Expungement of conviction (first offender) in Rhode Island: which records can be cleared
Each way to clear a record in Rhode Island, what it covers, the exclusions and the effect.
Checked against official sources: October 25, 2026.
Short answer
In Rhode Island it is called expungement or sealing (for acquittals and dismissals): expungement seals a conviction and removes it from active files; the record is kept but closed to the public. Some misdemeanor and felony convictions may be cleared, and Rhode Island also clears some records automatically.
- Main remedy
- Expungement of conviction (first offender)
- What it covers
- One misdemeanor or felony conviction for a 'first offender' (no other conviction or probation), and completed deferred sentences.
- Ways to clear a record
- 3
- Automatic relief
- Yes
What each remedy covers in Rhode Island
Expungement; sealing (for acquittals and dismissals) — In Rhode Island, expungement seals a conviction and removes it from active files; the record is kept but closed to the public. Records of acquittals, dismissals and other exonerations are sealed, and fingerprints and photos are destroyed.
Rhode Island has 3 ways to clear a record. Each covers different records and has its own waiting period.
Expungement of conviction (first offender)
One misdemeanor or felony conviction for a 'first offender' (no other conviction or probation), and completed deferred sentences.
| Kind of case | Waiting period | Counted from |
|---|---|---|
Misdemeanor conviction, first offender | 5 years You can file five years after you finish your sentence, if you had no arrest or conviction in those five years. | Completion of sentence |
Felony conviction, first offender | 10 years You can file ten years after you finish your sentence, if you had no arrest or conviction in those ten years. | Completion of sentence |
Deferred sentence completed | No waiting period You can file as soon as the deferral ends and the court finds you met all its terms, including paying fines and restitution. | Completion of the deferment period |
Offense later decriminalized | No waiting period If what you were convicted of is no longer a crime, you can file any time once the sentence and all fines are complete, at no cost. | Completion of sentence |
- Not eligible
- Crimes of violence: murder, manslaughter, first-degree arson, kidnapping with intent to extort, robbery, larceny from the person, first- and second-degree sexual assault, first- and second-degree child molestation, assault with intent to murder, rob or commit first-degree sexual assault, burglary, and entering a dwelling with intent to commit murder, robbery, sexual assault or larceny. All court fines, fees and costs must be paid unless the court reduces or waives them.
- Limits
- Only for a first offender: no earlier conviction or probation for any felony or misdemeanor and no pending case.
Law: R.I. Gen. Laws §§ 12-1.3-1 to 12-1.3-4; § 12-19-19(c)
Source: Official text
Expungement of multiple misdemeanors
Two to five misdemeanor convictions, if you have no felony conviction.
| Kind of case | Waiting period | Counted from |
|---|---|---|
Multiple misdemeanors (fewer than six), no felony | 10 years You can file ten years after finishing your last sentence, if you had no arrest or conviction in those ten years. | Completion of your last sentence |
- Not eligible
- Domestic violence offenses, DUI and refusal to submit to a chemical test. Any felony conviction makes you ineligible for this route.
- Limits
- Fewer than six misdemeanor convictions.
Law: R.I. Gen. Laws §§ 12-1.3-2(b), (f); R.I. Gen. Laws §§ 12-1.3-3(b)(1)(iii); R.I. Gen. Laws ch. 12-29; § 31-27-2; § 31-27-2.1
Source: Official text
Sealing of records after acquittal, dismissal or exoneration
Cases ending in acquittal, dismissal, no true bill, no information or other exoneration on all counts; people detained but not charged; and filed cases after the filing period ends.
| Kind of case | Waiting period | Counted from |
|---|---|---|
District Court Rule 48(a) dismissal on or after Jan. 1, 2023 | No waiting period The court seals the case automatically 10 to 20 days after the dismissal. | Dismissal |
Acquittal or other dismissal | No waiting period You can file a motion to seal right away; the court holds a hearing with 10 days' notice to the Attorney General and police. | End of the case |
Filed complaint (case 'placed on file') | No waiting period If nothing happens during the filing period, the complaint is expunged automatically. | End of the filing period |
Domestic violence charge placed on file | 3 years Records of a filed domestic violence case cannot be sealed or expunged until three years after the filing. If you are not charged with another domestic violence crime in those three years, the records are expunged without a motion. | Date of filing |
Law: R.I. Gen. Laws §§ 12-1-12, 12-1-12.1, 12-10-12
Source: Official text
Marijuana records in Rhode Island
Prior civil violations and misdemeanor or felony convictions for possession only of marijuana that has since been decriminalized are expunged automatically, regardless of other convictions, pending cases or unpaid fines (which are waived); all eligible records were to be expunged before July 1, 2024, and the Chief Justice may offer an expedited procedure on written request.
