Clearing a criminal record in Ohio
In Ohio it is called sealing and expungement: sealing hides the record from the public and most employers and landlords. Some misdemeanor and felony convictions may be cleared.
Checked against official sources: October 25, 2026. · Free letter and checklist ↓
Can my record be cleared in Ohio?
Sealing and expungement — Sealing hides the record from the public and most employers and landlords, but it still exists and some employers, licensing boards, police and courts can see it. Expungement goes further: the record is permanently destroyed, except that the state Bureau of Criminal Identification and Investigation (BCI) keeps a copy only for law enforcement hiring.
Ohio has 4 ways to clear a record. Each covers different records and has its own waiting period.
Sealing or expungement of dismissed, not-guilty and no-bill cases (R.C. 2953.33)
Cases that ended in a not-guilty finding or dismissal, grand jury no-bills, and convictions pardoned by the governor (sealing only)
| Kind of case | Waiting period | Counted from |
|---|---|---|
Found not guilty or case dismissed | No waiting period You can apply at any time after the case ends. | The not-guilty finding or dismissal |
Grand jury no bill | 2 years You can apply 2 years after the grand jury returned a no bill. | The date the grand jury reported the no bill |
- Not eligible
- Expungement (not sealing) is not available for dismissed or no-billed cases involving traffic and motor vehicle offenses, felony offenses of violence, registrable sex offenses, victims under 13, first- or second-degree felonies, domestic violence or protection-order violations, and some third-degree felonies.
Law: Ohio Rev. Code § 2953.33
Source: Official text
Sealing or expungement of convictions (R.C. 2953.32)
Misdemeanor convictions, and felony convictions of the third, fourth or fifth degree; misdemeanor bail forfeitures; out-of-state and federal convictions can be filed in a common pleas court
| Kind of case | Waiting period | Counted from |
|---|---|---|
Minor misdemeanor – seal or expunge | 6 months You can apply 6 months after final discharge. | Final discharge (end of jail, probation, parole or post-release control, and payment of fines) |
Misdemeanor – seal or expunge | 1 year You can apply 1 year after final discharge. | Final discharge |
Fourth- or fifth-degree felony (not a felony offense of violence) – seal | 1 year You can apply to seal 1 year after final discharge. | Final discharge |
One or two third-degree felonies – seal | 3 years You can apply to seal 3 years after final discharge. | Final discharge |
Felony – expunge | 10 years You can apply to expunge a felony 10 years after you could first apply to seal it (11 years after discharge for a 4th/5th degree felony, 13 years for a 3rd degree felony). | The date you first became eligible to seal that felony |
Sex offense, after registration ends – seal | 5 years You can apply to seal 5 years after your registration duties end or are terminated. | The end of the registration requirement |
Soliciting improper compensation (R.C. 2921.43) – seal | 7 years You can apply to seal 7 years after final discharge. | Final discharge |
- Not eligible
- First- and second-degree felonies; felony offenses of violence (other than sex offenses); sex offenses while you must still register; offenses where the victim was under 13 (except nonsupport); theft in office; first- or second-degree misdemeanor domestic violence; most traffic and motor vehicle offenses (R.C. chapters 4506, 4507, 4510, 4511, 4549). Third-degree felonies are excluded if you have more than one other felony, or if you have two third-degree felonies plus more than two misdemeanors. Third- and fourth-degree misdemeanor domestic violence and protection-order violations can be sealed but not expunged. Bail forfeitures in misdemeanor cases can also be sealed (any time) or expunged (after 1 year, or 6 months for a minor misdemeanor). You cannot be granted relief while a criminal case is pending.
- Limits
- No set lifetime number for misdemeanors and 4th/5th degree felonies; the third-degree felony counting rule above applies. Convictions from the same act, or related acts in one case within three months, may count as one.
