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Can I Get Off the Sex Offender Registry in Florida? (2026)

Fully rewritten and updated October 23, 2026.
Yes, but only in narrow cases. Florida sex offender registration lasts for life under section 943.0435(11), Florida Statutes, unless the person receives a full pardon, has the qualifying conviction set aside in a postconviction proceeding, wins a Romeo and Juliet motion under section 943.04354, or persuades a judge to grant a petition filed at least 25 years after release from every sanction with no arrest of any kind since release. Adult convictions for sexual battery, kidnapping, false imprisonment, and certain lewd or lascivious offenses can never use the 25-year petition, and a court-designated sexual predator cannot use it at all. Even a person who meets every requirement can be denied, because the statute says the court “may grant or deny” relief.
A Florida judge can remove a registration requirement only after the petitioner proves every statutory condition from certified records, and even then the judge must be satisfied that the person is not a current or potential threat to public safety. I have spent more than 25 years in Hillsborough County courtrooms, including service in the Major Crimes Unit of the Hillsborough County Public Defender’s Office, which handled homicide, sex crimes, and child abuse cases. My name is Rocky Brancato, and I am the founder of The Brancato Law Firm, P.A., a Tampa criminal defense firm, and a former Chief Operations Officer of the Hillsborough County Public Defender’s Office, where I oversaw a staff of over 100 attorneys. Our attorneys screen eligibility from the court file before anything is filed, because a denied Romeo and Juliet motion can never be filed again.
Most people who ask whether they can get off the sex offender registry in Florida are barred by the statute itself, most often by a single arrest since release or by the offense of conviction. A registration deputy may have told you to call a lawyer, but deputies process registrations and do not decide eligibility. The six questions below take about two minutes and will tell you where you stand before you spend money. Because of the volume of registry inquiries we receive, our firm does not offer free consultations on registry removal, designation, or out-of-state registration questions.
Can a sex offender get off the registry in Florida?
Yes, through one of four legal routes, and each one has its own gatekeeper. Section 943.0435(11) makes lifetime registration the default and lists the exceptions, section 943.04354 adds the Romeo and Juliet route, and section 943.0435(11)(b) covers people who register here only because another state designated them. The table below shows which route fits which situation.
| Route | Who it can help | Waiting period | Who decides | Statute |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Full pardon or conviction set aside | Anyone whose qualifying conviction is pardoned or vacated | None set by the registry statute | The Board of Executive Clemency, or the court in a postconviction case | 943.0435(11); 775.21(6)(l) |
| 25-year petition | Sexual offenders (not predators) with no arrest since release and no barred adult conviction | 25 years after release from confinement, supervision, or sanction, whichever is later | Criminal division of the circuit court where the conviction occurred | 943.0435(11)(a) |
| Romeo and Juliet motion | Sexual offenders or predators whose only qualifying offense is under 800.04, 827.071, or 847.0135(5), with a victim 13 to 17 and an age gap of 4 years or less | None | Criminal division of the circuit court where the conviction occurred | 943.04354 |
| Out-of-state designation removed | People who register in Florida only because another state designated them, once that designation is removed | None | FDLE, with mandamus in circuit court if FDLE refuses | 943.0435(11)(b) |
How many people actually get off Florida’s registry?
Very few people leave Florida’s registry through a court. From October 1, 2021, through September 30, 2024, FDLE removed 2,554 people from the registry, and only 22 of them were removed because a qualifying conviction was vacated, according to the Florida Legislature’s Office of Program Policy Analysis and Government Accountability (OPPAGA) in Report 24-11 (2024). In the same period, 26 people were removed under the Romeo and Juliet law, 48 were Florida residents with out-of-state convictions, 107 did not live in Florida, and 2,282 had died. OPPAGA’s breakdown does not report a separate figure for the 25-year petition.

The registry is also far larger than the group living in Florida neighborhoods. As of October 2024, only 30,907 people on Florida’s registry lived in Florida communities, according to the same 2024 OPPAGA report; the rest were incarcerated, civilly committed, living out of state, or had absconded. Closer to home, OPPAGA counted 1,579 registered sex offenders in Pinellas County and 872 in Pasco County in 2024.
Start here: six questions that tell you if you are barred
Work through these in order. Each question comes from section 943.0435(11), and if a question stops you, the bar is written into the statute, so no motion can get around it.

