Compare states
How much does it cost to clear a record?
Of all 50 states and D.C., 27 let people with low incomes ask to have the filing fee waived for at least one route, and in 4 it costs nothing to file. Where a state sets a flat fee, it runs from $30 (Maryland) to $500 (Alabama); in many states it depends on the court or county.
From each state's own law and court pages, checked by a second reader. Last checked October 30, 2026.
At a glance
- Fee waiver available 27
- Alabama, Alaska, Arizona, Colorado, Connecticut, Florida, Hawaii, Illinois, Indiana, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maryland, Minnesota, Missouri, Montana, Nevada, New Hampshire, New Mexico, North Carolina, Ohio, Pennsylvania, South Dakota, Texas, Utah, Vermont, West Virginia
- Waiver not confirmed 20
- Arkansas, California, Delaware, District of Columbia, Georgia, Idaho, Iowa, Maine, Massachusetts, Michigan, Mississippi, Nebraska, New York, North Dakota, Oklahoma, South Carolina, Tennessee, Washington, Wisconsin, Wyoming
- No fee to file 4
- New Jersey, Oregon, Rhode Island, Virginia
State by state
Alabama
$500Route Filing fee Fee waiver Expunging charges that did not lead to a conviction $500 Yes Expunging misdemeanor, violation, traffic and ordinance convictions $500 Yes Expunging a felony conviction after a pardon $500 Yes Alaska
Varies by routeRoute Filing fee Fee waiver Set-aside after a suspended imposition of sentence (SIS) No fee Yes Suspended entry of judgment (dismissal after probation) Varies Not confirmed Sealing or making a court file confidential (Administrative Rule 37.6) Varies Not confirmed Sealing for mistaken identity or false accusation (AS 12.62.180) Varies Not confirmed Arizona
Varies by routeRoute Filing fee Fee waiver Sealing of arrest, conviction and sentencing records (A.R.S. 13-911) Varies Yes Setting aside a conviction (A.R.S. 13-905) No fee Not confirmed Marijuana expungement (A.R.S. 36-2862) Varies Yes Arkansas
Varies by routeRoute Filing fee Fee waiver Sealing a misdemeanor or violation conviction No fee Not confirmed Sealing a felony conviction No fee Not confirmed Sealing a felony drug possession conviction after court-ordered treatment No fee Not confirmed Sealing arrests, dismissals, nolle prosequi and acquittals No fee Not confirmed First offender probation, dismissal and sealing (Act 346 of 1975) Varies Not confirmed Sealing for human trafficking survivors No fee Not confirmed California
Varies by routeRoute Filing fee Fee waiver Dismissal of a conviction (expungement) Varies Not confirmed Sealing an arrest that did not lead to a conviction Varies Not confirmed Certificate of Rehabilitation No fee Not confirmed Colorado
Varies by routeRoute Filing fee Fee waiver Sealing of arrest records when no charges were filed Varies Yes Motion to seal a conviction (county or district court) $65 Yes Sealing multiple convictions $65 Yes Sealing municipal (city court) convictions Varies Not confirmed Sealing for survivors of human trafficking No fee Not confirmed Vacating a conviction for survivors of human trafficking Varies Not confirmed Sealing after a pardon No fee Not confirmed Sealing when the conduct is no longer a crime No fee Not confirmed Expungement after an arrest based on mistaken identity No fee Not confirmed Order of collateral relief Varies Yes Connecticut
Varies by routeRoute Filing fee Fee waiver Clean Slate erasure by petition (offenses before 2000) No fee Not confirmed Absolute pardon (erasure through the Board of Pardons and Paroles) No fee Yes Cannabis conviction erasure No fee Not confirmed Erasure of a decriminalized offense Varies Not confirmed Certificate of Employability (provisional pardon or certificate of rehabilitation) No fee Not confirmed Delaware
$75Route Filing fee Fee waiver Discretionary expungement (court petition) $75 Not confirmed Expungement after a pardon $75 Not confirmed District of Columbia
Varies by courtRoute Filing fee Fee waiver Sealing by motion Varies Not confirmed Expungement by motion for actual innocence Varies Not confirmed Youth Rehabilitation Act set-aside Varies Not confirmed Dismissal and expungement after first-time drug possession probation Varies Not confirmed Florida
Varies by routeRoute Filing fee Fee waiver Court-ordered sealing Varies Yes Court-ordered expunction Varies Yes Expunction for victims of human trafficking No fee Not confirmed Georgia
