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Sealing, expungement, or certificate of qualification for employment in Ohio

Can I clear my record in Ohio?

Ohio lets people apply to seal (hide) or expunge (destroy) many misdemeanor and third-, fourth- and fifth-degree felony convictions, with waits as short as 6 months to 3 years for sealing and 11 to 13 years for expunging felonies.

You have to apply

How did your case end?

Pick the one that matches. We'll show the routes Ohio law offers for it, with the wait and the cost.

Pick an answer above to see your routes, waits and costs.

At a glance

Charges that were dismissed or ended in not guilty can be sealed at any time with no fee, and most can also be expunged. First- and second-degree felonies, felony offenses of violence, sex offenses while registration is still required, and traffic offenses, including OVI, can't be cleared. Ohio has no automatic sealing; a Certificate of Qualification for Employment can lift some job and licensing barriers without clearing the record.1,2,3,4

Checked October 21, 2026 against 22 sources, starting with Ohio law, then by a second reader.

What it's called
Sealing, expungement, or certificate of qualification for employment1,2,3
Automatic clearing
No, you have to apply13,14,15
DUI or DWI
Can't be cleared1,6,7
Filing fee
$0 to $501,2,3
Fee waiver
Available1,2,3

Sealing

Sealing a conviction record

Records are moved to a separate file rather than destroyed, index references are deleted, and the proceedings are considered not to have occurred (R.C. 2953.32(D)(2)). Law enforcement and government officials can still access sealed records for new investigations, and employers in fields such as law enforcement, schools and health care can still see them (Supreme Court of Ohio). The Bureau of Motor Vehicles keeps traffic points (Ohio Legislative Service Commission).1,2,3

What it's for: Misdemeanors and third-, fourth- and fifth-degree felonies that aren't excluded.

Who can use it

  • Misdemeanors, and third-, fourth- and fifth-degree felonies, that aren't on the exclusion list.
  • A third-degree felony if the person has no more than one other felony conviction; with two third-degree felonies, no more than two other convictions, and those must be misdemeanors.
  • Third- or fourth-degree misdemeanor domestic violence, and protection order violations under R.C. 2919.27 (sealing only, not expungement) (R.C. 2953.32(A)(2)).
  • Sex offenses that required registration, 5 years after registration duties end.
  • The person must have reached 'final discharge' (finished any jail or prison, probation, post-release control or parole, and paid fines and restitution) and have no pending criminal case, including warrants and traffic cases. Unpaid court costs don't automatically disqualify, but the court may consider them (Ohio Legal Help).

What doesn't qualify

  • Traffic offenses under R.C. Chapters 4506, 4507, 4510, 4511 and 4549 (or similar local ordinances), including OVI and driving under suspension (R.C. 2953.32(A)(1)(a)).
  • First- and second-degree felonies.
  • Felony offenses of violence that aren't sexually oriented offenses, including felony domestic violence.
  • First- and second-degree misdemeanor domestic violence.
  • Offenses where the victim was under 13, except non-support.
  • Sex offenses while the person is still required to register.
  • Theft in office (R.C. 2921.41).
  • Third-degree felonies beyond the limits above.

How long you have to wait

RecordWaiting period
Minor misdemeanor6 months after final discharge
Misdemeanor1 year after final discharge
Fourth- or fifth-degree felony1 year after final discharge
Third-degree felony3 years after final discharge
Soliciting improper compensation (R.C. 2921.43)7 years
Sex offense that required registration5 years after registration duties expire or end
More than one convictionThe longest applicable waiting period

How to apply

  1. Get the sealing application from the clerk of the court where you were convicted; each court has its own forms. One application can cover several cases from the same court.
  2. File with the clerk of that court and pay the fee, or file a Poverty Affidavit to ask to proceed without paying.
  3. Some courts require you to serve the prosecutor's office; others do it for you.
  4. The court sets a hearing 45 to 90 days after filing and notifies the prosecutor at least 60 days before it. The prosecutor or a victim may object at least 30 days before the hearing.
  5. Attend the hearing. The judge decides whether you've been rehabilitated and whether the government's need to keep the record outweighs your interest in sealing it.
Where to file
Clerk of the court where the conviction happened (municipal or county court for misdemeanors, court of common pleas for felonies).
Cost
$50 application fee (R.C. 2953.32), the same no matter how many records, plus a possible local court fee of up to $50. Cases from different courts need separate applications and fees.
If you can't pay
You can ask to file without paying. The fee is excused if you file a poverty affidavit showing you are indigent (R.C. 2953.32). The sources we reviewed don't clearly say whether the separate local court fee is also excused, so ask the clerk.
Court hearing
Yes
How long it takes
Hearing 45 to 90 days after filing; Ohio Legal Help says that if approved, sealing can take at least six more weeks.