Law: Ohio Rev. Code §§ 2953.31, 2953.32, 2953.34; R.C. 2921.41
Source: Official text
Prosecutor-initiated sealing or expungement of low-level drug convictions (R.C. 2953.39)
Drug convictions under R.C. chapter 2925 (or a similar city ordinance) that were misdemeanors of the fourth degree or minor misdemeanors
| Kind of case | Waiting period | Counted from |
|---|---|---|
Fourth-degree misdemeanor or minor misdemeanor drug conviction | See the rule The prosecutor may apply once the normal sealing or expungement waiting period has passed. | Final discharge, using the same waiting periods as R.C. 2953.32 |
Law: Ohio Rev. Code § 2953.39
Source: Official text
Expungement of marijuana and hashish possession offenses (R.C. 2953.321)
Convictions, guilty pleas and dismissed charges, from before March 20, 2026, for minor-misdemeanor possession of marijuana, possession of hashish under 2925.11(C)(7)(a) or (b), or possession of hashish under (C)(7)(c) or (d) involving not more than 15 grams
| Kind of case | Waiting period | Counted from |
|---|---|---|
Eligible marijuana or hashish possession case | No waiting period You can apply at any time on or after March 20, 2026. | March 20, 2026 (effective date of the law) |
Law: Ohio Rev. Code § 2953.321 (S.B. 56, 136th G.A.)
Source: Official text
When can I file? Waiting periods in Ohio
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 Ohio
Sealing or expungement of dismissed, not-guilty and no-bill cases (R.C. 2953.33)
File an application with the court that handled the case. The court sets a hearing 45 to 90 days later; the prosecutor may object in writing at least 30 days before the hearing. The judge weighs your interest against any government need to keep the records.
- Cost
- No filing fee to seal a dismissal, not-guilty or no-bill case (Ohio Legal Help).
Sealing or expungement of convictions (R.C. 2953.32)
Get the application from the court where you were sentenced (forms vary by court) and file it with the clerk. The court sets a hearing 45 to 90 days after filing and notifies the prosecutor at least 60 days ahead; the prosecutor may object at least 30 days before the hearing, and victims may be heard. A probation officer may investigate. You must attend; the judge decides whether you are rehabilitated and whether your interest outweighs the government's need to keep the record. Several cases can go in one application.
- Cost
- $50 application fee, and the court may also charge a local court fee of up to $50, regardless of how many records are in the application. Ask the clerk for the total.
- If you can't pay
- No fee if you file a poverty affidavit showing you are indigent.
Law: R.C. 2953.32(D)(3)
Prosecutor-initiated sealing or expungement of low-level drug convictions (R.C. 2953.39)
Only the prosecutor can file. The court notifies the prosecutor, who must notify you; you and any victim may object. The court holds a hearing 45 to 90 days after filing.
- Cost
- The prosecutor pays a fee of up to $50, including court fees; the court may waive some or all of it. You pay nothing.
Law: R.C. 2953.39(B)(3)
Expungement of marijuana and hashish possession offenses (R.C. 2953.321)
File an application with the sentencing court naming the offense, the date and the court, with proof that it was an eligible possession offense. The court holds a hearing 45 to 90 days after filing; the prosecutor may object. If granted, the records are destroyed, the case is treated as never having happened, and you may answer that no record exists.
- Cost
- $50.
- If you can't pay
- No fee if you are indigent.
Law: R.C. 2953.321(G)
Court self-help
Free help in Ohio
- Ohio Legal Help – find local legal aid and record-sealing clinics
- Ohio Justice & Policy Center – Second Chance program
- Find free legal aid at LawHelp.org
National help
Free letter and checklist
Letter: ask for a copy of your own record
A request to the state records office (Ohio Bureau of Criminal Identification and Investigation (BCI), Ohio Attorney General) 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 Ohio.
Clearing a record in Ohio by topic
Sealing or expungement of dismissed, not-guilty and no-bill cases (R.C. 2953.33) in Ohio
Which records each remedy covers, who is not eligible and what changes afterwards.
