State by State (Expungement/Sealing Records)
Westlaw Nov. 2025 Summary – State by State Expungement/Sealing of Criminal Records
Criminal records affect people’s ability to find jobs, vote, and participate in society. Several states have recognized the barriers it creates to being a contributing member of society. As a result, laws have been adopted across the country to protect people from the chilling effect that occurs as a result of being arrested and convicted. Many states have adopted statutes to strike a balance between what crimes should be expunged and what crimes are so egregious as to create a threat to public safety that should permanently appear on a person’s criminal record.
This table only covers expungement and/or sealing of adult criminal records as a result of arrest, conviction, or a combination of the two. This table does not cover juvenile records or DNA samples collected and maintained in a database as a result of a criminal charge, or expungement of non-criminal records.