Official forms

Expungement

Expunging a conviction record

Records are destroyed, deleted or erased so they are permanently irretrievable, and the proceedings are considered not to have occurred. The Ohio Bureau of Criminal Investigation keeps a record only to check eligibility for law enforcement jobs (R.C. 2953.32(D)(5)).1,2,3,4

What it's for: The same convictions that can be sealed, except third- and fourth-degree misdemeanor domestic violence and protection order violations, which can only be sealed.

Who can use it

  • Misdemeanors and third-, fourth- and fifth-degree felonies that are eligible for sealing, after the longer expungement waiting period.
  • The same final-discharge and no-pending-case requirements as sealing.

What doesn't qualify

  • Everything that can't be sealed (including all traffic offenses and OVI).
  • Third- and fourth-degree misdemeanor domestic violence and protection order violations (seal only).

How long you have to wait

RecordWaiting period
Minor misdemeanor6 months after final discharge
Misdemeanor1 year after final discharge
Fourth- or fifth-degree felony11 years after final discharge10 years after the record became eligible for sealing.
Third-degree felony13 years after final discharge10 years after the record became eligible for sealing.
Soliciting improper compensation (R.C. 2921.43)17 years
Sex offense that required registration15 years after registration duties expire or endOhio Legislative Service Commission brief; 10 years after the record became eligible for sealing.

How to apply

  1. Get the expungement application from the clerk of the court where you were convicted (some courts use one packet for sealing and expungement).
  2. File with the clerk and pay the fee or file a Poverty Affidavit.
  3. Attend the hearing, which the court sets 45 to 90 days after filing.
Where to file
Clerk of the court where the conviction happened.
Cost
$50 application fee plus a possible local court fee of up to $50.
If you can't pay
You can ask to file without paying. The fee is excused with a poverty affidavit showing you are indigent (R.C. 2953.32); ask the clerk whether the local court fee is also excused.
Court hearing
Yes

Official forms

Sealing

Sealing or expunging dismissed charges, acquittals and no bills

The records are sealed (hidden) or expunged (destroyed), and the proceedings are considered not to have occurred. Officers involved in the case (for related civil actions) and prosecutors (to check pretrial diversion eligibility) can still access sealed dismissal records (R.C. 2953.34(H), per the Supreme Court of Ohio).6,7,8

What it's for: Not-guilty findings, dismissed charges, grand jury no bills, completed intervention in lieu of conviction, and pardoned convictions.

Who can use it

  • Not-guilty findings, dismissals and completed intervention in lieu of conviction (ILC), at any time.
  • Grand jury 'no bill' findings, 2 years after the finding.
  • People who received a pardon (sealing only, not expungement) (R.C. 2953.33(A)(3)).
  • Since September 30, 2025 (H.B. 96), the list of convictions that can't be sealed no longer applies to these non-conviction records, so a dismissed or no-billed charge for an excluded offense (for example OVI or domestic violence) can be sealed (R.C. 2953.32(A)(1); Ohio LSC analysis of H.B. 96).

What doesn't qualify

  • Anyone with a pending criminal case.
  • A dismissed charge in a case that also has a conviction, unless that conviction can also be sealed, or is a single traffic conviction other than OVI and the person doesn't hold a commercial driver's license (R.C. 2953.61).
  • Expungement (not sealing) of a dismissed or no-billed charge involving traffic offenses under Chapters 4506, 4507, 4510, 4511 or 4549 (including OVI), felony offenses of violence, first- or second-degree felonies, domestic violence, protection order violations, a victim under 13, some sex offenses and some third-degree felonies; these can only be sealed (R.C. 2953.33(C)(1)).