Question 1. Are you still in custody or on probation, parole, community control, or any other sanction for the offense?
If yes, stop. The waiting period has not started. The clock runs from release from “confinement, supervision, or sanction, whichever is later,” so it starts when the last piece of the sentence ends, which may be years after you left prison. Count unpaid restitution, fines, or costs if the sanction has not formally terminated.
If no, go to Question 2.
Question 2. Since that date, have you been arrested for anything at all?
If yes, stop. Section 943.0435(11)(a)1. requires that the person “has not been arrested for any felony or misdemeanor offense since release,” and the statute turns on the arrest, whatever the outcome. Charges that were dropped, dismissed, or ended in acquittal still count, and so does an arrest for failure to register. One thing is worth checking: if your FDLE criminal history shows an arrest that never happened or belongs to someone else, that is a records error to correct before anything else.
If no, go to Question 3.
Question 3. Was your registration based on an adult conviction for one of these offenses?
- Kidnapping or false imprisonment under section 787.01 or 787.02
- Sexual battery under section 794.011, other than section 794.011(10)
- Lewd or lascivious battery under section 800.04(4)(a)2., where the court found the victim was under 12 or the sexual activity involved force or coercion
- Lewd or lascivious molestation under section 800.04(5)(b)
- Lewd or lascivious molestation under section 800.04(5)(c)2., where the court found both force or coercion and unclothed genitals or genital area
- A lewd or lascivious offense on an elderly or disabled person under section 825.1025(2)(a)
- An attempt or conspiracy to commit any of these, or a similar offense under another state’s or federal law
If yes, stop. These are permanent bars to the 25-year petition. Registration then lasts for life unless you obtain a full pardon, a postconviction court sets the conviction aside, or a section 800.04 case fits the Romeo and Juliet route described below. Two of the bars apply only where the sentencing court made a specific finding, so if your judgment and written findings do not contain that finding, the bar may not reach you. That is a question for your paperwork, and your memory of the case cannot answer it.
If your only registrable offense was a juvenile adjudication, keep going. These bars apply only to adult convictions.
If no, go to Question 4.
Question 4. Has a judge designated you a sexual predator?
A sexual predator designation is a separate written court order under section 775.21, Florida Statutes, and it appears on your FDLE registration record. If yes, the 25-year petition is not available, because section 775.21(6)(l) requires a predator to register for life unless the person receives a full pardon or has the qualifying conviction set aside. Two doors remain open: a Romeo and Juliet motion, which by its terms applies to sexual offenders and sexual predators, and a motion showing the designation was entered contrary to law, which our firm handles.
If no, go to Question 5.
Question 5. Has it been at least 25 years since the last of your confinement, supervision, or sanctions ended?
If no, stop and do the arithmetic: add 25 years to the date your last sanction ended, and that is the earliest date you can petition. Between now and then, one arrest for anything ends eligibility permanently. If someone told you 20 years, that was the law before July 1, 2007, and three Florida appellate courts, including the Second District Court of Appeal that covers Tampa Bay, now say the 25-year rule governs every petition filed today.
If yes, go to Question 6.
Question 6. Were you removed from another state’s registry, or told you no longer have to register there?
If yes, that relief does not carry over automatically, and your route runs through FDLE rather than a judge. Skip to the out-of-state section below.
If you answered no to every question, you have cleared the automatic bars in the statute. That is uncommon, and it is as far as a checklist can take you. What remains is a discretionary decision made on your records by a particular judge.
What does the 25-year petition require in Florida?
A 25-year petition under section 943.0435(11)(a) requires four things: at least 25 years since release from confinement, supervision, or sanction, whichever is later; no arrest for any felony or misdemeanor since release; no adult conviction on the barred list; and a judge’s decision to grant relief. The Legislature raised the waiting period from 20 to 25 years and added the permanent bars in chapter 2007-209, Laws of Florida, which took effect July 1, 2007.
The judge must make three findings
Meeting the threshold only opens the door. Under section 943.0435(11)(a)3., the court “may grant or deny relief” if the petitioner shows no arrest for any crime since release, shows that relief complies with the federal Adam Walsh Child Protection and Safety Act of 2006 and related federal standards, and the court “is otherwise satisfied that the offender is not a current or potential threat to public safety.” If the court denies the petition, it may set a future date when the person can petition again.
