A criminal record can be a burden for people in all sorts of situations. Luckily, Pennsylvania provides several different ways to clear your criminal record. Clearing a record has many benefits, especially when it comes to employment, housing, and quality of life.

There are three main ways to clear a criminal record in Pennsylvania: expungement, sealing, and automatic sealing. Each pathway has different rules and effects, but all remedies can help you improve your life. Expungement erases a record, while sealing and automatic sealing hide your record from public view, including shielding it from most employers and landlords.

Clearing your record can open doors and make a big difference in your future. Trying to navigate record clearing alone is hard, but we’re here to help. Rasa can help you understand your options and handle the record clearing process for you. Click here to check your Pennsylvania record in our eligibility tool.

How It Works

Pennsylvania offers three options to clear a criminal record: expungement, sealing, and automatic sealing. Each remedy has different rules governing whether you qualify. Here’s how they work:

Expungement: Erase Your Record

When an expungement is ordered, a judge requires the State Police to remove a charge from your criminal history, making it like it never existed. Once expunged, the record is basically deleted, making it so that there is no way for people or agencies to view or use the record (some very limited exceptions apply). Expungement is the most thorough form of record clearing offered in Pennsylvania.

There are two main ways to qualify for expungement in Pennsylvania:

• Petition-Based Expungement: Certain records, like dismissed charges, summary offenses, cases where the record holder is over 70 and has been free from arrest/prosecution for 10 years, or some alcohol-related charges gotten while under 21 but over 18, can be expunged by filing a petition with the court. 
• Pardons: Some convictions require a pardon from the Board of Pardons before they can be expunged. This process takes time, but it allows people with convictions that don’t qualify for petition-based expungement to expunge their records. 

Sealing: Hide Your Record From the Public

When a record is sealed, it is removed from public view.  While sealing orders only apply to public agencies, employers and landlords are required under the Fair Credit Reporting Act to remove sealed records from their databases. However, law enforcement and some government agencies can still see sealed records.

To seal a record in Pennsylvania, you must:

• File a petition with the court
• Have a set number of years crime free, depending on the type of offense.
• Have your petition granted. The court will consider your petition and, if it is granted, issue an ‘Order of Limited Access,’ which seals the record. 

People who seal their records report that it is easier to get work, obtain a license, and access other protections under Pennsylvania law.

Automatic Sealing: Low-Hassle Record Clearing

Some records or charges qualify for automatic sealing, meaning you shouldn’t have to file a petition. This happens under Pennsylvania’s Clean Slate Law, which should automatically seal certain cases after a set amount of time crime free. Usually, if the crime you are trying to seal is not a high grade misdemeanor or disqualified felony, your record does not have too many crimes or any disqualifying crimes, and the charge itself is not explicitly excluded, your record should be automatically expunged. For more specific information on automatic record clearing criteria, visit our automatic sealing page. 

There are a few key points to know about Automatic Sealing

• Court filing shouldn’t be required—the process should happen automatically, which means no petition is required. While the process should be automatic, we can help you check to make sure that the process went through, and see if any qualifying charges are still on your record. 
• More limited eligibility than petition-based sealing. The requirements to get a record automatically sealed are stricter than the requirements to get a record sealed by petition.
• Same effect as petition-based sealing—the record is removed from public view and should not be disclosed through most background checks. This means that landlords, employers, and the general public are not able to see your record. 

Choosing the Right Option

The best pathway to clear your record depends on your situation. While expungement erases a charge or record from your criminal history, many records cannot be expunged. If your record is not eligible for expungement, sealing and automatic sealing might be possible. And if you are not eligible for sealing, you might be able to pursue a pardon. Understanding the differences can help you make the right choice for your future.

Your Options for Clearing a Record

There are several different options available for clearing your record in Pennsylvania: if you meet certain income thresholds, you might qualify for legal aid. If you do not, you have three options: (1) you can use a traditional law firm, (2) do it yourself,  or (3) use a tech-enabled legal service like Rasa. Below you’ll find a comparison of these three approaches. 