How long you have to wait

RecordWaiting period
Not guilty, dismissal, or completed ILCNone
Grand jury no bill2 years after the finding

How to apply

  1. Get the non-conviction application from the clerk of the court where the charge was filed; file one application per court.
  2. File with the clerk. There is no fee for non-conviction applications.
  3. Attend any hearing the court schedules.
Where to file
Clerk of the court where the charge was filed.
Cost
No fee to seal or expunge a dismissed, not-guilty or no-billed charge (Ohio Legal Help; Hamilton County Clerk of Courts).
Court hearing
Sometimes

Sealing

Prosecutor-initiated sealing or expungement of low-level drug misdemeanors

Same effect as sealing or expungement of a conviction.2,9

What it's for: Fourth-degree and minor misdemeanor drug offenses under R.C. Chapter 2925 (or similar municipal ordinances).

Who can use it

  • A fourth-degree misdemeanor or minor misdemeanor drug conviction under Chapter 2925 or a substantially equivalent municipal ordinance.
  • The court must find rehabilitation satisfactory and that the government's need to keep the record doesn't outweigh the person's interest.

What doesn't qualify

  • Anyone with pending charges.
  • Higher-level drug offenses (use the regular application instead).

How long you have to wait

RecordWaiting period
Fourth-degree misdemeanor drug offense1 year after final discharge
Minor misdemeanor drug offense6 months after final discharge

How to apply

  1. The prosecutor applies to the sentencing court and must notify you at least 60 days before the hearing; you may object. The hearing is held 45 to 90 days after filing.
  2. You can also use the regular sealing or expungement application yourself.
Where to file
The court where the conviction happened.
Cost
The prosecutor who applies pays a fee of up to $50, including court fees; the person whose record it is doesn't file or pay (R.C. 2953.39).
If you can't pay
You can ask to file without paying. The court may waive all or part of the fee.
Court hearing
Yes

Certificate of relief

Certificate of Qualification for Employment (CQE)

The conviction stays on the record, but most automatic legal bars to jobs and licenses tied to it are lifted. A CQE doesn't mean you'll get a job or license, and a later felony conviction revokes it.2,10

What it's for: People with felony or misdemeanor convictions who face one or more collateral sanctions (automatic legal barriers) in employment or licensing.

Who can use it

  • Anyone with a felony or misdemeanor conviction who faces one or more collateral sanctions.
  • Approval is presumed once 3 years have passed since final release on a felony, or 1 year on a misdemeanor; it can then be denied only on clear and convincing evidence of no rehabilitation.

What doesn't qualify

  • It doesn't relieve sex offender registration requirements, certain driver's license suspensions, bars on employment as a prosecutor or in law enforcement or pain clinics, and some health care licensing bars.

How long you have to wait

RecordWaiting period
Felony with jail or prison time1 year after release from incarceration for the offenseR.C. 2953.25 (version effective September 23, 2026). The Department of Rehabilitation and Correction may allow earlier filing by rule.
Felony without incarceration1 year after final release from all other sanctions
Misdemeanor6 months after release from local incarceration and any post-release supervision, or 6 months after final release from all sanctions if not incarcerated

How to apply

  1. Fill out the petition on the form prescribed by the Department of Rehabilitation and Correction's division of parole and community services.
  2. If you served a state prison term or time in a department-funded program, file with the department's designee. Otherwise, file with the court of common pleas in your county of residence (or, if you live out of state, a county where you were convicted) or with the department's designee.
  3. The court reviews the petition, your criminal history and any prosecutor or victim filings, and decides within 60 days of receiving a complete petition.
Where to file
Department of Rehabilitation and Correction designee or a court of common pleas; a common pleas judge decides.
Cost
$50 application fee, plus a possible local court fee of up to $50 (R.C. 2953.25).
If you can't pay
You can ask to file without paying. The court or department designee may waive all or part of the application fee for an applicant who files a poverty affidavit.
How long it takes
The court must decide within 60 days of receiving a completed petition, unless the applicant asks for more time.

