Expungement and Criminal Records: State-Specific Information

Some states call it "expungement" and others call it "expunction," but the process allows certain individuals convicted of certain crimes to "erase" their criminal records from public view. While the underlying conviction or arrest doesn't actually disappear (for instance, they could be counted as prior offenses in the event new charges are filed), it can help someone convicted of a crime -- or merely charged without a finding of guilt -- clean up their record. For example, employers may be wary of hiring anyone with a criminal record, regardless of the circumstances.

As FindLaw's Guide to Expungement pamphlet points out, eligibility for expungement depends on several different factors, including:

• The amount of time that has passed since the offense;
• The severity of the offense;
• Whether the charges ended in a conviction;
• The applicant's criminal record in general; and
• The laws of the state.

States also have slightly different procedures for accessing criminal records and having them expunged or sealed.

Expungement and Criminal Records: State Resources

Below you'll find state-specific information on arrest and/or criminal records and expungement (where available online) from sources such as state judiciaries, attorneys general, and state police agencies.

Background Check System (Alabama Criminal Justice Information Center)

Criminal Records FAQs (Alaska Department of Public Safety) Request to Seal Criminal Justice Information [PDF file} (Alaska Department of Public Safety)

Criminal History Records (State of Arizona - Department of Public Safety)

Criminal Background Check (Arkansas State Police)

Clean Up Your Criminal Record (California Courts Self-Help Center) Petition and Order for Expungement [PDF file] (California Courts Self-Help Center)

Forms: Sealing of Criminal Records (Colorado Judicial Branch)

Connecticut Law About Criminal Records (Connecticut Judicial Branch) Erasure of Criminal Records (CT Statute) (Connecticut General Statutes)

Expungement of Criminal Records (Delaware Code)

Sealing Criminal Records (District of Columbia Courts) Record Sealing and Expungement (D.C. Public Defender Service)

Seal and Expunge Process (Florida Department of Law Enforcement)

Obtaining Criminal History Record Information (Georgia Bureau of Investigation)

Expungements (Hawaii Attorney General)

Criminal History Information (Idaho State Police)

Expungement Information (Office of the State Appellate Defender) Expungement: Instructions and Forms (Office of the State Appellate Defender)

Limited Criminal History Search (Indiana State Police)

Criminal History Records (Iowa Department of Public Safety)

Criminal History Record Check (Kansas Bureau of Investigation) Frequent Questions: Criminal History (Kansas Bureau of Investigation)

Clean Slate Kentucky: Expungement (State of Kentucky)

Bureau of Criminal Identification and Information (Louisiana State Police)

Criminal History Records Requests (Maine Courts)

Expungement (District Court of Maryland)

Requests to Seal Files (General Laws of Massachusetts Ch. 276:100A) Massachusetts Restoration of Rights, Pardon, Expungement, and Sealing (Mass. Restoration of Rights Project)

Do-It-Yourself Expungement (Michigan Legal Help)

Criminal Expungement (Minnesota Judicial Branch)

Mississippi Adult Criminal Record Forms: Conviction or Other Disposition (The Papillon Foundation)

Petition for Expungement of Arrest Records [PDF file] (Missouri Courts)

Conviction Expungement Process (Montana Department of Justice)

Petition to Set Aside a Criminal Conviction (Nebraska Judicial Branch)

Nevada Restoration of Rights, Pardon, Expungement & Sealing (Nevada Restoration of Rights Project)

Criminal Records FAQs (New Hampshire Department of Safety)

How to Expunge Your Criminal Record [PDF file] (New Jersey Judiciary)

New Mexico Expungements (New Mexico Department of Public Safety)

Sealed Criminal Records (New York State Unified Court System)

North Carolina Offender Information (North Carolina Department of Correction)

Expunging a Criminal Record (North Dakota Attorney General)

Criminal Justice Information System (Ohio Office of Criminal Justice Services)

Expunging a Criminal Record (Legal Aid Oklahoma)

Expungement: Set Aside Criminal or Arrest Record (Oregon Courts) Clearing Your Record (Oregon State Bar )

Pennsylvania Access to Criminal History (State of Pennsylvania)

Expungement of Criminal Records (Judiciary of Rhode Island)

Expungements and Pardons (South Carolina Courts)

Computerized Criminal History System (South Dakota Division of Criminal Investigation)

Guide to Expungement in Tennessee (Tennessee Courts)

Crime Records Service (Texas Department of Public Safety)

Expunging a Record (Utah Courts)

Expungement-Sealing-Pardon Information (Vermont Criminal Information Center)

Instructions for Petition for Expungement [PDF file] (Virginia Courts)

Washington Restoration of Rights, Pardon, Expungement & Sealing (Washington Restoration of Rights Project)

Expungement of Criminal Record and Criminal Offense Reduction (West Viginia Judiciary)

Expunging Court Records (Marathon County, Wisconsin)

Wyoming Restoration of Rights, Pardon, Expungement & Sealing (Wyoming Restoration of Rights Project)

Get Expert Legal Help With Expungement and Criminal Records in Your State

Getting your case expunged can have several positive effects upon your life. If you're looking to have your criminal record expunged or your arrest records sealed, now's the time to learn more from a criminal law expert. Start by discussing the facts of your situation with a skilled criminal defense attorney near you to find out more about expungement in your state.