That last finding is where the evidence matters. A U.S. Department of Justice research brief, Recidivism of Adult Sexual Offenders (SMART Office, 2015), summarized a meta-analysis finding that 14 percent of offenders were sexual recidivists after five years, while only 7 percent of those who stayed offense-free for those five years sexually reoffended over the next five. Our attorneys use research like this, together with treatment, employment, and family records, to show a judge what decades without an arrest mean.
Who gets notice and who can oppose the petition
FDLE and the state attorney for the circuit where the petition is filed must receive notice at least 3 weeks before the hearing, and both may present evidence against the petition. FDLE’s right to notice was added in 2024; before that, the statute required notice only to the state attorney. If the court grants relief, FDLE removes the person from classification as a sexual offender once it receives a certified copy of the order.
Where the petition is filed
The petition goes to the criminal division of the circuit court in the circuit where the conviction or adjudication occurred. For an out-of-state conviction, it goes to the circuit where the person lives, or where the person last lived if he or she has left Florida.
How does a registry removal petition work in Hillsborough County?
A Hillsborough County conviction means a petition in the criminal division of the circuit court for the 13th Judicial Circuit, with notice to the State Attorney’s Office for the 13th Judicial Circuit and to FDLE. The steps below follow the statute; the evidence is what changes from case to case.
- Pull certified records: the judgment and sentence for every qualifying offense, any written findings the sentencing court made, proof of the date every sanction ended, a current FDLE criminal history, and your registration record.
- Check eligibility against section 943.0435(11)(a) line by line, including the full arrest history and the barred-offense list.
- File the petition in the criminal division of the circuit court where the conviction occurred.
- Give the State Attorney’s Office and FDLE notice at least 3 weeks before the hearing.
- At the hearing, present evidence that you are not a current or potential threat to public safety. The State and FDLE may present evidence in opposition.
- If the judge grants relief, deliver a certified copy of the order to FDLE, which then removes the registration requirement.
Two of the leading appellate decisions on which version of the statute applies, State v. Korson and State v. Perdomo, discussed below, both came out of Hillsborough County circuit court. In our experience defending failure-to-register cases in Hillsborough County, the arrest bar is the single most common reason a caller who believes he qualifies does not.
Can a juvenile adjudication come off the Florida registry?
Yes, and juvenile registrants have more options than most people are told. A juvenile adjudication triggers registration only if the child was adjudicated delinquent on or after July 1, 2007, was 14 or older at the time of the offense, and committed one of a short list of offenses with specific court findings, under section 943.0435(1)(h)1.d. The permanent bars to the 25-year petition apply only to adult convictions, so a person whose only registrable offense is a juvenile adjudication, even for sexual battery, may petition after 25 arrest-free years. A delinquency adjudication can also qualify for the Romeo and Juliet route.
Two court decisions help juvenile clients. In K.J.F. v. State, 44 So. 3d 1204 (Fla. 1st DCA 2010), the First District ordered a juvenile off the registry because his adjudication of delinquency had been withheld, and the juvenile registration provision reaches only a child who was adjudicated delinquent. In M.B. v. State, 159 So. 3d 960 (Fla. 5th DCA 2015), the Fifth District reversed a juvenile’s registration requirement because the trial court never found that the molestation involved unclothed genitals, and in fact found the opposite; the court said the juvenile provision “must be strictly construed.” Our post on juvenile sex offender registration in Florida covers what parents should do at the disposition stage.
How does Florida’s Romeo and Juliet law remove registration?
The Romeo and Juliet law, section 943.04354, lets a judge remove the registration requirement with no waiting period when the case involved a teenager close in age. It is narrow, and every one of these must be true:
- The conviction, regardless of adjudication, or the delinquency adjudication was for section 800.04, section 827.071, or section 847.0135(5), or a similar offense in another jurisdiction.
- The person has no other conviction or adjudication under section 794.011, 800.04, 827.071, or 847.0135(5).
- Registration is required solely because of that offense.
- The victim was 13 to 17 at the time, and the person was not more than 4 years older than the victim.
- Removal will not conflict with federal law requiring that the sexual act be consensual, notwithstanding the victim’s age.