Expungement

Expungement of marijuana and hashish possession records

Records are destroyed or erased so they are permanently irretrievable. The proceedings are considered not to have occurred, the records can't be used for any purpose (including criminal records checks under R.C. 109.572), and you may reply that no record exists (R.C. 2953.321).11,12

What it's for: Convictions and dismissed charges from before March 20, 2026 for low-level marijuana possession and certain hashish possession of 15 grams or less.

Who can use it

  • A conviction, guilty plea or dismissed charge from before March 20, 2026 for possession of marijuana under R.C. 2925.11(C)(3)(a).
  • A conviction, guilty plea or dismissed charge from before March 20, 2026 for possession of hashish under R.C. 2925.11(C)(7)(a) or (b), or (C)(7)(c) or (d) involving not more than 15 grams of hashish.

What doesn't qualify

  • Other drug offenses, and marijuana offenses not listed in R.C. 2925.11(C)(3)(a) or (C)(7) (use the regular sealing or expungement application if eligible).

How long you have to wait

RecordWaiting period
Eligible marijuana or hashish possession recordNone; you may apply any time on or after March 20, 2026

How to apply

  1. File an application with the court where you were sentenced (or where the charge was filed), identifying the offense, its date and the court, with evidence that you qualify.
  2. The court sets a hearing 45 to 90 days after filing and notifies the prosecutor, who may object.
  3. The court orders expungement unless the government's need to keep the records substantially outweighs your interest in expungement.
Where to file
The court where the case was heard.
Cost
$50 application fee (R.C. 2953.321).
If you can't pay
You can ask to file without paying. The fee doesn't apply if you are indigent.
Court hearing
Yes
How long it takes
Hearing 45 to 90 days after filing.

Automatic clearing

Ohio doesn't seal records automatically; people have to apply (or, for low-level drug misdemeanors, the prosecutor can apply). Two bills would change that or add new routes, and neither is law as of October 21, 2026: House Bill 5 (136th General Assembly) passed the Ohio House on May 21, 2025 but the legislature's page shows no Senate passage; as passed by the House, it would add a second, application-based sealing process 5 years after current eligibility, a 10-year expungement process, and change the general expungement wait to 7 years after final discharge. Senate Bill 418 ('Grow Act'), as introduced, would have the Bureau of Criminal Identification and Investigation identify eligible records monthly for state-initiated sealing starting 3 years after it takes effect; the legislature's page shows it still in Senate committee.2,13,14,15,16

DUI and DWI records in Ohio

An OVI (Ohio's term for DUI) conviction can't be sealed or expunged: convictions under R.C. Chapters 4506, 4507, 4510, 4511 (which includes OVI) and 4549 are excluded (R.C. 2953.32(A)(1)(a); the Supreme Court of Ohio describes this as all traffic offenses, including OVI). An OVI conviction in the same case also blocks sealing of the case's dismissed charges (R.C. 2953.61). A dismissed or no-billed OVI charge can be sealed but not expunged (R.C. 2953.33(C)(1)); since September 30, 2025 the conviction exclusion list no longer applies to non-conviction records. A CQE may ease some job barriers but doesn't clear the record.1,2,3,5,6,7

Arrests and dismissed charges

Dismissed charges, not-guilty findings and completed intervention in lieu of conviction can be sealed or expunged at any time under R.C. 2953.33; grand jury no bills after 2 years. Pardoned convictions can be sealed but not expunged. There's no filing fee (Ohio Legal Help). Since September 30, 2025 (H.B. 96), the conviction exclusion list no longer applies to these records, but a dismissed or no-billed charge for an excluded offense, such as OVI or another traffic offense, domestic violence, a protection order violation, a felony offense of violence or a first- or second-degree felony, can only be sealed, not expunged (R.C. 2953.33(C)(1)). A pending criminal case blocks relief, and a dismissed charge in a case that also has a conviction generally can't be sealed unless the conviction can be too (or is a single non-OVI traffic conviction and the person doesn't hold a commercial driver's license) (R.C. 2953.61).2,4,5,6,7