Law: R.I. Gen. Laws § 12-1.3-5
Automatic relief in Rhode Island
- Law
- Automatic sealing of Rule 48(a) dismissals; automatic expungement of filed complaints and marijuana possession convictions
- What is cleared
- District Court cases dismissed under Rule 48(a) on or after January 1, 2023 are sealed 10-20 days after dismissal. A complaint placed on file is expunged automatically if no action is taken during the filing period. Decriminalized marijuana possession-only convictions and civil violations were to be expunged automatically before July 1, 2024.
- Started
- Filed complaints: long-standing; marijuana: Rhode Island Cannabis Act, May 25, 2022 (deadline July 1, 2024); Rule 48(a) sealing: dismissals on or after January 1, 2023.
Law: R.I. Gen. Laws §§ 12-1-12.1(a), 12-10-12(c), 12-1.3-5
What changes afterwards
After expungement you may state that you have never been convicted of the crime on job, license and other applications, except when applying to a law enforcement agency, the bar, for a teaching or coaching certificate, or to run or work at an early childhood education facility. An expunged conviction can count as a prior conviction for sentencing.
Law: R.I. Gen. Laws § 12-1.3-4
Juvenile records
Police records of juvenile arrests and dispositions are kept apart from adult records and withheld from public inspection. The Family Court has its own Motion to Expunge or Seal Record form.
Law: R.I. Gen. Laws § 14-1-64
Pardons in Rhode Island
- Who decides
- The Governor, with the advice and consent of the Senate
- How
- The Governor exercises the pardoning power with Senate consent.
Law: R.I. Const. art. IX, § 13
In nearby states
- Massachusetts: Sealing (CORI sealing); expungement
- Connecticut: Erasure (Clean Slate erasure, absolute pardon)
- Vermont: Sealing; expungement (only for conduct that is no longer a crime)
- New Jersey: Expungement
Steps to clear a record in Rhode Island
Get your own record
Your record lists each case; you need it to see which remedy fits. RI Judiciary - Judicial Records Center: Expungement Information.
Count the waiting period
Each kind of case has its own waiting period. Waiting periods.
Start the case
You file the request in the court that handled the case. How to file.
Ask for free help
Free help: Rhode Island Legal Services.
Where to get free help in Rhode Island
Questions about clearing a record in Rhode Island
What is clearing a record called in Rhode Island?
Expungement; sealing (for acquittals and dismissals). In Rhode Island, expungement seals a conviction and removes it from active files; the record is kept but closed to the public. Records of acquittals, dismissals and other exonerations are sealed, and fingerprints and photos are destroyed.
Can convictions be cleared in Rhode Island?
Expungement of conviction (first offender): One misdemeanor or felony conviction for a 'first offender' (no other conviction or probation), and completed deferred sentences. Expungement of multiple misdemeanors: Two to five misdemeanor convictions, if you have no felony conviction. Sealing of records after acquittal, dismissal or exoneration: Cases ending in acquittal, dismissal, no true bill, no information or other exoneration on all counts; people detained but not charged; and filed cases after the filing period ends.
Does Rhode Island clear records automatically?
District Court cases dismissed under Rule 48(a) on or after January 1, 2023 are sealed 10-20 days after dismissal. A complaint placed on file is expunged automatically if no action is taken during the filing period. Decriminalized marijuana possession-only convictions and civil violations were to be expunged automatically before July 1, 2024.
Can a marijuana record be cleared in Rhode Island?
Prior civil violations and misdemeanor or felony convictions for possession only of marijuana that has since been decriminalized are expunged automatically, regardless of other convictions, pending cases or unpaid fines (which are waived); all eligible records were to be expunged before July 1, 2024, and the Chief Justice may offer an expedited procedure on written request.
Can juvenile records be cleared in Rhode Island?
Police records of juvenile arrests and dispositions are kept apart from adult records and withheld from public inspection. The Family Court has its own Motion to Expunge or Seal Record form.
What can I say after my record is cleared in Rhode Island?
After expungement you may state that you have never been convicted of the crime on job, license and other applications, except when applying to a law enforcement agency, the bar, for a teaching or coaching certificate, or to run or work at an early childhood education facility. An expunged conviction can count as a prior conviction for sentencing.