Erasure after not-guilty finding, dismissal or nolle (C.G.S. 54-142a(a)-(c)) in Connecticut: which records can be cleared
What Connecticut law lets you clear, record by record.
Checked against official sources: October 25, 2026.
Short answer
In Connecticut it is called erasure (Clean Slate erasure, absolute pardon): erasure means police, court and prosecutor records of the charge are erased and may not be disclosed. Some misdemeanor and felony convictions may be cleared, and Connecticut also clears some records automatically (Clean Slate).
- Main remedy
- Erasure after not-guilty finding, dismissal or nolle (C.G.S. 54-142a(a)-(c))
- What it covers
- Charges ending in a not-guilty verdict, a dismissal, or a nolle (prosecutor drops the charge)
- Ways to clear a record
- 3
- Automatic relief
- Yes
What each remedy covers in Connecticut
Erasure (Clean Slate erasure, absolute pardon) — Erasure means police, court and prosecutor records of the charge are erased and may not be disclosed. After erasure you are treated as never having been arrested for those proceedings and may say so under oath.
Connecticut has 3 ways to clear a record. Each covers different records and has its own waiting period.
Erasure after not-guilty finding, dismissal or nolle (C.G.S. 54-142a(a)-(c))
Charges ending in a not-guilty verdict, a dismissal, or a nolle (prosecutor drops the charge)
| Kind of case | Waiting period | Counted from |
|---|---|---|
Not guilty or dismissed | No waiting period Records are erased once the appeal period ends. | End of the time to appeal (or the final appeal decision) |
Charge nolled | See the rule Records are erased once 13 months have passed since the nolle. If the prosecutor asked for a continuance and nothing has happened in the case for 13 months, you can ask the court to nolle the charge, and the 13-month rule then applies. | Date of the nolle |
- Not eligible
- Charges ending in not guilty by reason of mental disease or defect; a case with more than one count is not erased until every count qualifies
Law: C.G.S. § 54-142a(a)-(c)
Source: Official text
Clean Slate erasure of convictions (C.G.S. 54-142a(e))
Misdemeanors and motor vehicle violations punishable by up to 1 year; class D or E felonies, unclassified felonies and motor vehicle violations punishable by up to 5 years; DUI (14-227a)
| Kind of case | Waiting period | Counted from |
|---|---|---|
Misdemeanor conviction | 7 years Erased 7 years after the date of your most recent conviction, once you have finished all prison, parole and probation and have no pending state charges. | Date of your most recent conviction |
Class D/E or unclassified felony (max 5 years), or DUI | 10 years Erased 10 years after the date of your most recent conviction, once you have finished all prison, parole and probation and have no pending state charges. | Date of your most recent conviction |
- Not eligible
- Family violence crimes (on or after January 1, 2000); nonviolent and violent sexual offenses (54-250); offenses listed in 54-142a(e)(2)(C) (including 29-33, 53a-60a, 53a-60b, 53a-60c, 53a-61a, 53a-64bb, 53a-64cc, 53a-72a, 53a-90a, 53a-103a, 53a-181c, 53a-189a(a)(1), 53a-191, 53a-196, 53a-196d, 53a-196f, 53a-211, 53a-212, 53a-216, 53a-217, 53a-217a, 53a-217c, 53a-322, 53a-323, 54-251 to 54-254); a DUI followed by another DUI conviction within 10 years; class A, B and C felonies are not covered
Law: C.G.S. §§ 54-142a(e), 54-142t
Source: Official text
Absolute pardon (Board of Pardons and Paroles)
Any Connecticut adult conviction, including those not eligible for Clean Slate; if granted, the convictions are erased
| Kind of case | Waiting period | Counted from |
|---|---|---|
Misdemeanor | 3 years You can apply 3 years after your most recent misdemeanor conviction. | Date of disposition of your most recent misdemeanor conviction |
Felony | 5 years You can apply 5 years after your most recent felony conviction. | Date of disposition of your most recent felony conviction |
- Not eligible
- You cannot apply with pending charges or open cases anywhere, a nolle within the past 13 months, or while on probation or parole
Law: C.G.S. § 54-142a(d)
Source: Official text
Juvenile records
If you were found delinquent in juvenile court, you can petition the Superior Court to erase your juvenile records once you are 18 and 2 years have passed since discharge (4 years for a serious juvenile offense) with no new convictions or pending cases; victims of human trafficking can petition at any time. Cases dismissed as not delinquent are erased right away without a petition. Misdemeanor convictions in adult court for offenses you committed under age 18 between January 1, 2000 and June 30, 2012 are erased automatically; for such offenses before 2000 you can petition the court.
Law: C.G.S. 46b-146; C.G.S. 54-142a(f)
Marijuana relief in Connecticut
Convictions for cannabis possession under 21a-279(c) from January 1, 2000 to September 30, 2015 were erased automatically starting January 1, 2023. You can petition the Superior Court, with no fee, to erase possession of 4 ounces or less (convictions before January 1, 2000 or from October 1, 2015 to July 1, 2021), cannabis paraphernalia, and sale or manufacture of 4 ounces or less or 6 home-grown plants before July 1, 2021. There is no official form; include your arrest record or an affidavit.