Sexual battery does not qualify. Chapter 2016-104, Laws of Florida, removed section 794.011 from the qualifying list in 2016, and it now appears only in the disqualifying clause, yet many pages still describe it as eligible. Traveling to meet a minor does not qualify either. In Maxey v. State, No. 6D2024-1883 (Fla. 6th DCA Mar. 6, 2026), a man convicted under section 847.0135(3) in a case involving a perceived 14-year-old won a removal order, the trial court later vacated it, and the Sixth District affirmed because his offense was not on the list and he was more than 4 years older than the perceived victim.
Timing and second chances work differently here. In Hurtado v. State, 332 So. 3d 15 (Fla. 2d DCA 2021), the Second District reversed the denial of a Romeo and Juliet motion and held that under the current statute a person “may file the motion at any time.” Older decisions such as Clark v. State, 95 So. 3d 986 (Fla. 2d DCA 2012), which required the motion before sentencing, applied the earlier version of the law. Hurtado also notes that successive motions are not authorized: section 943.04354(2)(b) says that if the court denies the motion, the person may not file another one. That is why our attorneys do not file one until the record supports it.
Relief is still discretionary. In State v. Caragol, 120 So. 3d 641 (Fla. 5th DCA 2013), the Fifth District quashed a removal order because the trial court ignored the age requirement, explaining that meeting every criterion is what gives a court discretion to grant relief and that the court must state the basis for its ruling. The State Attorney and FDLE must receive notice at least 21 days before the hearing and may oppose the motion. A person convicted elsewhere must also give the court written confirmation that he or she is not required to register in that jurisdiction.
A granted motion does more than end reporting. Section 943.04354(3) directs FDLE to remove the person’s information from the public registry, and section 775.215(2)(c), Florida Statutes, excludes people removed under the Romeo and Juliet law from the state’s 1,000-foot residency restriction. Our page on Romeo and Juliet registry removal in Florida walks through eligibility in more detail.
How do the 25-year petition and the Romeo and Juliet motion compare?
The two court routes differ on almost every point that decides a case. The table below compares them side by side.

| Question | 25-year petition, s. 943.0435(11) | Romeo and Juliet motion, s. 943.04354 |
|---|---|---|
| Waiting period | 25 years after the last sanction ends | None |
| Qualifying offenses | Any registrable offense except the permanent bars | Only sections 800.04, 827.071, and 847.0135(5) |
| Sexual battery (s. 794.011) | An adult conviction is a permanent bar | Disqualifies |
| Arrest since release | Any arrest is a permanent bar | Not a listed factor |
| Age relationship | Not required | Victim 13 to 17, and no more than 4 years older |
| Sexual predators | Not available | Available |
| Notice to State Attorney and FDLE | At least 3 weeks before the hearing | At least 21 days before the hearing |
| Judge’s discretion | “May grant or deny” | “May grant” if every criterion is met |
| If denied | The court may set a date to petition again | No second motion allowed |
Can a sexual predator get off the registry in Florida?
Rarely. A court-designated sexual predator must register for life under section 775.21(6)(l) unless the person receives a full pardon or has the qualifying conviction set aside in a postconviction proceeding, and FDLE’s published guidance confirms that no statute lets a predator petition to remove the designation. The two realistic paths are a Romeo and Juliet motion, when the case fits that statute, and a motion showing the designation never should have been entered.
Designation errors happen more often than people expect. A predator designation depends on specific qualifying offenses and findings, and when the record does not support them, the order can be challenged by a motion to correct an illegal sentence under Florida Rule of Criminal Procedure 3.800(a). Our firm has obtained that relief, as the results table below shows. Our post on removing a wrongful sexual predator designation explains the process, and our Tampa sex crimes defense attorney page covers the underlying charges.
What if you were removed from another state’s registry?
Florida does not automatically honor another state’s removal. Under section 943.0435(11)(b), a person who registers here because of another state’s designation must prove two things: that the designation was removed by court order or by operation of law, and that he or she does not meet any other Florida criteria for registration under section 943.0435(1)(h)1. The second showing defeats most people, because the underlying conviction usually qualifies on its own under Florida law.
