Clearing a criminal record in Maryland

Expungement; shielding. Expungement removes the case from public inspection: records are destroyed or moved to a secure area that people without a legitimate reason cannot see, and it disappears from Case Search. Shielding (Second Chance Act) only hides certain minor convictions from the public; police, courts and some employers and licensing boards can still see them.

Expungement of non-conviction and other favorable dispositions: Acquittal, dismissal, nolle prosequi, stet, probation before judgment (PBJ), compromise, transfer to juvenile court, not criminally responsible for certain nuisance offenses; also a pardoned single non-violent conviction, convictions for listed public-nuisance offenses, conduct that is no longer a crime, cannabis possession, and convictions vacated for human-trafficking victims. Expungement of convictions: Convictions for a long list of misdemeanors named in the statute (for example theft, second-degree assault, disorderly conduct, many drug possession offenses, trespass, bad checks, driving without a license), plus these felonies: felony theft, possession with intent to distribute a controlled dangerous substance, and first-, second- and third-degree burglary; also attempts, conspiracies and solicitations of these. From October 1, 2026, you may also petition under § 10-110 for a listed offense in a case the court closed with a 'no finding' designation or marked 'terminated without finding'. Shielding (Maryland Second Chance Act): Convictions for: disorderly conduct, disturbing the peace, failure to obey a lawful order, lesser malicious destruction of property, trespass on posted property, drug possession (CDS or non-controlled substance), paraphernalia, driving without a license, driving while suspended or revoked, driving uninsured, and prostitution.

Acquittal, dismissal or nolle prosequi: 3 years, counted from disposition; Probation before judgment (PBJ): 3 years, counted from the later of discharge from probation or 3 years after PBJ was granted; PBJ for DUI/DWI: 15 years, counted from discharge from probation; Stet or compromise: 3 years, counted from the stet or compromise.

If every charge in a case ended in acquittal, dismissal, not guilty or nolle prosequi (not nolle prosequi with required treatment), the court expunges the case automatically 3 years after the disposition. Traffic cases are not included. You can ask for earlier expungement with form CC-DC-CR-072C. Convictions are not cleared automatically.

Expungement of non-conviction and other favorable dispositions: No filing fee for acquittal, dismissal, PBJ, nolle prosequi, stet or not-criminally-responsible dispositions. Expungement of convictions: $30 per case, nonrefundable even if denied. Shielding (Maryland Second Chance Act): No filing fee.

A conviction for cannabis possession can be expunged by petition as soon as the sentence is complete; possession with intent to distribute cannabis needs 3 years after the sentence (Criminal Procedure §§ 10-105(a)(12), (c)(8); 10-110(c)(5); form CC-DC-CR-072D). Case Search may not show cases where cannabis possession was the only charge and was disposed of before July 1, 2023, and since January 31, 2026 it may not show cannabis possession convictions later pardoned by the Governor.

You may petition the court where the juvenile case was filed to expunge it once you are 18 and 2 years have passed since the last action, if you were adjudicated delinquent no more than once, have no later conviction, and the offense was not a felony or crime of violence; there is no filing fee.

Employers, schools and state licensing agencies may not require you to disclose expunged charges, and refusing to disclose them cannot be the sole reason to refuse to hire you or deny a license; a violation is a misdemeanor. Shielded records stay visible to police, courts, and employers or licensing boards that are legally required to check criminal backgrounds.

Ask for an Individual Review background check: get fingerprinted at an authorized location in Maryland (or mail a fingerprint card from CJIS, P.O. Box 32708, Pikesville, MD 21282-2708, if you live outside Maryland) and submit form CJIS 015 with the fee; the DPSCS FAQ lists $18 for an Individual Review (fingerprinting fees are extra).

Maryland Court Help Center (free legal help by phone and chat), Maryland Legal Aid and Maryland Volunteer Lawyers Service.