A registered child sex offender has been charged with accessing and transmitting child abuse material after police searched his home on Thursday.

Police say an investigation began in September when the Australian Centre to Counter Child Exploitation received a referral about an online user sharing his sexual interest in children on private messaging applications.

In December, police identified the 50-year-old man as the alleged user of the accounts.

Police allege that during his annual Child Sex Offender Registry Team interview in February, the man failed to declare his use of the messaging applications.

Electronic devices allegedly containing child-abuse material were seized during the house search.

He has been charged with two counts of using a carriage service for child abuse material and two counts of failing to report. Police say they expect further charges to be laid as analysis of the seized devices continues.