Clearing a criminal record in Maine
In Maine it is called sealing (Maine has no expungement): Maine does not erase criminal records.
Checked against official sources: October 25, 2026. · Free letter and checklist ↓
Can my record be cleared in Maine?
Sealing (Maine has no expungement) — Maine does not erase criminal records. A court can seal certain convictions so they are confidential and not given to the public, employers, landlords or lenders, but police, courts, prosecutors, licensing agencies and some employers required to run fingerprint checks can still see them.
Maine has 3 ways to clear a record. Each covers different records and has its own waiting period.
Post-judgment motion to seal criminal history record (15 M.R.S. ch. 310-A)
Convictions for current or former Class E crimes, and certain Class D marijuana cultivation and possession convictions for crimes committed before January 30, 2017.
| Kind of case | Waiting period | Counted from |
|---|---|---|
Class E crime or eligible pre-2017 marijuana conviction | 4 years At least 4 years must pass after you completely finish your sentence. | The date you fully satisfied every part of the sentence (jail, probation, fines, restitution, license suspension, community service) |
- Not eligible
- Class A, B, C and D crimes (other than the listed pre-2017 marijuana offenses); Class E sex offenses. You are not eligible if you have any new conviction in Maine or elsewhere, or a case dismissed after a deferred disposition, since finishing the sentence, or any pending charges.
Law: 15 M.R.S. §§ 2261-2264; Title 17-A, chapter 11
Source: Official text
Sealing of former Class E engaging in prostitution convictions (15 M.R.S. § 2262-A)
Convictions for engaging in prostitution under former 17-A M.R.S. § 853-A (repealed in 2023).
| Kind of case | Waiting period | Counted from |
|---|---|---|
Engaging in prostitution (former § 853-A) | 1 year The court must seal it once 1 year has passed after you finish the sentence. | Fully satisfying the sentence |
- Not eligible
- Not available if you have been convicted under 17-A M.R.S. § 852, 853, 853-B or 855, or for substantially similar conduct in another jurisdiction.
Law: 15 M.R.S. § 2262-A
Source: Official text
Sealing for victims of sex trafficking or sexual exploitation (15 M.R.S. § 2262-B)
Any conviction, if the crime was a substantial result of your being a victim of sex trafficking or sexual exploitation.
| Kind of case | Waiting period | Counted from |
|---|---|---|
Any conviction linked to trafficking or exploitation | No waiting period You can file at any time after the conviction. | Entry of the conviction |
Law: 15 M.R.S. §§ 2262-B, 2264(4-A)
Source: Official text
When can I file? Waiting periods in Maine
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 Maine
Post-judgment motion to seal criminal history record (15 M.R.S. ch. 310-A)
File a Motion to Seal Criminal History (CR-218) with the clerk of the court where you were convicted, in the original criminal case. The court holds a hearing; the prosecutor's office that handled the case represents the State. If you prove each requirement by a preponderance of the evidence, the court must seal the conviction and notifies the State Bureau of Identification, which mails you a notice. There is no right to a court-appointed lawyer.
- Cost
- The Maine Judicial Branch court fee schedule (Administrative Order JB-05-26, effective March 9, 2026) lists no fee for a motion to seal criminal history; ask the clerk.
Sealing of former Class E engaging in prostitution convictions (15 M.R.S. § 2262-A)
File a motion to seal in the original criminal case; the court holds a hearing and must seal if the requirements are met.
- Cost
- The Maine Judicial Branch court fee schedule (Administrative Order JB-05-26, effective March 9, 2026) lists no fee for a motion to seal criminal history; ask the clerk.
Sealing for victims of sex trafficking or sexual exploitation (15 M.R.S. § 2262-B)
File a motion to seal in the original case. Official documentation is not required, but if provided it creates a presumption in your favor. You and witnesses may take part remotely, and the court can grant it without a hearing if the prosecutor agrees.
- Cost
- The Maine Judicial Branch court fee schedule (Administrative Order JB-05-26, effective March 9, 2026) lists no fee for a motion to seal criminal history; ask the clerk.
Court self-help
Free help in Maine
National help
Free letter and checklist
Letter: ask for a copy of your own record
A request to the state records office (Maine State Police, State Bureau of Identification (SBI)) 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 Maine.
Clearing a record in Maine by topic
Post-judgment motion to seal criminal history record (15 M.R.S. ch. 310-A) in Maine
Which records each remedy covers, who is not eligible and what changes afterwards.
Waiting periods in Maine
How long you wait for each kind of case, and a date helper.
How to file in Maine
The steps, the cost, fee waivers, the forms and court self-help.
Marijuana records in Maine
Convictions for certain Class D marijuana crimes committed before January 30, 2017 count as eligible convictions and can be sealed by motion 4 years after the sentence is completed.
Law: 15 M.R.S. § 2261(6)(B)
Juvenile records in Maine
Juvenile case records for juvenile crimes other than murder, Class A, B or C crimes and OUI are sealed from public inspection automatically: within 5 business days after the court gets notice that you have been finally discharged from the disposition. For murder, Class A-C crimes and OUI you can petition the Juvenile Court (JV-043) once 3 years have passed since discharge, if you have had no new juvenile adjudication or adult conviction since the disposition and nothing is pending; the court grants it unless the public's right to information substantially outweighs your privacy. After sealing you may answer most inquiries as if the juvenile crime never happened.
