the offender is not in 

compliance or has absconded 

(if applicable)

8 Any arrest information that did not 

result in a conviction

8 Social Security number

8 Identity of the victim

8 Travel and immigration documents

8 Internet identifiers

NSOPW.gov automatically displays sex offender information

from a tribe’s public registry website

TTSORS NSOPW.gov
14 | Guide to SORNA Implementation in Indian Country

Fingerprints and Palm Prints

SORNA requires that jurisdictions include 

in their registries a set of fingerprints 

and palm prints from each sex offender. 

Jurisdictions must maintain fingerprints 

and palm prints in digital format in order 

to facilitate immediate access and 

transmittal of information to various 

entities. Additionally, SORNA requires 

jurisdictions to submit finger and palm 

prints to the FBI’s NGI system.

Although SORNA requires jurisdictions 

to maintain fingerprints and palm prints 

in digital format, jurisdictions are not 

required to use digital print-taking 

devices (live scan) to obtain registered 

sex offenders’ prints. To meet the digital 

format requirement, jurisdictions can 

either —

l Use digital print-taking devices to obtain 

registered sex offenders’ fingerprints 

and palm prints, or

l Take rolled, inked prints; scan and 

upload to the registry; and then mail the 

fingerprint cards to the FBI’s Criminal 

Justice Information Services (CJIS).

Note that digital print-taking devices 

alert the user as to whether the prints are 

of sufficient quality for the NGI system 

to accept; rolled, inked prints that are 

subsequently scanned do not. 

Tribes participating in the Tribal Access 

Program (TAP) that have received a TAP 

workstation have the capability to collect 

digital fingerprints and palm prints and 

submit them directly to NGI. See “Tribal 

Access Program,” page 15. Other tribal 

jurisdictions using digital print-taking 

devices should, if possible, work with the 

state registry agency and select a device 

that interfaces with the state’s system, to 

enable electronic submission of prints to 

NGI through the state system. 

Ordering FBI Fingerprint Cards

Tribes that plan to mail digitally 

scanned or rolled, inked prints 

directly to CJIS may order fingerprint 

cards free of charge. To obtain 

fingerprint cards, you must have 

an Originating Agency Identifier 

(ORI) number. If you do not have 

an ORI number, contact the FBI’s 

CJIS Division at ori@leo.gov or 

at 304-625-4543 to request one. 

Once you have an ORI number, 

complete the CJIS Fingerprinting 

Supply Requisition Form 1-178, 

at www.fbi.gov/services/cjis/

fingerprints-and-other-biometrics/

ordering-fingerprint-cards-andtraining-aids. If you have questions, 

contact the CJIS Fingerprint Supply 

Center at 304-625-3983. 

How To Prepare Fingerprint 

Cards and Capture Palm Prints

For guidance on how to 

prepare fingerprint cards, visit

www.fbi.gov/file-repository/

guidelines-for-preparation-offingerprint-cards-and-associationcriminal-history-information.pdf/

view. 

For guidance on how to capture 

palm prints and supplementals, 

visit www.fbi.gov/file-repository/

guidelines-for-capturing-palmprints-and-supplementals.pdf/view.
Guide to SORNA Implementation in Indian Country | 15

Tribal Access Program

The U.S. Department of Justice 

launched the Tribal Access 

Program (TAP) to provide tribal 

jurisdictions with direct access to 

federal databases, including NCIC/

NSOR. The SMART Office is a key 

partner and funder of TAP. For 

more information on TAP, contact 

TribalAccess@usdoj.gov. 

TTSORS-NSOR Interconnection

Tribal jurisdictions using TTSORS 

and participating in TAP have 

access to the TTSORS-NSOR 

Interconnection, an enhanced 

feature in TTSORS that enables 

registration information entered 

into an offender’s TTSORS record 

to be electronically submitted 

into NCIC/NSOR. This feature 

reduces dual entry and assists in 

ensuring timeliness, accuracy and 

completeness of an offender’s NSOR 

record. For more information, contact 

IIR at registrysupport@nsopw.gov.

