Getting Your Record Cleared
Expunging juvenile and adult records in Pennsylvania
An arrest or conviction on your record can make it harder to get a job, rent an apartment, or qualify for financial aid. In many cases, Pennsylvania law allows you to have your record expunged or sealed — essentially removed from public view.
Practical next steps
Understand expungement vs. sealing
(1) Expungement — the record is physically destroyed. It no longer appears in background checks. (2) Sealing (Limited Access) — the record exists but is hidden from most employers and landlords. Both are valuable.
Juvenile records: automatic sealing and expungement
Juvenile records are automatically sealed when you turn 18 (or within 5 years of your last juvenile case). You can petition for full expungement if you have no adult convictions and 5 years have passed since your last adjudication.
Adult records: who qualifies for expungement
You can expunge an adult arrest record if: charges were dismissed, withdrawn, or you were acquitted; you completed an ARD program; or you are 70+ years old with 10 crime-free years.
Pennsylvania Clean Slate: automatic sealing
PA's Clean Slate law automatically seals certain misdemeanor convictions after 10 crime-free years. Check if your record has already been sealed at pacourts.us.
How to petition for expungement
File a petition in the Court of Common Pleas where the arrest occurred. The DA's office has 30 days to object. The judge typically grants the petition if no objection is filed.
Get free legal help
Community Legal Services, Philadelphia Lawyers for Social Equity (PLSE), the Defender Association, and the Public Interest Law Center all assist with expungements at no cost.
Run your own background check first
Get a copy of your background check from the PA State Police's ACCESS portal (papsp.psp.pa.gov) before starting the process.
After expungement: update private background check companies
Send notice of the expungement to private background check companies (like Checkr or Sterling) to ensure they update their records.
Resource starting points
- PA Clean Slate Information
Official info on Pennsylvania's automatic record sealing program.
Organizations featured in this guide
- Philadelphia Lawyers for Social Equity (PLSE)
Free expungement clinics throughout Philadelphia — they do everything, you just show up.
- Community Legal Services
Free expungement and record sealing assistance for low-income Philadelphians.
- Defender Association of Philadelphia
Expungement assistance and post-conviction relief for individuals in the justice system.
- Amistad Law Project
Criminal record relief and reentry legal support for Philadelphia community members.
Helpful things to know
Philadelphia Lawyers for Social Equity does free expungements
PLSE holds regular free expungement clinics in Philadelphia. Check their website for the next clinic date.
Check if Clean Slate already helped you
Your record may already be sealed without you doing anything. Check your record at pacourts.us first.
Common questions
Does expungement erase the record completely?
In most cases, yes — expunged records no longer appear in standard background checks. Some federal agencies may still have access.
How long does the process take?
Typically 3–6 months from filing to the record being cleared.