Varies by routeRoute Filing fee Fee waiver Record restriction for arrests without a conviction Varies Not confirmed Record restriction for misdemeanor convictions Varies Not confirmed Pardon (State Board of Pardons and Paroles) No fee Not confirmed Record restriction after a pardon Varies Not confirmed Hawaii
Varies by routeRoute Filing fee Fee waiver Expungement of arrest records (no conviction) $35 Not confirmed Deferred acceptance of guilty or no contest plea (DAG/DANC), then expungement Varies Yes Expungement after treatment probation for a drug possession felony $35 Not confirmed Expungement after probation for a first-time class C felony property offense $35 Not confirmed Expungement of a marijuana possession conviction (3 grams or less) $35 Not confirmed Conditional discharge for a first drug possession, with expungement for people 20 or younger Varies Not confirmed Expungement of an under-21 measurable-alcohol driving violation $35 Not confirmed Vacating a prostitution conviction Varies Not confirmed Idaho
Varies by routeRoute Filing fee Fee waiver Shielding records from public disclosure (Clean Slate Act) No fee Not confirmed Setting aside a guilty plea or conviction and dismissing the case Varies Not confirmed Reducing a felony to a misdemeanor Varies Not confirmed Expungement of arrests without a conviction Varies Not confirmed Vacating and sealing an underage alcohol violation No fee Not confirmed Illinois
Varies by courtRoute Filing fee Fee waiver Expungement Varies Yes Sealing Varies Yes Motion to vacate and expunge (cannabis) Varies Not confirmed Certificate of Good Conduct Varies Yes Indiana
No fee to $157Route Filing fee Fee waiver Expungement of arrests and charges without a conviction No fee Not confirmed Expungement of misdemeanor and Level 6 / Class D felony convictions (records sealed) $157 Yes Expungement of other felony convictions (records marked as expunged) $157 Yes Iowa
Varies by courtRoute Filing fee Fee waiver Expungement of a completed deferred judgment Varies Not confirmed Expungement of dismissed cases and acquittals Varies Not confirmed One-time misdemeanor conviction expungement Varies Not confirmed Expungement of public intoxication and underage alcohol convictions Varies Not confirmed Kansas
Varies by routeRoute Filing fee Fee waiver Expungement of a conviction or diversion $195 Yes Expungement of arrest records Varies Yes Expungement of municipal court convictions, diversions and arrests Varies Not confirmed Kentucky
Varies by routeRoute Filing fee Fee waiver Felony expungement (vacate and expunge) $50 Yes Misdemeanor, violation and traffic infraction expungement $100 Yes Expungement of acquittals, dismissals and charges not indicted No fee Not confirmed Voiding and sealing of drug possession convictions Varies Not confirmed Expungement for human trafficking survivors Varies Not confirmed Louisiana
Varies by routeRoute Filing fee Fee waiver Expungement of an arrest that did not lead to a conviction Varies Yes Expungement of a misdemeanor conviction Varies Yes Expungement of a felony conviction Varies Yes Set-aside and dismissal after a deferred sentence (Articles 893 and 894) Varies Not confirmed Interim expungement of a felony arrest Varies Yes Expedited expungement for arrests at age 17 No fee Not confirmed Expungement for human trafficking survivors No fee Not confirmed Maine
Varies by courtRoute Filing fee Fee waiver Motion to seal a conviction Varies Not confirmed Motion to seal an engaging-in-prostitution conviction Varies Not confirmed Motion to seal convictions of sex trafficking or sexual exploitation survivors Varies Not confirmed Governor's pardon (full and free pardon) Varies Not confirmed Maryland
No fee to $30Route Filing fee Fee waiver Expungement of non-convictions, PBJ, stets and certain minor convictions No fee Yes Expungement of convictions $30 Yes Shielding (Second Chance Act) No fee Not confirmed Massachusetts
Varies by routeRoute Filing fee Fee waiver Sealing by mail through the Commissioner of Probation No fee Not confirmed Court petition to seal a dismissal or nolle prosequi No fee Not confirmed Court sealing for drug possession cases No fee Not confirmed Time-based expungement (offenses before age 21) No fee Not confirmed Non-time-based expungement (identity theft, errors, fraud, decriminalized offenses) No fee Not confirmed Expungement of decriminalized marijuana offenses Varies Not confirmed Michigan