Law: 15 M.R.S. § 3308-C
Source: for example, a Notice of Discharge, JV-040
Pardons in Maine
- Who decides
- The Governor, after review by the Governor's Board on Executive Clemency
- How
- Request the petition forms from the Department of Corrections Pardon Board office and file a Petition for Executive Clemency. Pardon petitions are generally not heard until 5 years after you complete your whole sentence (including probation and restitution); OUI pardons and pardons sought only for firearms or to leave the sex offender registry are not heard. A full and free pardon makes the conviction confidential criminal history record information.
Law: Me. Const. art. V, pt. 1, § 11; Me. Const. art. V, pt. 15 M.R.S. ch. 307; Me. Const. art. V, pt. 16 M.R.S. §§ 701-710
After your record is cleared in Maine
Once sealed, the conviction is confidential and criminal justice agencies may not give it to the public. You may decline to disclose the sealed conviction to anyone except criminal justice agencies and the entities allowed to see it, without penalty under Maine law. Those entities include the court, prosecutors (for new cases), victims, the Secretary of State, financial and professional licensing regulators, financial institutions required to run checks, and employers required by law to run fingerprint-based checks.
Law: 15 M.R.S. §§ 2265-2266
Get your own record in Maine
Maine State Police, State Bureau of Identification (SBI) · (207) 624-7240
Use SBI's online public Criminal History Record search ($31 by credit card, or by check/money order by mail; $41 notarized). The public search shows only adult convictions and juvenile felony adjudications. You can challenge inaccurate records with SBI in person, by phone or by mail.
Letter: ask the state records office for a copy of your record
Good to know in Maine
- Maine has no expungement and no automatic sealing of adult convictions; only Class E crimes (plus some old marijuana offenses) can be sealed.
Law: 15 M.R.S. § 2261
- Any new conviction after you finish your sentence, or a deferred-disposition dismissal, permanently blocks sealing of the earlier conviction under § 2262.
- Non-conviction records are not released in the public SBI criminal history search (Maine SBI).
Changes in 2024–2026
PL 2023, c. 666 repealed the former age-at-offense requirement for sealing and changed the out-of-state conviction rule. PL 2023, c. 409 added mandatory sealing of former engaging-in-prostitution convictions. PL 2025, c. 513 created sealing at any time for victims of sex trafficking or sexual exploitation, set the prostitution sealing wait at 1 year after the sentence, and excluded Class E sex offenses from regular sealing.
Law: § 2262-B; § 2262-A; Title 17-A, chapter 11; § 2261(6)(A)
Questions about clearing a record in Maine
What is clearing a record called in Maine?
Sealing (Maine has no expungement). Maine does not erase criminal records. A court can seal certain convictions so they are confidential and not given to the public, employers, landlords or lenders, but police, courts, prosecutors, licensing agencies and some employers required to run fingerprint checks can still see them.
Can convictions be cleared in Maine?
Post-judgment motion to seal criminal history record: Convictions for current or former Class E crimes, and certain Class D marijuana cultivation and possession convictions for crimes committed before January 30, 2017. Sealing of former Class E engaging in prostitution convictions: Convictions for engaging in prostitution under former 17-A M.R.S. § 853-A (repealed in 2023). Sealing for victims of sex trafficking or sexual exploitation: Any conviction, if the crime was a substantial result of your being a victim of sex trafficking or sexual exploitation.
How long do I have to wait in Maine?
Class E crime or eligible pre-2017 marijuana conviction: 4 years, counted from the date you fully satisfied every part of the sentence (jail, probation, fines, restitution, license suspension, community service); Engaging in prostitution: 1 year, counted from fully satisfying the sentence; Any conviction linked to trafficking or exploitation: No waiting period, counted from entry of the conviction.
How much does it cost to clear a record in Maine?
Post-judgment motion to seal criminal history record: The Maine Judicial Branch court fee schedule (Administrative Order JB-05-26, effective March 9, 2026) lists no fee for a motion to seal criminal history; ask the clerk. Sealing of former Class E engaging in prostitution convictions: The Maine Judicial Branch court fee schedule (Administrative Order JB-05-26, effective March 9, 2026) lists no fee for a motion to seal criminal history; ask the clerk. Sealing for victims of sex trafficking or sexual exploitation: The Maine Judicial Branch court fee schedule (Administrative Order JB-05-26, effective March 9, 2026) lists no fee for a motion to seal criminal history; ask the clerk.
Can a marijuana record be cleared in Maine?
Convictions for certain Class D marijuana crimes committed before January 30, 2017 count as eligible convictions and can be sealed by motion 4 years after the sentence is completed.
Can juvenile records be cleared in Maine?
Juvenile case records for juvenile crimes other than murder, Class A, B or C crimes and OUI are sealed from public inspection automatically: within 5 business days after the court gets notice that you have been finally discharged from the disposition. For murder, Class A-C crimes and OUI you can petition the Juvenile Court (JV-043) once 3 years have passed since discharge, if you have had no new juvenile adjudication or adult conviction since the disposition and nothing is pending; the court grants it unless the public's right to information substantially outweighs your privacy. After sealing you may answer most inquiries as if the juvenile crime never happened.
What can I say after my record is cleared in Maine?
Once sealed, the conviction is confidential and criminal justice agencies may not give it to the public. You may decline to disclose the sealed conviction to anyone except criminal justice agencies and the entities allowed to see it, without penalty under Maine law. Those entities include the court, prosecutors (for new cases), victims, the Secretary of State, financial and professional licensing regulators, financial institutions required to run checks, and employers required by law to run fingerprint-based checks.
How do I get a copy of my criminal record in Maine?
Use SBI's online public Criminal History Record search ($31 by credit card, or by check/money order by mail; $41 notarized). The public search shows only adult convictions and juvenile felony adjudications. You can challenge inaccurate records with SBI in person, by phone or by mail.