Second Chance Index
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Can you clear your record? Check your state's rules.

Two questions show you the expungement, sealing and set-aside routes your state's law offers for your kind of case, with how long you wait and what it costs. Every answer links to the law behind it.

All 50 states and D.C. covered. State rules last checked October 30, 2026, each by a second reader.

Pick the state whose court handled the case. Federal cases follow different rules.

How did the case end?

Choose a state and how the case ended to see what that state's law offers.

General information, not legal advice. This shows the general routes in each state's law for the kind of case you picked. It can't see your record, and every route has its own exclusions, so it can't tell you whether you qualify. Only a court or agency decides that. Talk to a lawyer or legal aid office before you file. Your choices stay in your browser and aren't sent to us.

How this checker works

Each state's record-clearing law is researched from its statutes and court pages, then checked against those sources by a separate review before it's published. For each route, such as expungement, sealing or a set-aside, we record which kinds of case outcomes its own eligibility rules cover. The checker shows the routes that match the state and outcome you pick. The full rules, exclusions and sources are on each state page. Read our editorial standards.

What the case outcomes mean

  • Not convicted: Never charged, dropped, dismissed, or found not guilty.
  • Finished diversion or a deferral: Diversion, deferred adjudication, probation before judgment, court supervision or similar.
  • Misdemeanor conviction.
  • Felony conviction.

Not sure how your case ended? Your court record or the state's criminal history record shows the disposition. The how long a record lasts guide explains how to get a copy.

Questions people ask

Can I get my record expunged?

It depends on your state, how your case ended, the offense and how long it has been. Most states offer some way to seal or clear certain records, and many make cases that didn't end in a conviction easier to clear than convictions. Use the checker to see your state's routes, then read the full rules and confirm with a lawyer or legal aid office.

What's the difference between expungement and sealing?

The words mean different things in different states. In general, sealing hides a record from the public while some agencies can still see it, and expungement destroys or fully clears it. Each state page on this site uses that state's own terms and explains what its relief does.

Do records ever clear automatically?

Some states have Clean Slate laws that clear certain records without an application, usually after a waiting period. The checker tells you whether a state has one, and the state page explains which records qualify.

Does this checker tell me if I qualify?

No. It shows the general routes in a state's law for the kind of case you pick. Every route has its own exclusions, and only a court or agency decides whether you qualify. Treat it as a starting point before you talk to a lawyer or legal aid office.

Is my information saved or sent anywhere?

No. The checker runs in your browser. Your state and answers aren't sent to us or stored.

Record clearing in every state