Submitting Offender Information Into NCIC/NSOR

SORNA requires that when an offender 

initially registers or updates their 

information in a jurisdiction, that the 

initial registration information or updated 

information be immediately submitted 

to the National Sex Offender Registry 

(NSOR), which is one of the 14 person files 

in the National Crime Information Center 

(NCIC). The FBI’s CJIS Division operates 

and maintains NCIC/NSOR. 

Many tribal jurisdictions have agreements 

in place, such as memoranda of 

understanding, with various state and 

local law enforcement agencies in order to 

access and submit offender information 

into NCIC/NSOR. Some tribal jurisdictions 

have their own access and can submit 

directly. Be aware that having read-only 

access to NCIC/NSOR is insufficient: A 

tribal jurisdiction must be able to submit 

and update offender information. 

If the SORNA Officer is uncertain of 

whether the tribe has full access to NCIC/

NSOR, contact the tribe’s designated 

law enforcement agency. Even if there 

is an agreement in place with another 

entity to provide NCIC access, review the 

agreement to be certain that it includes 

submitting registered sex offender 

information into NSOR. An agreement for 

NCIC access may have been executed 

prior to a tribe implementing a SORNA program and therefore may not cover submitting 

registration information. If this is the case, consider working with the tribe’s legal 

counsel to amend the agreement. 

For tribes participating in TAP, TTSORS users can

directly submit sex offender information into NSOR

TTSORS NSOR
16 | Guide to SORNA Implementation in Indian Country

DNA Collection and Submission

SORNA requires DNA samples to be taken 

from sex offenders during the registration 

process for analysis and entry into the 

FBI’s CODIS database — if DNA has not 

been taken and submitted previously. Some 

states work with SORNA tribal jurisdictions 

to take, preserve and submit DNA samples 

from sex offenders for entry into CODIS and 

to complete the requisite follow-through 

needed on a match between an offender and 

a forensic profile (known as a “cold hit”). 

Where such cooperation and coordination 

exists, SORNA tribal jurisdictions should 

include memoranda of understanding or 

cooperative agreements regarding DNA 

submissions as part of their substantial 

implementation submission to the 

SMART Office. See “Establishing a SORNA 

Program,” page 22. Tribes are encouraged 

to work with states to establish procedures 

for this SORNA DNA requirement. Note 

that contracting with a private laboratory is 

not sufficient for DNA submission for sex 

offender registration purposes because 

most private laboratories cannot submit 

their DNA profiles to CODIS.

Eligible tribal jurisdictions may submit DNA 

samples directly to the FBI’s Federal DNA 

Database Unit (FDDU), and the FBI provides 

DNA sample kits to SORNA tribal registration 

jurisdictions for free. Once tribes have taken 

and submitted the DNA sample for analysis, 

it can be discarded. There is no need to retain it. 

Keep in mind that a sex offender DNA submission could result in a cold hit, and 

cooperation with other agencies — including the FBI, U.S. Marshals Service, state and 

local law enforcement, and tribal police — may be necessary. 

The FBI provides DNA sample kits free of charge

to SORNA tribal registration jurisdictions,

which can be submitted directly to the FDDU.

How To Check if a DNA Sample 

Has Been Submitted to the FBI 

Checking an offender’s DNA status 

first can reduce duplicate testing 

and submissions, saving time and 

resources. To find out if a DNA 

sample for a particular offender 

was submitted to the FDDU, submit 

a status request form at https://

forms.fbi.gov/fddu-fco-samplestatus. 

Tribal jurisdictions participating 

in TAP can view an offender’s 

DNA status via their criminal 

history record. Near the top of the 

criminal history record, above the 

biographical information, there is a 

DNA indicator showing whether a 

DNA profile already exists in CODIS. 

(This DNA indicator does not show 

whether DNA has been submitted to 

a state laboratory.)

Note: It takes 30 days for the DNA 

indicator to be updated in the criminal 

history record. If the indicator is 

negative, submit the status request 

form above to verify if a sample has 

been submitted to FDDU.
Guide to SORNA Implementation in Indian Country | 17

Ordering Kits and Submitting DNA Samples to the FBI

DNA kits can be ordered from the FBI 

website at forms.fbi.gov/buccalcollection-kit-re-order-form. For more 

information, contact FDDU by email 

at fddu@ic.fbi.gov; phone at 703-632-

7529; or mail at Federal DNA Database 

Unit, 2501 Investigation Parkway, 

Quantico, VA 22135.