Waiting periods in Ohio
How long you wait for each kind of case, and a date helper.
How to file in Ohio
The steps, the cost, fee waivers, the forms and court self-help.
Marijuana records in Ohio
Since March 20, 2026, people with pre-March 20, 2026 convictions, guilty pleas or dismissed charges for minor-misdemeanor marijuana possession (under 100 grams), or for small hashish possession (including felony-level hashish possession of up to 15 grams), can apply to the sentencing court to have the records expunged (destroyed). There is no waiting period. The fee is $50 unless you are indigent.
Law: S.B. 56, 136th General Assembly; Ohio Rev. Code § 2953.321
Juvenile records in Ohio
The juvenile court must promptly seal records in many cases, for example when a case ends without a complaint, is dismissed, or after successful diversion, and you can apply to seal other juvenile records. Sealed juvenile records are expunged automatically 5 years after the sealing order or at age 23, whichever comes first. Records of delinquency for aggravated murder, murder or rape cannot be sealed.
Law: Ohio Rev. Code §§ 2151.356, 2151.358
Pardons in Ohio
- Who decides
- Governor of Ohio, after a recommendation from the Ohio Parole Board (Adult Parole Authority)
- How
- Download and complete the Application for Executive Clemency and mail it with all required documents to the Adult Parole Authority. The Parole Board decides whether to hold a hearing and makes a recommendation to the Governor. A pardon seals the record as provided in R.C. 2967.04(C). An Expedited Pardon Project (through the University of Akron School of Law) is open to people with no new convictions for 10 years who finished their sentence at least 10 years ago and have no prohibited offenses.
Law: Ohio Const. art. III, § 11; Ohio Rev. Code §§ 2967.04, 2967.07
After your record is cleared in Ohio
After a conviction is sealed or expunged, you may be asked on job, license and other applications only about convictions that are not sealed, unless the question bears a direct and substantial relationship to the job. For dismissed, not-guilty and no-bill cases sealed or expunged under R.C. 2953.33, you may not be asked about them at all and may answer as if the arrest and case never happened. Exceptions: certain jobs (such as law enforcement and work with children or vulnerable adults) and some licensing boards can see sealed records, and a sealed conviction can be used in sentencing for a later crime.
Law: R.C. 2953.34(N)(2); R.C. 2953.34(L); R.C. 2953.32(D)(2)(b)
Get your own record in Ohio
Ohio Bureau of Criminal Identification and Investigation (BCI), Ohio Attorney General
Go to a WebCheck fingerprinting location and ask for a 'personal-use' BCI (and, if you want, FBI) background check. You submit fingerprints, personal information and payment; the fee is set by the location and may be about $40 or more (Ohio Legal Help).
Letter: ask the state records office for a copy of your record
Good to know in Ohio
- Senate Bill 288 (effective April 2023) created expungement of felony convictions and renumbered the sealing law; a further update took effect September 30, 2025 (Ohio Revised Code version history; Ohio Legal Help).
Law: H.B. 96
- Since March 20, 2026, old minor marijuana and small hashish possession cases can be expunged by application.
Law: R.C. 2953.321, S.B. 56
- Expunged conviction records are destroyed everywhere except BCI, which keeps a copy only to check eligibility for law enforcement jobs.
Law: R.C. 2953.32(D)(5)
Changes in 2024–2026
R.C. 2953.32 amended by H.B. 234 (135th G.A., effective March 20, 2025) and H.B. 96 (136th G.A., effective September 30, 2025). New R.C. 2953.321, effective March 20, 2026, allows expungement of past minor marijuana and small hashish possession cases. Ohio has no automatic sealing of convictions; S.B. 418 'Grow Act' (136th G.A., state-initiated sealing) was introduced in 2026 and has not become law.
Law: S.B. 56, 136th G.A
Questions about clearing a record in Ohio
What is clearing a record called in Ohio?