This route starts with FDLE, not a circuit judge. In Adams v. State, 37 So. 3d 953 (Fla. 4th DCA 2010), a man asked a Florida court to end his registration after another state removed him; the Fourth District held he first had to petition FDLE under section 943.0435(11)(b), with mandamus in circuit court available if FDLE refused, and it did not decide his full faith and credit or equal protection arguments. FDLE’s own registry FAQ warns that removal from another state’s requirement does not guarantee removal in Florida, and it offers a written case review for people with no registration duty elsewhere or whose offense was a juvenile adjudication. Our post on moving to Florida after registry removal in another state covers this route in depth.
How does federal law (SORNA) affect getting off the registry in Florida?
Federal law sets the floor a Florida judge must respect. Section 943.0435(11)(a)3. allows removal only if relief complies with the Adam Walsh Child Protection and Safety Act of 2006, whose Sex Offender Registration and Notification Act (SORNA) sorts offenders into three tiers. Under 34 U.S.C. § 20915, the full federal registration period is 15 years for Tier I, 25 years for Tier II, and life for Tier III. A Tier I offender who keeps a clean record for 10 years can reduce the period by 5 years, and a Tier III offender whose registration rests on a juvenile adjudication can reduce it from life to 25 years with a clean record.
Florida itself does not label registrants by tier; it classifies people as sexual offenders or sexual predators. Florida’s 25-year waiting period matches the federal Tier II period, and its permanent bars cover the most serious adult offenses. A Florida order ends the Florida registration requirement, so anyone with a federal conviction or plans to live in another state should have that jurisdiction’s rules checked separately.
Does a withhold of adjudication keep you off the registry?
No, not for an adult. Section 943.0435(1)(b) defines “convicted” to include a guilty or no contest plea “regardless of whether adjudication is withheld.” In DeRosa v. Tunnel, 989 So. 2d 1206 (Fla. 4th DCA 2008), a man who received a withhold on lewd and lascivious charges sought relief from registration, and the Fourth District affirmed the denial because the statute expressly counts withheld adjudications after a plea as convictions. Section 943.0436, Florida Statutes, also bars a judge from entering an order, including one approving a plea agreement, that exempts a qualifying person from registration.
That makes the plea stage the real decision point. If you are under investigation or newly charged, the time to avoid registration is before any plea, often through representation before charges are filed or a negotiated charge that does not require registration. Our post on withhold of adjudication and the sex offender registry explains how the rule differs for adults and juveniles.
What happens when a judge grants removal under the wrong law?
The order can be undone, and recent appellate decisions show it happening. Since 2025, three Florida district courts of appeal have said that section 943.0435 is procedural, so the version in effect when the petition is filed, with its 25-year period and permanent bars, controls even for offenses that are decades old.
The Second District: Korson and Perdomo
In State v. Korson, 413 So. 3d 207 (Fla. 2d DCA 2025), a man who pleaded guilty to sexual battery in 1992 and finished probation in 1999 petitioned in Hillsborough County after 20 years, and the circuit court applied the old 20-year statute and removed him. The Second District said the trial court should have applied the current version, which bars adult sexual battery convictions, but dismissed the State’s appeal for lack of jurisdiction. It relied on LaFave v. State, 149 So. 3d 662 (Fla. 2014), in which the Florida Supreme Court held that the State could not use certiorari to review an order ending Debra LaFave’s probation because the order was final and the State had no statutory right to appeal it. Two months later, in State v. Perdomo, No. 2D2024-0857 (Fla. 2d DCA May 16, 2025), another Hillsborough case, the court dismissed again and wrote that, “given the frequency with which the issue presented by the State appears to be arising,” it needed to reiterate that the statute is procedural.
The Fourth and Third Districts: Garcia and Hernandez
In Florida Department of Law Enforcement v. Garcia, No. 4D2025-2547 (Fla. 4th DCA Sept. 2, 2026), a Broward County man who pleaded to sexual battery in 1991 and finished supervision in 2000 filed a second removal petition in July 2024, and a successor judge granted it. FDLE, which was not a party, moved to vacate the order under section 943.0436(3), and the trial court ruled that FDLE lacked standing. The Fourth District reversed. It held that a removal petition is a civil regulatory proceeding, so the order was appealable; that FDLE has standing to challenge an order affecting its duty to maintain the registry; and that because Garcia had not reached 20 years when the law changed in 2007, he had only “a mere expectation based on an anticipation of the continuance of an existing law, which is not a vested right.” The court directed the trial court to vacate and strike the removal order.