Law: C.G.S. 54-142u; C.G.S. 54-142v
Records Connecticut clears on its own
- Law
- Clean Slate
- What is cleared
- Misdemeanor convictions are erased 7 years, and eligible felony (up to 5-year maximum) and DUI convictions 10 years, after your most recent conviction, for offenses on or after January 1, 2000, once all sentences, parole and probation are done and no charges are pending. Cannabis possession convictions under 21a-279(c) from January 1, 2000 to September 30, 2015 are also erased automatically.
- Started
- Law effective January 1, 2023. Automatic cannabis erasures ran in 2023; the automated Clean Slate system went live in December 2023, with erasures over the following month. After system delays, DESPP reports that erasures have resumed.
- Check your record
- Official status page
Law: C.G.S. §§ 54-142a(e), 54-142t, 54-142u
What changes afterwards
After erasure you are deemed never to have been arrested for those proceedings and may so swear under oath. Erasure does not end sex offender or deadly weapon registration duties, standing criminal protective orders or unpaid fines, and the DMV can keep the record on your driving history. Background check companies that buy court records must delete erased records.
Law: C.G.S. 54-142a(g)(2); C.G.S. 54-142a(e)(6)-(8); C.G.S. 54-142e
Pardons in Connecticut
- Who decides
- Connecticut Board of Pardons and Paroles
- How
- Apply online through the ePardon portal. An absolute pardon erases the conviction; a Certificate of Employability (provisional pardon) helps with jobs and licenses but does not erase the record.
Law: C.G.S. § 54-142a(d)
In nearby states
- Rhode Island: Expungement; sealing (for acquittals and dismissals)
- Massachusetts: Sealing (CORI sealing); expungement
- New Jersey: Expungement
- New York: Sealing (and expungement for certain marijuana convictions)
Your next steps in Connecticut
Get your own record
Your record lists each case; you need it to see which remedy fits. Clean Slate Connecticut (official state site) and Petition for Pre-2000 Clean Slate Erasure.
See if enough time has passed
Each kind of case has its own waiting period. Waiting periods.
Start the case
You file the request in the court that handled the case. How to file.
Get help
Ask for free help: CTLawHelp.org (Connecticut legal aid organizations).
Free legal help in Connecticut
Questions about clearing a record in Connecticut
What does Connecticut call expungement?
Erasure (Clean Slate erasure, absolute pardon). Erasure means police, court and prosecutor records of the charge are erased and may not be disclosed. After erasure you are treated as never having been arrested for those proceedings and may say so under oath.
Which records can be cleared in Connecticut?
Erasure after not-guilty finding, dismissal or nolle: Charges ending in a not-guilty verdict, a dismissal, or a nolle (prosecutor drops the charge). Clean Slate erasure of convictions: Misdemeanors and motor vehicle violations punishable by up to 1 year; class D or E felonies, unclassified felonies and motor vehicle violations punishable by up to 5 years; DUI (14-227a). Absolute pardon (Board of Pardons and Paroles): Any Connecticut adult conviction, including those not eligible for Clean Slate; if granted, the convictions are erased.
Will Connecticut clear my record on its own?
Misdemeanor convictions are erased 7 years, and eligible felony (up to 5-year maximum) and DUI convictions 10 years, after your most recent conviction, for offenses on or after January 1, 2000, once all sentences, parole and probation are done and no charges are pending. Cannabis possession convictions under 21a-279(c) from January 1, 2000 to September 30, 2015 are also erased automatically.
Does Connecticut clear cannabis records?
Convictions for cannabis possession under 21a-279(c) from January 1, 2000 to September 30, 2015 were erased automatically starting January 1, 2023. You can petition the Superior Court, with no fee, to erase possession of 4 ounces or less (convictions before January 1, 2000 or from October 1, 2015 to July 1, 2021), cannabis paraphernalia, and sale or manufacture of 4 ounces or less or 6 home-grown plants before July 1, 2021. There is no official form; include your arrest record or an affidavit.
Can juvenile records be cleared in Connecticut?
If you were found delinquent in juvenile court, you can petition the Superior Court to erase your juvenile records once you are 18 and 2 years have passed since discharge (4 years for a serious juvenile offense) with no new convictions or pending cases; victims of human trafficking can petition at any time. Cases dismissed as not delinquent are erased right away without a petition. Misdemeanor convictions in adult court for offenses you committed under age 18 between January 1, 2000 and June 30, 2012 are erased automatically; for such offenses before 2000 you can petition the court.
Who can still see a cleared record in Connecticut?
After erasure you are deemed never to have been arrested for those proceedings and may so swear under oath. Erasure does not end sex offender or deadly weapon registration duties, standing criminal protective orders or unpaid fines, and the DMV can keep the record on your driving history. Background check companies that buy court records must delete erased records.