Sealing and expungement. Sealing hides the record from the public and most employers and landlords, but it still exists and some employers, licensing boards, police and courts can see it. Expungement goes further: the record is permanently destroyed, except that the state Bureau of Criminal Identification and Investigation (BCI) keeps a copy only for law enforcement hiring.
Can convictions be cleared in Ohio?
Sealing or expungement of dismissed, not-guilty and no-bill cases: Cases that ended in a not-guilty finding or dismissal, grand jury no-bills, and convictions pardoned by the governor (sealing only). Sealing or expungement of convictions: Misdemeanor convictions, and felony convictions of the third, fourth or fifth degree; misdemeanor bail forfeitures; out-of-state and federal convictions can be filed in a common pleas court. Prosecutor-initiated sealing or expungement of low-level drug convictions: Drug convictions under R.C. chapter 2925 (or a similar city ordinance) that were misdemeanors of the fourth degree or minor misdemeanors. Expungement of marijuana and hashish possession offenses: Convictions, guilty pleas and dismissed charges, from before March 20, 2026, for minor-misdemeanor possession of marijuana, possession of hashish under 2925.11(C)(7)(a) or (b), or possession of hashish under (C)(7)(c) or (d) involving not more than 15 grams.
How long do I have to wait in Ohio?
Found not guilty or case dismissed: No waiting period, counted from the not-guilty finding or dismissal; Grand jury no bill: 2 years, counted from the date the grand jury reported the no bill; Minor misdemeanor – seal or expunge: 6 months, counted from final discharge (end of jail, probation, parole or post-release control, and payment of fines); Misdemeanor – seal or expunge: 1 year, counted from final discharge.
How much does it cost to clear a record in Ohio?
Sealing or expungement of dismissed, not-guilty and no-bill cases: No filing fee to seal a dismissal, not-guilty or no-bill case (Ohio Legal Help). Sealing or expungement of convictions: $50 application fee, and the court may also charge a local court fee of up to $50, regardless of how many records are in the application. Ask the clerk for the total. Prosecutor-initiated sealing or expungement of low-level drug convictions: The prosecutor pays a fee of up to $50, including court fees; the court may waive some or all of it. You pay nothing. Expungement of marijuana and hashish possession offenses: $50.
Can a marijuana record be cleared in Ohio?
Since March 20, 2026, people with pre-March 20, 2026 convictions, guilty pleas or dismissed charges for minor-misdemeanor marijuana possession (under 100 grams), or for small hashish possession (including felony-level hashish possession of up to 15 grams), can apply to the sentencing court to have the records expunged (destroyed). There is no waiting period. The fee is $50 unless you are indigent.
Can juvenile records be cleared in Ohio?
The juvenile court must promptly seal records in many cases, for example when a case ends without a complaint, is dismissed, or after successful diversion, and you can apply to seal other juvenile records. Sealed juvenile records are expunged automatically 5 years after the sealing order or at age 23, whichever comes first. Records of delinquency for aggravated murder, murder or rape cannot be sealed.
What can I say after my record is cleared in Ohio?
After a conviction is sealed or expunged, you may be asked on job, license and other applications only about convictions that are not sealed, unless the question bears a direct and substantial relationship to the job. For dismissed, not-guilty and no-bill cases sealed or expunged under R.C. 2953.33, you may not be asked about them at all and may answer as if the arrest and case never happened. Exceptions: certain jobs (such as law enforcement and work with children or vulnerable adults) and some licensing boards can see sealed records, and a sealed conviction can be used in sentencing for a later crime.
How do I get a copy of my criminal record in Ohio?
Go to a WebCheck fingerprinting location and ask for a 'personal-use' BCI (and, if you want, FBI) background check. You submit fingerprints, personal information and payment; the fee is set by the location and may be about $40 or more (Ohio Legal Help).
Where can I get free help in Ohio?
Ohio Legal Help – find local legal aid and record-sealing clinics and Ohio Justice & Policy Center – Second Chance program.