Tribal jurisdictions that submit DNA 

samples directly to the FBI must 

collect the samples according to the 

FBI’s directions and standards and 

complete the required FBI form, which 

must include, among other items, data 

on each sex offender’s conviction and 

personal information, two fingerprints, 

and valid and verifiable agency contact 

information. The procedures for 

collecting the sample must be followed 

diligently and must be complete to 

ensure that the submission can be 

tested and the data entered into 

CODIS. For more information on how 

to take and submit a DNA sample with 

the supplied kits, visit www.fbi.gov/

services/laboratory/biometric-analysis/

federal-dna-database.

SORNA Exchange Portal

SORNA requires jurisdictions to share 

information about sex offenders who 

are relocating between jurisdictions or 

are required to register in more than 

one jurisdiction. The SMART Office 

developed the SORNA Exchange Portal 

to meet this directive and provide sex 

offender registration personnel an internetbased community where they can share 

information. Each registration jurisdiction 

has access to its own individual site, and 

offender information can be exchanged 

with other jurisdictions through offender 

relocation tasks, document and file sharing, 

discussion boards, event calendars and a 

historical statutes database.

SORNA Officers should have policies 

and procedures in place to regularly 

access the SORNA Exchange Portal. 

Setting up automated, customized alerts 

is highly recommended.

Accessing the SORNA Exchange 

Portal

To access the SORNA Exchange 

Portal, you must have a username 

and password. To obtain these, 

email registrysupport@nsopw.gov. 

Once you receive your username 

and password, log onto the portal at 

https://portal.nsopw.gov.

Keep Contact Information Updated

SORNA Officers should ensure 

the jurisdiction’s point of contact 

information is up to date in the 

SORNA Exchange Portal. If the 

information is outdated, another 

jurisdiction may attempt to notify 

the wrong person about a relocating 

offender or send the information to 

an incorrect email address.
18 | Guide to SORNA Implementation in Indian Country

Community Notification Requirements

SORNA requires that registration jurisdictions immediately provide both initial and 

updated information about a sex offender to certain agencies in specific categories. 

Each category is addressed below, with information on how jurisdictions can implement 

the requirements.

Immediately after a sex offender registers or updates their registration, the SORNA 

Officer should make sure the information is shared with the following:

1. The Attorney General, who shall include that information in the National Sex 

Offender Registry or other appropriate databases. 

To meet this requirement, jurisdictions must immediately forward any information 

to NCIC/NSOR.

2. Appropriate law enforcement 

agencies, schools and public 

housing agencies. 

Jurisdictions can sufficiently notify 

these agencies by —

i. ensuring that their police 

departments, sheriffs’ offices, 

prosecution offices and 

probation/parole offices have 

access to the law enforcement 

portion of their sex offender 

registry; and

ii. utilizing an email notification system, as discussed in (5) below.

3. Each jurisdiction where the sex offender is required to register. 

To meet this requirement, jurisdictions must ensure that there is a mechanism 

in place to transmit registration information to any other jurisdiction where an 

offender is required to register. This capacity must include the states, the principal 

territories, the District of Columbia and every federally recognized Indian tribe that 

has elected to operate as a SORNA registration jurisdiction. Using the SORNA 

Exchange Portal will satisfy this requirement. See “SORNA Exchange Portal,” page 

17.

4. Any agency responsible for conducting employment-related background checks. 

To meet this requirement, jurisdictions must check within their own governmental 

structure to determine —

i. which agencies conduct employment-related background checks, and

ii. how to ensure that those background checks will capture the registration 

information submitted by the sex offender to the registering agency.

TTSORS

SORNA Community Notification 

Requirements are already included in 

the Tribe and Territory Sex Offender 

Registry System (TTSORS). As a 

TTSORS user, your registry system 

can provide community notifications. 

