Sometimes. California registration alone does not give a reliable yes-or-no answer for a particular home near a school. The person’s parole or probation status, written supervision conditions, any applicable local residency ordinance, and the exact address matter. California’s Penal Code section 3003.5(b) still contains a 2,000-foot school-and-park restriction, but court decisions limit how that provision operates. A separate, narrower parole rule uses one-half mile for some people convicted under specified child-sex-offense statutes. Do not commit to an address based on a map or a general statement that the 2,000-foot rule either applies to everyone or was erased for everyone.
Which rule applies to the proposed home?
| Current status | What to check before moving |
|---|---|
| On parole | Obtain the current written parole conditions and ask the parole agent to verify the proposed address. A school or park distance condition may be imposed based on the person’s circumstances; it is not an automatic statewide 2,000-foot condition for every registrant on parole. A separate Penal Code section 3003(g) restriction applies during parole if the person was released on parole for a conviction under section 288 or 288.5 and CDCR determines the person poses a high risk to the public: residence or placement within one-half mile of a public or private K–12 school is barred. |
| On probation | Read the signed probation order and any later modification. In People v. Lynch, the Court of Appeal held that section 3003.5(b) did not automatically impose a 2,000-foot restriction on a probationer. A court may still impose an otherwise lawful, individually justified residence condition. |
| Registered but no longer on parole or probation | Confirm that supervision has actually ended and review any other operative order and the ordinance for the city of the proposed address. Lynch interpreted section 3003.5(b) as applying during parole, so registration by itself does not supply the statewide 2,000-foot answer. That ruling does not establish that every address is permitted under every local law. |
The California Supreme Court’s In re Taylor decision is often shortened too far. It found blanket enforcement of section 3003.5(b) unconstitutional as applied to similarly situated registered parolees in San Diego County on the record before the court. It did not repeal the statutory text statewide or prohibit an individually justified parole residence condition. The court left a separate question about a nonparole registrant’s potential misdemeanor liability under the statute undecided; Lynch later interpreted the provision’s parole-period scope. CDCR’s 2026 operations manual likewise describes individualized parole restrictions rather than blanket enforcement of the 2,000-foot provision, while recognizing the distinct section 3003(g) rule.
An address can also be affected by a city rule. Section 3003.5(c) preserves municipal authority to enact further residency restrictions. Whether a particular ordinance is current and enforceable is a question for the actual city and address; a statewide map cannot answer it. If parole or probation conditions describe a distance, ask the supervising authority to identify the applicable boundary, measurement method, and written decision for the proposed home. Do not assume that an informal estimate or silence is approval.
Gather the documents before deciding on an address
- Confirm the conviction or commitment offense, whether registration remains required, and whether parole or probation is active. Keep the release and supervision papers, including any later amendments.
- Identify the exact proposed address and nearby school or park involved. Check the current city ordinance and any applicable court order. The statutory 2,000 feet and the special one-half mile are different rules with different conditions.
- If on parole, present the address to the parole agent and request the written conditions and address verification before moving. If on probation, compare the address with the signed court conditions and seek clarification through counsel or the supervising agency when the wording is uncertain.
- Plan any required registration update separately. Permission to live at an address does not waive Penal Code section 290.013 notice duties. The California moving-during-registration-dispute answer explains the move-notice issue. Living near a school is also different from entering school grounds, which has its own Penal Code section 626.81 rules.
If a proposed address has triggered a California registration or supervision dispute, or a possible criminal charge, the Law Offices of David S. Chesley can discuss the case papers and conditions with you. Call (800) 755-5174.