Clearing a criminal record in Arizona
In Arizona it is called set aside, sealing or expungement: a set aside dismisses the conviction but it stays on your record with a note. Some misdemeanor and felony convictions may be cleared.
Checked against official sources: October 25, 2026. · Free letter and checklist ↓
Can my record be cleared in Arizona?
Set aside, sealing (record sealing), expungement (marijuana only) — A set aside dismisses the conviction but it stays on your record with a note. Sealing (since December 31, 2022) closes your case records to the public and most employers, but police, prosecutors, courts and some agencies can still see them. Only certain marijuana offenses can be expunged, which seals them for everyone except you and your lawyer.
Arizona has 3 ways to clear a record. Each covers different records and has its own waiting period.
Record sealing (A.R.S. 13-911)
Arrests with no charges filed, dismissed charges, not-guilty verdicts, and misdemeanor and felony convictions
| Kind of case | Waiting period | Counted from |
|---|---|---|
Arrest with no charges, dismissal, or acquittal | No waiting period You can file once the case is over. | End of the case |
Petty offense conviction | No waiting period You can file right away once you finish your sentence and pay what you owe (added by a 2026 law). | Completion of the sentence |
Conviction vacated because you were a sex trafficking victim (A.R.S. 13-909) | No waiting period You can file right away (added by a 2026 law). | The order vacating the conviction |
Class 2 or 3 misdemeanor conviction | 2 years You can file 2 years after you finish probation or your sentence and are discharged. | Completion of the non-money terms of probation or sentence and discharge by the court |
Class 1 misdemeanor conviction | 3 years You can file 3 years after you finish probation or your sentence and are discharged. | Completion of the non-money terms of probation or sentence and discharge by the court |
Class 4, 5 or 6 felony conviction | 5 years You can file 5 years after you finish probation or your sentence and are discharged. | Completion of the non-money terms of probation or sentence and discharge by the court |
Class 2 or 3 felony conviction | 10 years You can file 10 years after you finish probation or your sentence and are discharged. | Completion of the non-money terms of probation or sentence and discharge by the court |
New felony after an earlier sealing | 5 years If you commit a felony after a record was sealed, you can seal the new felony only after its normal waiting period plus 5 more years. | End of the normal waiting period for the new felony |
- Not eligible
- Dangerous offenses; dangerous crimes against children; serious offenses and violent or aggravated felonies; offenses involving use or threatening display of a deadly weapon or dangerous instrument, or knowingly causing serious physical injury; sex trafficking; class 2-5 felony sex offenses
- Limits
- You must have paid all fines, fees and restitution before filing. If the court denies your petition, you must wait 3 years to file again. There is no rule that you must have no other convictions: a 2024 law removed it, even though some court info sheets still mention it.
Law: A.R.S. § 13-911; A.R.S. 13-706; Title 13, ch. 14 and 35.1
Source: Official text
Set aside of judgment of guilt and Certificate of Second Chance (A.R.S. 13-905)
Misdemeanor and felony convictions
| Kind of case | Waiting period | Counted from |
|---|---|---|
Set aside, any eligible conviction | No waiting period You can apply once you have finished probation or your sentence and been discharged. | Completion of probation or sentence and discharge by the court |
Certificate of second chance, misdemeanor | No waiting period The court includes the certificate when it sets aside a misdemeanor. | Set aside |
Certificate of second chance, class 4, 5 or 6 felony | 2 years Available if at least 2 years have passed since you finished probation or your sentence. | Completion of probation or sentence |
Certificate of second chance, class 2 or 3 felony | 5 years Available if at least 5 years have passed since you finished probation or your sentence. | Completion of probation or sentence |
- Not eligible
- Dangerous offenses; offenses requiring sex offender registration; offenses with a finding of sexual motivation; felonies where the victim was under 15
- Limits
- Only one certificate of second chance for a felony set aside.
Law: A.R.S. § 13-905
Source: Official text
Marijuana expungement (A.R.S. 36-2862, Proposition 207)
Arrests, charges, convictions and juvenile adjudications for possessing up to 2.5 ounces of marijuana, up to six plants at home for personal use, or related paraphernalia, for conduct before November 30, 2020
| Kind of case | Waiting period | Counted from |
|---|---|---|
Eligible marijuana offense | No waiting period You can file at any time; petitions have been accepted since July 12, 2021. | July 12, 2021 |
- Not eligible
- Offenses above these amounts and other charges in the same case (for example a DUI) are not expunged
Law: A.R.S. § 36-2862
Source: Official text
When can I file? Waiting periods in Arizona
Pick your kind of case and the date the waiting period runs from. We add the waiting period from the law; nothing else.