See “Tribe and Territory Sex Offender 

Registry System,” page 12.
Guide to SORNA Implementation in Indian Country | 19

5. Social service entities responsible for protecting minors; volunteer organizations 

in which contact with minors or other vulnerable individuals might occur; and any 

organization, company or individual who requests such notification. 

Jurisdictions can sufficiently meet these community notification requirements by —

i. immediately updating the jurisdiction’s sex offender public website when a sex 

offender either registers or updates their registration information;

ii. establishing an email notification system for the jurisdiction’s sex offender 

public website, which initiates a notification when an offender relocates (to 

include residence, work or school address) in or out of a particular ZIP code or 

geographic radius; and

iii. automatically emailing an individual who registers to be notified when 

a particular sex offender relocates, and reflecting the relocation on the 

jurisdiction’s sex offender public website.

Juvenile Offenders and SORNA

SORNA requires that jurisdictions register 

juveniles convicted as adults as well as 

juveniles adjudicated delinquent of certain 

serious sex offenses. 

A common misconception is that SORNA 

requires jurisdictions to register all 

juveniles who are adjudicated delinquent 

for sex offenses. In fact, SORNA requires 

juvenile registration only if the juvenile 

was at least 14 years old at the time 

of the offense and was adjudicated 

delinquent for committing (or attempting 

or conspiring to commit) a sexual act 

(generally speaking, a forcible penetration 

offense) with another by force, by the 

threat of serious violence, or by rendering 

unconscious or drugging the victim. 

Because of the severity of these offenses, 

juvenile sex offenders adjudicated 

delinquent are categorized as tier III offenders under SORNA and are subject to duration 

and in-person verification requirements applicable to all tier III offenders.

Although SORNA requires registration for juveniles adjudicated delinquent of certain 

sex offenses, SORNA allows registration to be terminated after 25 years for those who 

maintain a clean record.

Exceptions for Juveniles

SORNA does not require jurisdictions 

to treat their juvenile sex offenders 

the same as adult registrants in all 

respects. Jurisdictions have the 

discretion to exempt juveniles from 

their public sex offender website. 

Jurisdictions can also establish 

different procedures for juveniles 

that recognize the unique needs 

of juvenile offenders. For more 

information, see the Attorney 

General’s Supplemental Guidelines 

for Juvenile Registration (https://

smart.ojp.gov/sorna/currentlaw#Attorney).
20 | Guide to SORNA Implementation in Indian Country

International Travel Notice Information

SORNA* requires that a registered sex 

offender inform their residence jurisdiction 

of any intended travel outside of the United 

States at least 21 days prior to that travel. 

The residence jurisdiction must then notify 

the U.S. Marshals Service’s National Sex 

Offender Targeting Center (USMS-NSOTC) 

with the intended travel information. The 

residence jurisdiction must also update 

NCIC/NSOR. The other information-sharing 

requirements of SORNA apply to this 

information as well.

Jurisdictions must collect the following 

information regarding a registered sex 

offender’s intended international travel: 

l Identifying Information

— Full primary given name

— All aliases, nicknames and 

pseudonyms

— Date of birth

— Sex

— Citizenship

— Passport number and country

— FBI number (for domestic law 

enforcement use only)

l Travel Information

— Destination(s)

• Dates and places of departure, 

arrival and return (if applicable), 

including the name of the point 

of departure (city/town) from 

each country 

• Means of travel (air, train, ship)

• Itinerary details (when available), including name of the airport, train station, 

port; flight, train, ship number; departure and arrival times; and information 

about any intermediate stops

How To Notify the U.S. Marshals 

Jurisdictions are strongly 

encouraged to make this 

notification by way of the 

“Notification of International Travel 

Form” on the SORNA Exchange 

Portal. See “SORNA Exchange 

Portal,” page 17. As an alternative, 

jurisdictions may directly submit 

the “Notification of International 

Travel Form” to the USMS-NSOTC 

at IOD.NSOTC@usdoj.gov, with a 

subject line of “Sex Offender Travel 

Notification.” Contact the USMSNSOTC with any questions at 202-

616-1600 or NSOTC.IML@usdoj.gov. 

