Pennsylvania Expungement
Pennsylvania Expungement Attorney — Flat-Fee Record Clearing
Pennsylvania offers three tiers of record relief, and they operate on very different legal grounds. True expungement under 18 Pa. C.S. § 9122 is the most powerful remedy — it results in the physical destruction of all records — but eligibility is narrow. Petition-based limited access under § 9122.1 seals individual conviction records from public view for cases that meet the statutory criteria. The Clean Slate program, now in its third iteration as of February 2024, operates automatically for qualifying convictions without any court filing: the Administrative Office of Pennsylvania Courts and the Pennsylvania State Police identify qualifying records and seal them on a rolling basis. Understanding which of these three mechanisms applies to your situation, and whether you need to take any action at all, is the starting point for every Pennsylvania record-clearing consultation.
Quick Answer
Pennsylvania allows expungement of eligible criminal records under 18 Pa. C.S. § 9122 (Expungement); 18 Pa. C.S. § 9122.1 (Petition for Limited Access); 18 Pa. C.S. § 9122.2 (Clean Slate Limited Access). The typical timeframe is 3–7 months from filing to court order. Eligibility depends on conviction type, completion of sentence, and waiting period requirements. Fresh Start Expungement coordinates the filing process at a flat fee of $10,000 per record.
Who Qualifies in Pennsylvania
Eligibility Requirements
Each case is evaluated individually. The criteria below reflect the general statutory requirements. Your case will be reviewed in detail before any filing.
True expungement under 18 Pa. C.S. § 9122 is available for summary offense convictions if you have been free from arrest or prosecution for five years following conviction; for arrests that did not result in conviction; and for persons who are at least 70 years of age and have been free from prosecution for at least 10 years following release from confinement.
Petition-based limited access (sealing) under § 9122.1 is available for misdemeanor convictions of the second degree, third degree, or those punishable by no more than two years, after you have been free of conviction or arrest for any offense punishable by one year or more of imprisonment for at least 10 years (reduced to 7 years under Clean Slate 3.0 for petitions filed after February 2024).
Clean Slate automatic sealing under § 9122.2 applies to non-conviction records (dismissed charges, acquittals) without any waiting period or petition; for conviction records, misdemeanor-1 convictions seal automatically after a 10-year clean period, and summary convictions seal after a 5-year clean period.
Clean Slate 3.0, effective February 12, 2024, expanded automatic sealing to include certain first or second-degree felony drug and property offenses, a significant expansion from the prior law that covered only misdemeanors and summary offenses.
To be eligible for any form of sealing or expungement, you must have paid all court-ordered fines, costs, and restitution related to the conviction; unpaid financial obligations block eligibility until satisfied.
You must not have been charged with or convicted of any new offenses during the waiting period, and you must not have any pending criminal proceedings in any court at the time you apply.
Important exceptions: Pennsylvania's expungement statute § 9122 is narrow: conviction expungement is essentially limited to summary offenses, leaving most misdemeanor and all felony convictions in the sealing-only category at best. The Clean Slate program does not restore firearms rights — as specifically noted in the statute — and sealed records remain visible to law enforcement, prosecutors, courts, and all criminal justice agencies. Convictions for crimes of violence enumerated in 42 Pa. C.S. § 9714(g), murder, voluntary manslaughter, rape, involuntary deviate sexual intercourse, sexual assault, aggravated indecent assault, and most first-degree felonies are permanently excluded from both petition-based limited access and Clean Slate sealing. Pennsylvania's program also does not seal records held by federal agencies or other states that obtained the record before the sealing order was entered.
How It Works
The Pennsylvania Process
We begin by reviewing your Pennsylvania criminal history through the Pennsylvania State Police, checking whether any of your records have already been automatically sealed under the Clean Slate program, and identifying which remaining convictions qualify for petition-based limited access under § 9122.1 or full expungement under § 9122.
For petition-based limited access, we file a petition in the court of common pleas of the county of conviction, serve the district attorney's office, and provide supporting documentation; the district attorney has 60 days to file an objection, after which the court considers the petition at a hearing and determines whether to grant the order.
After the court enters a limited access or expungement order, we transmit it to the Pennsylvania State Police, the court of common pleas, and all relevant criminal justice agencies; the State Police update the criminal history repository, and we advise you on Pennsylvania law's protections — including the right under 18 Pa. C.S. § 9121(b)(2) to deny the existence of sealed records in most employment contexts.
Typical Timeframe
3–7 Months
Legal Reference
Governing Statute
The primary legal authority governing expungement in Pennsylvania is 18 Pa. C.S. § 9122 (Expungement); 18 Pa. C.S. § 9122.1 (Petition for Limited Access); 18 Pa. C.S. § 9122.2 (Clean Slate Limited Access). This page was last reviewed on January 15, 2025.
State laws change. This page is for informational purposes only and does not constitute legal advice. Consult a licensed attorney in Pennsylvania for guidance specific to your case. Fresh Start Expungement provides document preparation services, not legal representation.
Related Reading
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Expungement in Other States
California
Looking for a California expungement attorney? Fresh Start offers flat-fee expungement filing at $10,000 per record. Free eligibility check, no hourly billing.
Texas
Looking for a Texas expungement attorney? Fresh Start offers flat-fee expunction and nondisclosure filing at $10,000 per record. Free eligibility check.
Florida
Looking for a Florida expungement attorney? Fresh Start offers flat-fee record sealing and expungement filing at $10,000 per record. Free eligibility check.
New York
New York offers sealing of up to 2 convictions under CPL § 160.59 after a 10-year clean period. Learn eligibility and timelines (6–18 months).
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About this service
Fresh Start Expungement is a record-clearing services provider, not a law firm. We coordinate document preparation and filing for individuals seeking expungement. We do not provide legal advice or attorney representation. