Expunction of dismissed charges (no conviction) in Tennessee: which records can be cleared
Which records Tennessee lets you clear, who is not eligible and what changes after the court says yes.
Checked against official sources: October 25, 2026.
Short answer
In Tennessee it is called expunction (expungement): expunction removes the charge from your public criminal record. Some misdemeanor and felony convictions may be cleared.
- Main remedy
- Expunction of dismissed charges (no conviction)
- What it covers
- Charges that were dismissed, nolle prosequi, no true bill, or ended in a not-guilty verdict; also dismissals after pretrial or judicial diversion.
- Ways to clear a record
- 2
Ways to clear a record in Tennessee
Expunction (expungement) — Expunction removes the charge from your public criminal record. At TBI the charge is deleted, not just sealed, though court clerks keep confidential copies that only law enforcement can use.
Tennessee has 2 ways to clear a record. Each covers different records and has its own waiting period.
Expunction of dismissed charges (no conviction)
Charges that were dismissed, nolle prosequi, no true bill, or ended in a not-guilty verdict; also dismissals after pretrial or judicial diversion.
| Kind of case | Waiting period | Counted from |
|---|---|---|
Dismissed, nolle prosequi, no true bill, or not guilty | No waiting period You can ask the court to expunge it right away, at no cost. | Dismissal or verdict |
Dismissed after pretrial or judicial diversion | No waiting period You can ask once the case is dismissed after diversion; a clerk fee applies. | Dismissal after completing diversion |
Law: Tenn. Code Ann. § 40-32-106; § 40-32-102 (TBI certificate)
Source: Official text
Expunction of convictions
Most misdemeanors (except those on an exclusion list) and listed Class E, D and C felonies committed on or after November 1, 1989; older offenses only if nonviolent and meeting extra conditions. One conviction, or up to two convictions (two misdemeanors, or one felony and one misdemeanor). Also: convictions for which you received a governor's pardon (nonviolent offenses), and convictions that resulted from being a victim of human trafficking.
| Kind of case | Waiting period | Counted from |
|---|---|---|
Misdemeanor conviction | 5 years You can file five years after you finish your whole sentence. | Completion of sentence, including probation and parole |
Eligible Class E felony | 5 years You can file five years after you finish your whole sentence. | Completion of sentence, including probation and parole |
Eligible Class C or Class D felony | 10 years You can file ten years after you finish your whole sentence. | Completion of sentence, including probation and parole |
Conviction from being a human-trafficking victim | 1 year You can file one year after you finish the sentence for your most recent offense, if you have no convictions in that year and no pending charges. | Completion of the sentence for your most recent offense |
- Not eligible
- Misdemeanors on the statutory exclusion list, including DUI, domestic assault, assault committed before July 1, 2000 and assault by offensive or provocative contact, violating an order of protection, stalking, child abuse or neglect, certain sex and indecency offenses, aggravated criminal trespass, reckless burning, and certain firearm and obscenity offenses. Felonies are eligible only if listed. Drug offenses committed while holding a commercial driver license in a motor vehicle, or any license in a commercial vehicle, are excluded. The offense must have happened before any conviction for an ineligible offense (including federal and out-of-state convictions).
- Limits
- Conviction expunction under § 40-32-107(a), (b) or (c) can be granted only once in your life (one offense, or two offenses together).
Law: Tenn. Code Ann. § 40-32-107(a), (b), (d); § 40-32-105 (human trafficking)
Source: Official text
What you can say afterwards
After expunction, the charge is removed from your public record and deleted from TBI's record; clerks must keep expunged records confidential, and releasing them except to law enforcement is a Class A misdemeanor. A conviction expunction does not restore voting or other citizenship rights by itself (Davidson County petition).
Law: Tenn. Code Ann. §§ 40-32-102, 40-32-104, per CTAS
Juvenile records in Tennessee
Juvenile records can be expunged on motion to the juvenile court, for example when no petition was filed, the case was dismissed, or the child was found not delinquent.
Source: TBI expungement order form lists the juvenile grounds
Pardons in Tennessee
- Who decides
- The Governor; the Board of Parole's Executive Clemency Unit processes applications
- How
- Apply to the Board of Parole's Executive Clemency Unit under the Governor's Executive Clemency Process Criteria; the Board holds clemency hearings.
Law: Tenn. Const. art. III, § 6
In nearby states
Your next steps in Tennessee
Start with your record
Get a copy of your record so you know each case and how it ended. TBI Frequently Asked Questions - Expungements and Help4tn - Criminal Record (Tennessee Alliance for Legal Services).
Check the waiting period
Waiting periods differ by case and remedy. Waiting periods.
Start the case
You file the request in the court that handled the case. How to file.
Ask for free help
Legal aid can help for free: Help4tn.org (Tennessee Alliance for Legal Services) and Tennessee Free Legal Answers.
Free help in Tennessee
Questions about clearing a record in Tennessee
What is the legal term in Tennessee?
Expunction (expungement). Expunction removes the charge from your public criminal record. At TBI the charge is deleted, not just sealed, though court clerks keep confidential copies that only law enforcement can use.
Which records can be cleared in Tennessee?
Expunction of dismissed charges (no conviction): Charges that were dismissed, nolle prosequi, no true bill, or ended in a not-guilty verdict; also dismissals after pretrial or judicial diversion. Expunction of convictions: Most misdemeanors (except those on an exclusion list) and listed Class E, D and C felonies committed on or after November 1, 1989; older offenses only if nonviolent and meeting extra conditions. One conviction, or up to two convictions (two misdemeanors, or one felony and one misdemeanor). Also: convictions for which you received a governor's pardon (nonviolent offenses), and convictions that resulted from being a victim of human trafficking.
Can juvenile records be cleared in Tennessee?
Juvenile records can be expunged on motion to the juvenile court, for example when no petition was filed, the case was dismissed, or the child was found not delinquent.
Who can still see a cleared record in Tennessee?
After expunction, the charge is removed from your public record and deleted from TBI's record; clerks must keep expunged records confidential, and releasing them except to law enforcement is a Class A misdemeanor. A conviction expunction does not restore voting or other citizenship rights by itself (Davidson County petition).