How to file in Arizona
Record sealing (A.R.S. 13-911)
File the Petition to Seal Criminal Case Records in the court where you were convicted (or where the charges were filed, or where you had your first appearance; if none, the superior court in the county of arrest). The prosecutor and victims are notified; the court waits at least 60 days (unless the prosecutor and victims say they do not object) and may rule without a hearing unless someone asks for one. File in each court where you have a case.
- Cost
- The law sets no state court filing fee for the petition. The Department of Public Safety may charge a fee set by its director for the background report and, if you win, for correcting your record, unless you are indigent or your case was dismissed, not filed or ended in a not-guilty verdict. Ask your court clerk whether a local fee applies.
- If you can't pay
- DPS fees do not apply if you are indigent. For court fees, see the courts' Fee Waiver and Deferral forms.
Law: A.R.S. 13-911(H), (I)(3)
Set aside of judgment of guilt and Certificate of Second Chance (A.R.S. 13-905)
Apply to the court that sentenced you (you, your lawyer or your probation officer can apply). The prosecutor or victim has 30 days to object, and the court may set a hearing. The court looks at the offense, your compliance, other convictions, victim input, time passed and your age.
- Cost
- No filing fee: the clerk may not charge a filing fee for an application to set aside.
Law: A.R.S. 13-905(B)
Marijuana expungement (A.R.S. 36-2862, Proposition 207)
File the petition in the court that handled the case (municipal/justice, superior, or juvenile court form). The prosecutor has 30 days to respond. The court must grant it unless the prosecutor proves by clear and convincing evidence that you are not eligible. A prosecutor or the Attorney General may also file for you.
Court self-help
Free help in Arizona
- AZLawHelp.org (Arizona Bar Foundation) - apply for free or low-cost legal help · (866) 637-5341
- AZCourtHelp.org (forms, court locations, live chat)
National help
Free letter and checklist
Letter: ask for a copy of your own record
A request to the state records office (Arizona Department of Public Safety, Central State Repository) with your name, date of birth and mailing address.
Checklist: what to gather before you file
Case numbers, court papers, proof you finished your sentence, forms and fees for Arizona.
Clearing a record in Arizona by topic
Record sealing (A.R.S. 13-911) in Arizona
Which records each remedy covers, who is not eligible and what changes afterwards.
Waiting periods in Arizona
How long you wait for each kind of case, and a date helper.
How to file in Arizona
The steps, the cost, fee waivers, the forms and court self-help.
Marijuana records in Arizona
You can petition to expunge records of possessing up to 2.5 ounces of marijuana, up to six plants at home, or paraphernalia, for conduct before November 30, 2020. If granted, the conviction is vacated, the records are sealed, your civil rights including gun rights are restored, and you may say you were never arrested, charged or convicted for that offense.
Law: A.R.S. 36-2862, Proposition 207
Juvenile records in Arizona
If you are at least 18 and were adjudicated delinquent or incorrigible, you can apply to the juvenile court to destroy your juvenile court and juvenile corrections records, if the offense is not a serious one listed in A.R.S. 13-501(A)-(B) or a Title 28 chapter 4 (DUI-type) offense, you have no felony conviction, no pending charge, finished probation and paid restitution. If you do not qualify, you may apply at age 25. There is no filing fee. You can also apply to set aside a juvenile adjudication; statewide forms are on the courts' Juvenile Law Forms page.
Law: A.R.S. 8-349; A.R.S. 8-348
Pardons in Arizona
- Who decides
- Governor of Arizona, on recommendation of the Arizona Board of Executive Clemency
- How
- Apply to the Board of Executive Clemency, which reviews the application and recommends to the Governor.
Law: Ariz. Const. art. V, § 5
After your record is cleared in Arizona
After sealing, you may say you were never arrested, charged or convicted for that crime, including on job, housing, financial aid and loan applications, with exceptions: fingerprint clearance card applications; jobs with police, prosecutors, courts, probation, child welfare or corrections; certain jobs related to the type of offense (for example driving jobs after a DUI, money-handling jobs after fraud, in-home service jobs after burglary or theft, child or elder care jobs after abuse); background checks for placing a foster child with you; Medicare/Medicaid program rules; and when state or federal law requires disclosure. A sealed or set-aside conviction can still be used as a prior conviction if you are charged again. A set aside restores gun rights except for serious offenses.
Law: A.R.S. 13-911(I)(5); A.R.S. 13-905(O)
Get your own record in Arizona
Arizona Department of Public Safety, Central State Repository · (602) 223-2000
Complete a Record Review Packet from the DPS website or by calling, get fingerprinted at a law enforcement agency, and mail it in. DPS mails a copy of your record within 15 days of receiving the packet. DPS does not run background checks for private citizens for jobs, visas or immigration.
Source: instructions, fingerprint card and contact sheet
Letter: ask the state records office for a copy of your record
Good to know in Arizona
- Arizona's sealing law started December 31, 2022 and applies to arrests and convictions from before that date too; since 2024 other convictions no longer block sealing.
