Post-judgment motion to seal criminal history record (15 M.R.S. ch. 310-A) in Maine: which records can be cleared
Each way to clear a record in Maine, what it covers, the exclusions and the effect.
Checked against official sources: October 25, 2026.
Short answer
In Maine it is called sealing (Maine has no expungement): Maine does not erase criminal records.
- Main remedy
- Post-judgment motion to seal criminal history record (15 M.R.S. ch. 310-A)
- What it covers
- Convictions for current or former Class E crimes, and certain Class D marijuana cultivation and possession convictions for crimes committed before January 30, 2017.
- Ways to clear a record
- 3
What each remedy covers 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Convictions for engaging in prostitution under former 17-A M.R.S. § 853-A (repealed in 2023).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
Juvenile records
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
After your record is cleared
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
Marijuana relief 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)
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
In nearby states
- Vermont: Sealing; expungement (only for conduct that is no longer a crime)
- Massachusetts: Sealing (CORI sealing); expungement
- Rhode Island: Expungement; sealing (for acquittals and dismissals)
- Connecticut: Erasure (Clean Slate erasure, absolute pardon)
Your next steps in Maine
See what is on your record
Find out exactly what your record shows: every arrest, charge and outcome. Maine Judicial Branch: Sealing Your Criminal Record and Maine Judicial Branch: Juvenile Court Confidentiality & Court Records.
Check the waiting period
Each kind of case has its own waiting period. Waiting periods.
File with the court
Most remedies start with a petition to the court. How to file.
Ask for free help
Free help: Pine Tree Legal Assistance.
Free help in Maine
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 I clear a conviction 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.
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 changes after a 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.