Traditional Law Firm

Traditional lawyers have expertise and legal experience, however this option comes with a high price tag. A traditional law firm can cost thousands of dollars. Because of their high case load and broad focus, getting a record cleared through a traditional law firm can also take a long time.

Doing It Yourself (DIY)

Filing for expungement or sealing on your own is cheaper than using a traditional law firm, but it’s a difficult and time-consuming process. If you’re considering a DIY approach to record clearing, it’s important to remember that:

• Over 70% of people who try to clear their record without help fail because of errors, missed deadlines, or other problems.
• Courts have strict requirements, and even a small mistake can cause delays or lead to a denial.
• Clearing your record yourself requires understanding the process in Pennsylvania, which can be complex.

Using Rasa to Clear Your Record

Rasa is a tech-enabled legal service that offers an affordable, effective, and hassle-free way to clear your record. We offer:

• Lower costs than hiring a traditional law firm.
• Higher success rates compared to filing on your own.
• Easy-to-use processes that help you get started and track your progress as we complete your record clearance. 
• A licensed Pennsylvania legal team that reviews and files all your paperwork.

Rasa offers record clearing services in Pennsylvania to make clearing your record simpler, faster, and more affordable. Use our eligibility tool to get started today!

Eligibility Requirements

Not everyone qualifies to have their record cleared in Pennsylvania. The type of record clearing you qualify for depends on the offense type, how much time has passed, and whether you’ve met other legal requirements.

Basic Requirements

To be eligible for expungement or sealing, you must have paid all fines, fees, and court-ordered restitution. Your record cannot be cleared if you still owe money to the court, victims, or other parties. You must also meet the required waiting period. Whether or not you have to wait a set amount of time, and the time you must wait, depends on the type of offense and whether you're seeking expungement or sealing. Our pages on the record-clearing option you are using have more specific information on these wait-times. 

Crimes That Cannot Be Cleared

Some offenses are not eligible for record clearing in Pennsylvania, including:

• Animal abuse or crimes involving public safety risk
• Sexual offenses that require registration
• Offenses against the family

Additionally, some offenses make an entire record ineligible for clearing, including: 

• Serious felonies, such as murder or other violent crimes.
• Other crimes that are punishable by more than 20 years in prison.

If your record includes one of these offenses, petition-based expungement or sealing may not be an option. 

Waiting Periods for Record Clearance

The amount of time you must wait before filing for expungement or sealing varies based on the offense. Some records qualify for sealing and/or automatic sealing after a set number of years. Others require different wait times, or only have recommended wait times.

To find out exactly when you can clear your record, check out our Pennsylvania remedies pages.

Benefits of Clearing Your Record

Clearing your criminal record can open doors and improve many areas of your life. Whether you're looking for a better job, a place to live, or just peace of mind, having a clean record makes a difference. Here’s how:

1. Better Job Opportunities

Many employers run background checks, and having a criminal record can make it harder to get hired. In Pennsylvania:

• Sealed or expunged records do not show up on most background checks. 
• Many licensing boards won’t approve applicants with a criminal record, so clearing your record makes licensing easier.
• Pennsylvania law protects employers who hire people with sealed records, making them more likely to give you a chance.

The Collateral Consequence Resource Center has a lot of information on employment, and especially licensing, in the linked page under section IV subsection B. 

2. Easier Housing Applications

Landlords often require applications and check criminal records before approving tenants. If your record is sealed or expunged, landlords cannot see past offenses on background checks. This means that you’ll have more housing options without the fear of being denied for your past.

3. A Fresh Start

Your past shouldn’t define your future. Clearing your record means fewer barriers when applying for jobs, housing, or loans, more confidence when moving forward in life, and ensures that a record has less of an impact, both on paper and in your life.

Having a criminal record doesn’t have to hold you back forever. Rasa makes the process of sealing your record in Pennsylvania simple and affordable. Use our eligibility tool today to check what is on your record and if it is eligible for any of the remedies available under Pennsylvania law