The Clery Act is the federal law that requires colleges and universities taking part in federal student aid programs to disclose campus crime. Each year they must publish an annual security report with crime statistics for the three most recent calendar years, distribute it to students and employees by 1 October, issue timely warnings about certain crimes and, if they have campus police or security, keep a daily crime log open to the public.
If you're choosing a college, sending a child to one or working at one, the Clery Act gives you a right to information most people never use. Knowing where to look is what makes it useful.
This explainer draws on the Department of Education's campus security pages and the federal regulations in 34 CFR, checked in October 2026.
Where the Clery Act comes from
The Department of Education traces today's campus security disclosure rules to the Crime Awareness and Campus Security Act of 1990, now part of the Higher Education Act. The rules sit in the consumer disclosure regulations for institutions that participate in federal student financial assistance programs, which is why they cover so many colleges: if a school takes part in federal student aid, it's in scope.
What colleges must publish
| Requirement | What it means | Timing |
|---|---|---|
| Annual security report | Security policies plus crime statistics for the three most recent calendar years | Distributed to all enrolled students and current employees by 1 October each year |
| Annual fire safety report | Required if the college has on-campus student housing | By 1 October each year |
| Crime statistics | Reported crimes within the college's Clery geography, also reported to the Department | Every year |
| Timely warnings | Alerts to the campus community about certain reported crimes | As crimes are reported |
| Daily crime log | Kept by colleges with a campus police or security department | Entries within two business days |
Which crimes count
The regulation lists the crimes a college must count when they occur within its Clery geography and are reported to local police or a campus security authority:
- Criminal homicide: murder and nonnegligent manslaughter, and negligent manslaughter
- Sex offenses: rape, fondling, incest and statutory rape
- Robbery, aggravated assault, burglary, motor vehicle theft and arson
- Dating violence, domestic violence and stalking
- Hate crimes, including larceny-theft, simple assault, intimidation and vandalism when they're hate crimes
- Arrests and disciplinary referrals for liquor law, drug law and illegal weapons violations
Clery geography is the term to know. It covers the campus, certain noncampus buildings and property, and public property such as streets, sidewalks and parking within the campus or immediately next to and accessible from it. A college can publish a map showing these areas.
The daily crime log: the part people miss
Here's the most practical piece. A college with a campus police or security department must keep a written, easily understood daily crime log that records each crime by the date it was reported, with its nature, date, time, general location and outcome if known. Entries must be made within two business days of the report.
Anyone can look. The log for the most recent 60 days must be open to public inspection during normal business hours, and older entries must be made available within two business days of a request. That's often a better picture of day-to-day campus safety than an annual total.
How to use Clery information when choosing a college
- Search for the college's annual security report on its website; it must be distributed every year by 1 October.
- Compare the three years of statistics for trends rather than one year's number.
- Ask the campus police or security office to see the last 60 days of the daily crime log.
- Use the Department of Education's Campus Crime Statistics Online tool to compare schools.
- Read the report's policies on reporting crimes, timely warnings and support for victims, not just the tables.
If you're helping a teenager prepare, this guide on what you need when starting college and these tips on writing a college essay on time cover the practical side of the move.
What the report must tell victims
The annual security report isn't only statistics. The regulation requires a statement of the college's programs to prevent dating violence, domestic violence, sexual assault and stalking, and of the procedures it follows when one of those crimes is reported. That includes written information on preserving evidence, how and to whom to report, and options about involving law enforcement.
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It also has to say that when a student or employee reports being a victim, whether the offense happened on or off campus, the college will give them a written explanation of their rights and options. If you're comparing colleges, read that section closely: it shows how each one treats people when something goes wrong.
What happens when a college gets it wrong
Clery is enforced through the Higher Education Act's civil penalty for a college's violations of the federal student aid rules. The Department of Education's inflation-adjusted penalty table puts that at up to $71,545 for an institution's violation, as of October 2026. Beyond fines, the bigger cost for a college is losing trust, because the reports are public.
Verdict
The Clery Act is one of the few safety laws that hands information straight to students and families. Read the annual security report, but don't stop there: ask to see the daily crime log, compare three years of numbers and check what the college promises to do when something's reported. A college that answers those questions openly is telling you something useful about how it treats safety.
Frequently asked questions
What is the Clery Act?
A federal law that requires colleges and universities taking part in federal student aid programs to disclose campus crime statistics and security policies, issue timely warnings and, if they have campus police or security, keep a public daily crime log.
When is the Clery annual security report due?
By 1 October each year, colleges must distribute their annual security report to all enrolled students and current employees, under 34 CFR 668.41.
What crimes are reported under the Clery Act?
Criminal homicide, sex offenses, robbery, aggravated assault, burglary, motor vehicle theft, arson, dating and domestic violence, stalking, hate crimes, and arrests and disciplinary referrals for liquor, drug and weapons violations.
Can anyone see a college's daily crime log?
Yes. The log for the most recent 60 days must be open to public inspection during normal business hours, and older parts must be made available within two business days of a request.
What is the fine for violating the Clery Act?
Violations are enforced through the Higher Education Act's civil penalty for federal student aid violations, adjusted to up to $71,545 per institutional violation, as of October 2026.