On September 30, 2026, the Third District followed Garcia in State v. Hernandez, No. 3D2024-1122 (Fla. 3d DCA Sept. 30, 2026). Hernandez received a withhold in 1992 on charges that included lewd and lascivious assault on a child, finished supervision in June 2002, and petitioned in March 2024 under the old 20-year rule, and the Miami-Dade circuit court granted removal. The Third District reversed and ordered the trial court to deny the petition and restore him to the registry, without prejudice to a future petition once he meets the statute then in effect. It agreed with Garcia that these proceedings are civil and declined to follow Korson on that point.
What these decisions mean for a Tampa Bay petition
Three points follow for anyone filing in Hillsborough, Pinellas, or Pasco County. First, the Second, Third, and Fourth Districts now agree that the 25-year statute applies to petitions filed today. Second, a granted order is less final than it looks: section 943.0436(3) gives an affected agency 1 year after receiving an order to move to modify or set it aside, and Garcia holds that FDLE may use that power, and trial courts also correct their own errors, as the Maxey court did. Third, the courts still disagree on whether the State can appeal, because Korson treats these proceedings as criminal while Garcia and Hernandez treat them as civil, and Korson remains the Second District’s rule unless that court or the Florida Supreme Court changes it. Garcia and Hernandez each carry the court’s standard notice that the opinion is not final until any timely rehearing motion is resolved. Our attorneys build every petition on the current statute so that a granted order holds up.
What does getting off the registry do, and what does it not do?
Removal ends the duty to register and report, and the conviction itself stays on the record. The table below shows the practical effect.
| Issue | Effect of removal |
|---|---|
| Reregistration, address reporting, and 48-hour updates | End once FDLE removes the registration requirement |
| Listing on FDLE’s public registry website | Removed; section 943.04354(3) says so expressly for Romeo and Juliet orders |
| Criminal history record | Stays public; section 943.04354(3) states that removal from the public registry does not deny public access to criminal history otherwise available |
| Sealing or expunction | Not available; section 943.0584(2)(hh), Florida Statutes, makes registry-predicate offenses ineligible |
| 1,000-foot residency restriction, s. 775.215 | Lifted by statute for Romeo and Juliet removals; check any local ordinance separately |
| Civil and firearm rights lost because of a felony conviction | Not restored by removal |
| Other states and federal law | Apply their own rules |
Our firm does not handle clemency or firearm rights restoration applications. The Florida Commission on Offender Review investigates clemency requests for the Board of Executive Clemency, and we can point you to the right starting place.
What registry and designation results has our firm obtained?
Our attorneys have corrected and removed sexual predator designations and resolved an out-of-state registration problem, as the published results below show.
| Date | Matter | Result |
|---|---|---|
| April 2025 | Sexual predator designation imposed years earlier under previous counsel | After a motion to correct the illegal sentence and a motion for reconsideration, the prosecutor agreed and the judge withdrew the order and removed the sexual predator designation |
| August 2025 | Improper sexual predator designation from another attorney’s handling of the case | Designation corrected to sexual offender status; the court then granted internet access and approved contact with family children under a therapist-approved safety plan |
| January 2026 | Man removed from another state’s registry who bought a home in Florida | The Sheriff’s Office registration unit gave assurances that registration would not be required so long as he did not return to Florida and meet the statutory threshold |
Past results do not guarantee future outcomes.
When should you start a registry removal case?
Start before you are eligible. For a 25-year petition, any arrest before the hearing can end eligibility, certified records from older cases can take time to locate, and the State and FDLE get at least 3 weeks of notice before any hearing, so the record review should begin well before your 25-year date. For a Romeo and Juliet motion there is no deadline, but there is only one motion, so it should be filed only when the record is complete.
What does our firm charge for registry removal?
Our attorneys file 25-year removal petitions under section 943.0435(11), Romeo and Juliet motions under section 943.04354, and motions to correct offender and predator designations entered contrary to law. We do not offer free consultations on registry removal, designation, or out-of-state registration questions; a half-hour consultation is $350, payable in advance. If we determine you qualify and you retain us, we quote a flat fee for the work and credit the $350 toward it. Before you pay for anything, work through the six questions above, because if the statute forecloses your petition, a consultation cannot change that, and we will tell you so.