Law: A.R.S. 13-911; Laws 2024, ch. 244
- A set aside restores your right to have a firearm unless the conviction was a serious offense.
Law: A.R.S. 13-905(O)
- A certificate of second chance removes licensing barriers under Title 32 and gives employers and landlords protection from negligent-hiring claims.
Law: A.R.S. 13-905(M)
Changes in 2024–2026
Laws 2024, ch. 244 removed the rule that you could not have any other conviction (except non-DUI traffic misdemeanors) and replaced the extra 5-year wait for a prior felony with an extra 5 years only for a felony committed after a sealing. Laws 2026, ch. 86 lets you seal a petty offense right after the sentence. Laws 2026, ch. 108 lets a conviction vacated for a sex trafficking victim be sealed right away. Both 2026 laws were signed June 4, 2026 and take effect on the state's general effective date.
Law: SB 1639; HB 2198; HB 2720
Questions about clearing a record in Arizona
What is clearing a record called in Arizona?
Set aside, sealing (record sealing), expungement (marijuana only). A set aside dismisses the conviction but it stays on your record with a note. Sealing (since December 31, 2022) closes your case records to the public and most employers, but police, prosecutors, courts and some agencies can still see them. Only certain marijuana offenses can be expunged, which seals them for everyone except you and your lawyer.
Can convictions be cleared in Arizona?
Record sealing: Arrests with no charges filed, dismissed charges, not-guilty verdicts, and misdemeanor and felony convictions. Set aside of judgment of guilt and Certificate of Second Chance: Misdemeanor and felony convictions. Marijuana expungement: Arrests, charges, convictions and juvenile adjudications for possessing up to 2.5 ounces of marijuana, up to six plants at home for personal use, or related paraphernalia, for conduct before November 30, 2020.
How long do I have to wait in Arizona?
Arrest with no charges, dismissal, or acquittal: No waiting period, counted from end of the case; Petty offense conviction: No waiting period, counted from completion of the sentence; Conviction vacated because you were a sex trafficking victim: No waiting period, counted from the order vacating the conviction; Class 2 or 3 misdemeanor conviction: 2 years, counted from completion of the non-money terms of probation or sentence and discharge by the court.
How much does it cost to clear a record in Arizona?
Record sealing: The law sets no state court filing fee for the petition. The Department of Public Safety may charge a fee set by its director for the background report and, if you win, for correcting your record, unless you are indigent or your case was dismissed, not filed or ended in a not-guilty verdict. Ask your court clerk whether a local fee applies. Set aside of judgment of guilt and Certificate of Second Chance: No filing fee: the clerk may not charge a filing fee for an application to set aside.
Can a marijuana record be cleared in Arizona?
You can petition to expunge records of possessing up to 2.5 ounces of marijuana, up to six plants at home, or paraphernalia, for conduct before November 30, 2020. If granted, the conviction is vacated, the records are sealed, your civil rights including gun rights are restored, and you may say you were never arrested, charged or convicted for that offense.
Can juvenile records be cleared in Arizona?
If you are at least 18 and were adjudicated delinquent or incorrigible, you can apply to the juvenile court to destroy your juvenile court and juvenile corrections records, if the offense is not a serious one listed in A.R.S. 13-501(A)-(B) or a Title 28 chapter 4 (DUI-type) offense, you have no felony conviction, no pending charge, finished probation and paid restitution. If you do not qualify, you may apply at age 25. There is no filing fee. You can also apply to set aside a juvenile adjudication; statewide forms are on the courts' Juvenile Law Forms page.
What can I say after my record is cleared in Arizona?
After sealing, you may say you were never arrested, charged or convicted for that crime, including on job, housing, financial aid and loan applications, with exceptions: fingerprint clearance card applications; jobs with police, prosecutors, courts, probation, child welfare or corrections; certain jobs related to the type of offense (for example driving jobs after a DUI, money-handling jobs after fraud, in-home service jobs after burglary or theft, child or elder care jobs after abuse); background checks for placing a foster child with you; Medicare/Medicaid program rules; and when state or federal law requires disclosure. A sealed or set-aside conviction can still be used as a prior conviction if you are charged again. A set aside restores gun rights except for serious offenses.
How do I get a copy of my criminal record in Arizona?
Complete a Record Review Packet from the DPS website or by calling, get fingerprinted at a law enforcement agency, and mail it in. DPS mails a copy of your record within 15 days of receiving the packet. DPS does not run background checks for private citizens for jobs, visas or immigration.
Where can I get free help in Arizona?
AZLawHelp.org (Arizona Bar Foundation) - apply for free or low-cost legal help and AZCourtHelp.org (forms, court locations, live chat).