How long you wait to clear a record in Massachusetts
How long you wait in Massachusetts for each kind of case, and what the waiting period is counted from.
Checked against official sources: October 25, 2026.
Short answer
These are the waiting periods in Massachusetts law. Each one runs from a set event, like the end of your sentence.
- Main remedy
- Sealing of convictions by the Commissioner of Probation (G.L. c. 276, § 100A)
- Waiting periods
- Misdemeanor: 3 years, counted from the later of the guilty finding or the end of any jail or prison time
Felony: 7 years, counted from the later of the guilty finding or the end of any prison time
Eligible sex offense: 15 years, counted from disposition, including end of supervision, probation or incarceration (or longer while you must register)
Your earliest date in Massachusetts
Pick your kind of case and the date the waiting period runs from. We add the waiting period from the law; nothing else.
Waiting periods: Sealing of convictions by the Commissioner of Probation (G.L. c. 276, § 100A)
Misdemeanor and felony convictions and other court appearances on your adult record. Offenses that are no longer crimes can be sealed right away.
| Kind of case | Waiting period | Counted from |
|---|---|---|
Misdemeanor | 3 years You may ask to seal a misdemeanor 3 years after the case ended, including any time in custody, if you have no new guilty finding in that time. | The later of the guilty finding or the end of any jail or prison time |
Felony | 7 years You may ask to seal a felony 7 years after the case ended, including any time in custody, if you have no new guilty finding in that time. | The later of the guilty finding or the end of any prison time |
Eligible sex offense | 15 years Sex offenses can be sealed only after 15 years, or after your duty to register ends, whichever is later. | Disposition, including end of supervision, probation or incarceration (or longer while you must register) |
Offense that is no longer a crime | No waiting period You may ask to seal it right away. | Anytime |
- Not eligible
- Firearms convictions under c. 140 §§ 121-131H; convictions under c. 268 (crimes against public justice, e.g. perjury) except resisting arrest; c. 268A (ethics) convictions; sex offenders ever classified Level 2 or Level 3. Violations of restraining orders count as felonies for the waiting period. Under § 100A(5), the Commissioner seals only if your record has no conviction for one of these excluded offenses.
- Limits
- The waiting period applies to your whole record: a new conviction or jail time restarts it.
Law: G.L. c. 276, § 100A
Source: Official text
Waiting periods: Court sealing of not-guilty, no-bill, nolle prosequi and dismissed cases (G.L. c. 276, § 100C)
Cases that ended in not guilty, no bill by the grand jury, or no probable cause (sealed automatically); cases that ended in nolle prosequi or dismissal (sealed by a judge on petition).
| Kind of case | Waiting period | Counted from |
|---|---|---|
Not guilty, no bill, or no probable cause | No waiting period These are sealed automatically unless you ask in writing that they not be sealed. | The disposition |
Nolle prosequi or dismissal | No waiting period You may file a petition at any time; a judge decides whether sealing serves 'substantial justice'. | The disposition |
Law: G.L. c. 276, § 100C
Source: Official text
Waiting periods: Time-based expungement (G.L. c. 276, §§ 100F-100J)
Up to 2 records (charges from one incident count as one) — convictions, juvenile adjudications or non-conviction records — for offenses committed before your 21st birthday.
| Kind of case | Waiting period | Counted from |
|---|---|---|
Misdemeanor(s) only | 3 years You may file 3 years after every part of the sentence is finished. | The end of the case, including any incarceration, custody or probation |
Record includes a felony | 7 years You may file 7 years after every part of the sentence is finished. | The end of the case, including any incarceration, custody or probation |
- Not eligible
- Offenses causing (or meant to cause) death or serious bodily injury; offenses while armed with a dangerous weapon; offenses against an elderly or disabled person; sex offenses; OUI; firearms offenses; violating restraining or harassment orders; assault and battery on a family or household member; any felony under c. 265. You also cannot have any other record in Massachusetts or elsewhere (except minor traffic fines up to $50) or be under active criminal investigation.
- Limits
- No more than 2 records in total; all offenses must have occurred before age 21.
Law: G.L. c. 276, §§ 100F, 100G, 100H, 100I, 100J
Source: Official text
Waiting periods: Non-time-based expungement (G.L. c. 276, § 100K)
Records created because of false identification or identity theft, an offense that is no longer a crime, or demonstrable errors by police, witnesses or court staff, or fraud on the court.
| Kind of case | Waiting period | Counted from |
|---|---|---|
Any qualifying record | No waiting period No waiting period; you must prove the reason by clear and convincing evidence. | Anytime |
Law: G.L. c. 276, § 100K
Source: Official text
Records Massachusetts clears on its own
When a case ends in not guilty, a grand jury no bill, or a finding of no probable cause, the Commissioner of Probation and the court seal it without a petition, unless you ask in writing that it not be sealed. Convictions are not sealed automatically.
Law: G.L. c. 276, § 100C
In nearby states
- Rhode Island: Misdemeanor conviction, first offender: 5 years, counted from completion of sentence
- Connecticut: Not guilty or dismissed: No waiting period, counted from end of the time to appeal (or the final appeal decision)
- Vermont: Qualifying misdemeanor conviction: 3 years, counted from completing the terms and conditions of the sentence
What to do now in Massachusetts
Check your dates
Use the dates on your court papers, not your memory.
Look at the exclusions
Exclusions and new offenses can matter more than the wait.
Prepare your petition
After the wait, the next step is the petition. How to file.
Talk to legal aid
Legal aid can help for free: Office of the Commissioner of Probation (questions on sealing and expungement) and MassLegalHelp — CORI and criminal records.
Where to get free help in Massachusetts
Questions about waiting periods in Massachusetts
Can I clear a conviction in Massachusetts?
Sealing of convictions by the Commissioner of Probation: Misdemeanor and felony convictions and other court appearances on your adult record. Offenses that are no longer crimes can be sealed right away. Court sealing of not-guilty, no-bill, nolle prosequi and dismissed cases: Cases that ended in not guilty, no bill by the grand jury, or no probable cause (sealed automatically); cases that ended in nolle prosequi or dismissal (sealed by a judge on petition). Time-based expungement: Up to 2 records (charges from one incident count as one) — convictions, juvenile adjudications or non-conviction records — for offenses committed before your 21st birthday. Non-time-based expungement: Records created because of false identification or identity theft, an offense that is no longer a crime, or demonstrable errors by police, witnesses or court staff, or fraud on the court.
What is the waiting period in Massachusetts?
Misdemeanor: 3 years, counted from the later of the guilty finding or the end of any jail or prison time; Felony: 7 years, counted from the later of the guilty finding or the end of any prison time; Eligible sex offense: 15 years, counted from disposition, including end of supervision, probation or incarceration (or longer while you must register); Offense that is no longer a crime: No waiting period, counted from anytime.
Is there a Clean Slate law in Massachusetts?
When a case ends in not guilty, a grand jury no bill, or a finding of no probable cause, the Commissioner of Probation and the court seal it without a petition, unless you ask in writing that it not be sealed. Convictions are not sealed automatically.
Is there free help to clear a record in Massachusetts?
Office of the Commissioner of Probation (questions on sealing and expungement), MassLegalHelp — CORI and criminal records and Greater Boston Legal Services — CORI & Re-Entry Project.