We review by records, not by phone: the certified judgment and sentence for every qualifying offense, proof of the date your sanctions ended, your complete arrest history, and your current FDLE registration record.
If you are looking for information, support, or others in your situation rather than legal counsel, the Florida Action Committee is a Florida membership organization for registrants and their families. It is not a law firm.
Frequently asked questions
Can you get off the sex offender registry early in Florida?
Only through the Romeo and Juliet law, a full pardon, or a vacated conviction, because the 25-year petition has no early version. Our attorneys at The Brancato Law Firm check every Romeo and Juliet requirement against the court file before filing, since section 943.04354 allows only one motion; our page on who qualifies for Romeo and Juliet removal lists the criteria.
Does Florida use Tier 1, Tier 2, and Tier 3 sex offender levels?
No. Florida classifies people as sexual offenders or sexual predators, and the three tiers come from federal law under SORNA. The Brancato Law Firm looks at the federal tier because a Florida removal order must comply with the Adam Walsh Act.
How much does it cost to get off the sex offender registry in Florida?
No fee or payment buys removal; only the legal routes described above can end registration, and a court or FDLE decides them. At The Brancato Law Firm, a half-hour registry consultation is $350, credited toward a flat fee quoted after we review your records if you qualify and retain us; our sex crimes defense team page describes how we handle related cases.
How long does it take to get off the registry after a petition is filed?
The statute fixes only one step: FDLE and the State Attorney must receive notice at least 3 weeks before the hearing, and the rest depends on the court’s calendar and how quickly certified records arrive. The Brancato Law Firm gathers the certified records before filing so the hearing is not delayed waiting for documents.
Does a dismissed charge count as an arrest for registry removal?
Yes. Section 943.0435(11)(a)1. bars anyone “arrested for any felony or misdemeanor offense since release,” so the arrest counts even if the charge was dropped or ended in acquittal. The Brancato Law Firm pulls the full FDLE criminal history first, because an arrest that never happened or belongs to someone else is a records error that must be fixed before filing.
Can you seal or expunge a sex offense in Florida after getting off the registry?
No. Section 943.0584(2)(hh) makes any offense that is a predicate for sexual offender or sexual predator registration ineligible for court-ordered sealing or expunction. The Brancato Law Firm explains this at the start so clients know removal ends registration duties while the record stays public; our post on sex offender registration in Florida covers the duties themselves.
Do you need a lawyer to petition for removal from the sex offender registry?
The statute does not require one, but FDLE and the State Attorney can oppose the petition, and a denied Romeo and Juliet motion can never be refiled. The Brancato Law Firm’s Tampa sex crimes lawyers prepare the record, the evidence, and the legal argument so the judge has a complete basis to grant relief.
Can a lawyer tell me over the phone whether I qualify?
No, because eligibility turns on documents: the exact offense of conviction, the sentencing court’s findings, the date each sanction ended, and your full arrest history. The Brancato Law Firm answers that question from certified records in a paid consultation rather than guessing from a phone description.
Talk to our attorneys before you file
The first thing our attorneys do on a registry case is pull the certified judgment, the sentencing findings, and the FDLE record, because the answer is in the paperwork. The Brancato Law Firm, P.A., founded by Tampa Criminal Defense Attorney Rocky Brancato, handles registry removal, Romeo and Juliet, and designation cases for clients in Hillsborough, Pinellas, and Pasco Counties. Call (813) 727-7159 to schedule a records review; any arrest before your hearing ends eligibility for good, so start well before your 25-year date. You can call us at any hour, and our office is two blocks from the courthouse. Our firm has Spanish-speaking staff, and attorney Jean-Luc Adrien speaks Spanish, Haitian Creole, and French.
For more about our defense strategies, visit our Tampa Sex Crimes Lawyer page.
The Brancato Law Firm, P.A.
620 E. Twiggs Street, Suite 205, Tampa, FL 33602
(813) 727-7159
Serving Hillsborough, Pinellas, and Pasco Counties
The Brancato Law Firm, P.A. is a Tampa-based criminal defense practice. We are not affiliated with any other Brancato-named law firms.
This page provides general information about Florida law and is not legal advice. Reading it does not create an attorney-client relationship.



