Marijuana records

Since March 20, 2026 (S.B. 56), people convicted of, or with a dismissed charge for, marijuana possession under R.C. 2925.11(C)(3)(a) or hashish possession under R.C. 2925.11(C)(7) (15 grams or less for (C)(7)(c) and (d)) before that date can apply at any time to have the records expunged, for a $50 fee that doesn't apply to indigent applicants; the court holds a hearing and grants it unless the government's need for the records substantially outweighs the person's interest (R.C. 2953.321). It isn't automatic. Prosecutor-initiated sealing under R.C. 2953.39 also covers fourth-degree and minor misdemeanor drug convictions under Chapter 2925, and other drug misdemeanors and lower-level drug felonies can be sealed through the regular application if they aren't otherwise excluded.2,9,11

What employers can see afterward

Once a record is sealed or expunged, the proceedings are considered not to have occurred (R.C. 2953.32(D)(2)). Sealed records can still be seen by employers with legal access, such as in law enforcement, schools and health care, and expunged records are kept by the Bureau of Criminal Investigation only for law enforcement hiring checks (Supreme Court of Ohio). State licensing authorities are limited in denying initial licenses based on convictions or vague 'moral character' criteria (R.C. 9.79). Expunged marijuana possession records under R.C. 2953.321 can't be used for criminal records checks, and the person may reply that no record exists. A CQE lifts most automatic employment and licensing bars. We did not confirm the statute on what private employers may ask about sealed records, or whether Ohio has a 'ban the box' rule covering private employers.2,3,11,17

Free help in Ohio

Before you file

  • You can ask a background screening company for the information it has on you, and the CFPB keeps a list of consumer reporting companies, including employment screening companies, with their contact details.18,19,20
  • The FCRA's seven-year limit does not apply to criminal convictions, so under federal law a conviction can show up on a background report no matter how old it is.21,22

This page explains Ohio's rules in general terms from the law and official court sources. It isn't legal advice, and laws change. A legal aid office or the court's self-help center can tell you whether your own record qualifies.

Spot something out of date? Tell us at contact@secondchanceindex.com.

Cite this page

Second Chance Index, "Can I clear my record in Ohio?" https://secondchanceindex.com/record-clearing/ohio, checked October 21, 2026.

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Sources

Each source was opened and checked on October 21, 2026.

  1. Ohio Rev. Code § 2953.32
  2. Adult Rights Restoration & Record Sealing (revised June 2026)Supreme Court of Ohio
  3. Sealing or Expunging a Conviction (Members Brief, Nov. 21, 2024)Ohio Legislative Service Commission
  4. Seal or expunge a criminal recordOhio Legal Help
  5. Record Sealing/ExpungementHamilton County Clerk of Courts
  6. Ohio Rev. Code §§ 2953.33, 2953.61
  7. Ohio Rev. Code § 2953.61Ohio Legislative Service Commission (Ohio Laws)
  8. H.B. 96 (136th GA) Bill Analysis, Judiciary/Supreme Court, 'Sealing and expungement' (p. 304)Ohio Legislative Service Commission
  9. Ohio Rev. Code § 2953.39
  10. Ohio Rev. Code § 2953.25
  11. Ohio Rev. Code § 2953.321 (S.B. 56, 136th GA, effective March 20, 2026)
  12. S.B. 56 (136th GA): Revise medical and adult-use marijuana lawsOhio General Assembly
  13. H.B. 5 (136th GA) statusOhio General Assembly
  14. S.B. 418 (136th GA) statusOhio General Assembly
  15. Bill Analysis, H.B. 5 (136th GA), As Passed by the HouseOhio Legislative Service Commission
  16. S.B. 418 (136th GA), As IntroducedOhio General Assembly
  17. Ohio Rev. Code § 9.79Ohio Legislative Service Commission (Ohio Laws)
  18. List of consumer reporting companiesConsumer Financial Protection Bureau
  19. What Employment Background Screening Companies Need to Know About the Fair Credit Reporting ActFederal Trade Commission
  20. Employer Background Checks and Your RightsFederal Trade Commission
  21. 15 U.S. Code § 1681c - Requirements relating to information contained in consumer reportsLegal Information Institute, Cornell Law School (U.S. Code text)
  22. Advisory Opinion to Nadell (12-10-98)Federal Trade Commission (staff advisory opinion)