Once a notification is made, USMSNSOTC will provide the information 

to INTERPOL Washington, which will 

communicate the information to law 

enforcement partners at the intended 

foreign destination(s) of travel.

Advance Notice

Unlike notification requirements for 

temporary domestic lodging, sex 

offenders are required to inform their 

jurisdiction of all international travel 

— regardless of trip length — at least 

21 days in advance of their trip. 

*As augmented by the Attorney General’s Supplemental Guidelines for Sex Offender Registration and 

Notification (January 2011).
Guide to SORNA Implementation in Indian Country | 21

— Purpose(s) of travel (e.g.. business, deportation, military, relocation, 

other [specify]) 

— Criminal record 

• Date and city, state or jurisdiction of conviction

• Offense(s) of conviction requiring registration

• Victim information (age, gender, relationship)

• Registration jurisdiction(s) (state, tribe or territory)

— Other

• Contact information within destination country

• Notifying agency and contact information

Digital copies or photocopies of all pertinent travel documents should be made when 

the information is being collected. If such documents are not available, the jurisdiction 

should collect identifying information on those documents (for example, for a passport, 

the passport number and country of issuance). Note that any information provided might 

be communicated to foreign law enforcement officials, as deemed necessary.

In addition to notifying the U.S. Marshals Service, jurisdictions may directly notify other 

appropriate law enforcement agencies of an offender’s intended international travel if 

circumstances necessitate, by whatever means the jurisdiction prefers.

Failure To Appear for Registration

When a tribal jurisdiction receives notice that an offender is relocating to the tribe to live, 

work or attend school, and then the sex offender fails to appear for registration, the tribe 

(typically the SORNA Officer) must immediately inform the jurisdiction that provided the 

notification that the sex offender failed to appear. 

If the tribe receives information that the offender has absconded, SORNA requires the 

tribal jurisdiction to take the following steps:

l	 Determine whether the offender has actually absconded.

l	 If no determination can be made, inform tribal police or the designated law 

enforcement agency so that they can attempt to locate the offender.

If the absconded offender cannot be located, the tribal jurisdiction must do the following:

l	 Update the public sex offender registry website to indicate that the offender is an 

absconder.

l	 Notify the U.S. Marshals Service.

l	 Seek a warrant for the sex offender’s arrest.

l	 Update NCIC/NSOR and indicate that the offender is an absconder.

l	 Enter the offender’s information into the Wanted Person File in NCIC.
22 | Guide to SORNA Implementation in Indian Country

Establishing a SORNA Program

The SMART Office has developed a number of resources to help tribal jurisdictions 

establish a SORNA program and submit a substantial implementation package.

SMART’s Indian Country webpage, available at https://smart.ojp.gov/sorna/indiancountry, has more guidance for tribes implementing SORNA, including the following:

l Model Tribal Sex Offender Registration Code. This sample sex offender registration 

code is intended to be tailored to the needs and circumstances of each particular tribal 

jurisdiction.

l SORNA Implementation Policy and Procedures Guide. This guide assists tribes with 

creating their own policy and procedure manuals for sex offender registration and 

notification programs. 

SMART’s SORNA Substantial Implementation webpage. This page, available at https://

smart.ojp.gov/sorna/substantial-implementation, contains information on what the 

substantial implementation of SORNA entails, including a detailed checklist and guidance 

on what to submit to the SMART Office for review.

l Substantial Implementation Checklist. The checklist is a tool to help jurisdictions 

assess compliance with SORNA requirements as they work to implement the law.

l Submitting Information for Review. This lists how to submit a substantial 

implementation package.

Tribal Training and Technical Assistance

The SMART Office’s training and technical assistance team can provide support to 

tribes on substantial implementation of SORNA, as well as a variety of sex offender 

management issues. Typical methods of assistance include conference calls, webinars, 

peer-to-peer support and onsite support through training and community outreach 

events.

Tribal jurisdictions that are interested in training and technical assistance can contact 

the SMART Office at AskSMART@usdoj.gov or 202-514-4689.

*NCJ~255091*