Varies by routeRoute Filing fee Fee waiver Setting aside a conviction by application $50 Not confirmed Setting aside a misdemeanor marijuana conviction Varies Not confirmed Minnesota
Varies by routeRoute Filing fee Fee waiver Petition for expungement $310 Yes Prosecutor-agreed expungement (no petition) Varies Not confirmed Mississippi
Varies by routeRoute Filing fee Fee waiver Felony expunction $150 Not confirmed Misdemeanor expunction for first offenders Varies Not confirmed Justice or municipal court expunction of misdemeanors Varies Not confirmed Expunction of arrests, dismissals and acquittals Varies Not confirmed Nonadjudication Varies Not confirmed First-offense drug possession discharge and expunction Varies Not confirmed Intervention court completion Varies Not confirmed First-offense DUI expunction Varies Not confirmed Vacatur and expunction for human trafficking survivors Varies Not confirmed Missouri
Varies by courtRoute Filing fee Fee waiver Expungement by petition (RSMo 610.140) Varies Yes Expungement of a first alcohol-related driving offense (RSMo 610.130) Varies Yes Montana
Varies by routeRoute Filing fee Fee waiver Misdemeanor expungement $120 Yes Dismissal after a deferred sentence Varies Not confirmed Marijuana conviction expungement, resentencing or redesignation Varies Yes Nebraska
Varies by courtRoute Filing fee Fee waiver Set-aside of a conviction Varies Not confirmed Sealing of arrests, dismissals and acquittals Varies Not confirmed Pardon, then sealing Varies Not confirmed Set-aside and sealing for sex trafficking survivors Varies Not confirmed Expungement of an arrest caused by police error Varies Not confirmed Nevada
Varies by routeRoute Filing fee Fee waiver Sealing a conviction by petition Varies Yes Sealing after dismissal, declined prosecution or acquittal Varies Yes Sealing after diversion, deferred judgment or a specialty court program Varies Yes Sealing after a reentry program Varies Not confirmed Sealing a conviction for a decriminalized offense No fee Not confirmed Vacating and sealing convictions of trafficking survivors Varies Yes New Hampshire
Varies by routeRoute Filing fee Fee waiver Annulment of arrests and charges that did not end in a conviction $125 Yes Annulment of convictions $125 Yes Annulment of marijuana possession records from before September 16, 2017 $125 Yes Annulment for offenses committed at age 17 between May 2014 and July 2015 No fee Not confirmed Vacating convictions for human trafficking survivors Varies Not confirmed New Jersey
No filing feeRoute Filing fee Fee waiver Expungement No fee Not confirmed Clean Slate expungement (by petition) No fee Not confirmed New Mexico
Varies by courtRoute Filing fee Fee waiver Expungement of a conviction Varies Yes Expungement after release without conviction Varies Yes Expungement after identity theft Varies Yes New York
Varies by routeRoute Filing fee Fee waiver Sealing by application (CPL 160.59) No fee Not confirmed Conditional sealing after judicial diversion or drug treatment (CPL 160.58) Varies Not confirmed Certificate of Relief from Disabilities (Correction Law 701-702) Varies Not confirmed Certificate of Good Conduct (Correction Law 703-b) Varies Not confirmed North Carolina
No fee to $175Route Filing fee Fee waiver Expunction of nonviolent misdemeanors and felonies $175 Yes Expunction of dismissed charges and not-guilty verdicts No fee Yes Expunction of drug offenses for people 21 or younger at the time $175 Yes Certificate of Relief $50 Yes North Dakota
Varies by routeRoute Filing fee Fee waiver Petition to seal a criminal record Varies Not confirmed Closing nonconviction court records No fee Not confirmed Sealing a first DUI conviction Varies Not confirmed Sealing a first small marijuana possession conviction Varies Not confirmed Vacating and sealing convictions of human trafficking survivors Varies Not confirmed Ohio
Varies by routeRoute Filing fee Fee waiver Sealing a conviction record $50 Yes Expunging a conviction record $50 Yes Sealing or expunging dismissed charges, acquittals and no bills No fee Not confirmed Prosecutor-initiated sealing or expungement of low-level drug misdemeanors Varies Yes Certificate of Qualification for Employment (CQE) $50 Yes Expungement of marijuana and hashish possession records $50 Yes Oklahoma
Varies by courtRoute Filing fee Fee waiver Expungement by petition (Section 18) Varies Not confirmed Clean Slate expungement without a court petition Varies Not confirmed Expungement after a deferred sentence (Section 991c) Varies Not confirmed Expungement for human trafficking survivors Varies Not confirmed Expungement after identity theft Varies Not confirmed Governor's pardon (then expungement) Varies Not confirmed Oregon
No filing feeRoute Filing fee Fee waiver Setting aside a conviction (motion to set aside) No fee Not confirmed Setting aside an arrest, citation or charge that did not lead to a conviction No fee Not confirmed Pennsylvania
Varies by courtRoute Filing fee Fee waiver Petition for limited access (sealing by petition) Varies Yes Expungement Varies Yes Rhode Island
No filing feeRoute Filing fee Fee waiver Expungement of convictions by motion No fee Yes Expungement after a deferred sentence No fee Yes Sealing after dismissal, acquittal or no charges No fee Not confirmed Expungement of an offense that was later decriminalized No fee Not confirmed South Carolina
Varies by routeSouth Dakota
No fee to $72Route Filing fee Fee waiver Expungement of an arrest record $72 Yes Suspended imposition of sentence (discharge, dismissal and sealing) No fee Not confirmed Pardon (with sealing of records) No fee Not confirmed Tennessee
Varies by routeRoute Filing fee Fee waiver Expunction of a conviction Varies Not confirmed Expunction after a governor's pardon Varies Not confirmed Recovery Court Renewal Act expunction Varies Not confirmed Expunction for human trafficking survivors Varies Not confirmed Free expunction of dismissed charges and acquittals No fee Not confirmed Expunction after pretrial or judicial diversion Varies Not confirmed Expunction of an arrest with no court record Varies Not confirmed Certificate of employability Varies Not confirmed Texas
Varies by courtRoute Filing fee Fee waiver Expunction Varies Yes Order of nondisclosure Varies Yes Utah
Varies by routeRoute Filing fee Fee waiver Petition to expunge an arrest, dismissal or acquittal $150 Yes Petition to expunge a conviction $150 Yes Expungement of a cannabis possession conviction for medical patients $150 Yes Expungement after a problem-solving court plea in abeyance Varies Not confirmed Motion to reduce a conviction (402 reduction) Varies Not confirmed Pardon from the Board of Pardons and Parole Varies Not confirmed Vacatur for survivors of human trafficking Varies Not confirmed Vermont
Varies by routeRoute Filing fee Fee waiver Petition to seal a conviction No fee Yes Petition to expunge a conviction for conduct that is no longer a crime No fee Not confirmed Sealing for crimes committed before age 25 No fee Not confirmed Order of limited relief or certificate of restoration of rights Varies Yes Virginia
No filing feeRoute Filing fee Fee waiver Automatic sealing of acquittals and dismissals No fee Not confirmed Petition sealing No fee Not confirmed "Automatic petition" sealing No fee Not confirmed Expungement of police and court records No fee Not confirmed Washington
Varies by routeRoute Filing fee Fee waiver Vacating a misdemeanor or gross misdemeanor conviction Varies Not confirmed Vacating a felony conviction No fee Not confirmed Vacating drug possession convictions under State v. Blake Varies Not confirmed Certificate of Restoration of Opportunity (CROP) Varies Not confirmed West Virginia
Varies by routeRoute Filing fee Fee waiver Expungement of acquittals, dismissals and completed diversion No fee Not confirmed Expungement of misdemeanor and nonviolent felony convictions $200 Yes Faster expungement after treatment or a job readiness course $200 Yes Expungement after a first-offense DUI deferral Varies Not confirmed Expungement after a first-offense drug possession discharge Varies Not confirmed Expungement after a Governor's pardon Varies Not confirmed Vacating prostitution convictions of trafficking survivors Varies Not confirmed Wisconsin
Varies by routeRoute Filing fee Fee waiver Expungement ordered at sentencing (Wis. Stat. 973.015) Varies Not confirmed Governor's pardon No fee Not confirmed Wyoming
No fee to $300Route Filing fee Fee waiver Expungement of arrests and dismissed charges No fee Not confirmed Expungement of a misdemeanor conviction $100 Not confirmed Expungement of a nonviolent felony conviction $300 Not confirmed
Fees are the court's filing fee for each route as we found it; follow a route to the state page for other charges we found and how to ask for a waiver. Fees change, so confirm with the court clerk before you file. This isn't legal advice; legal aid offices can often help for free.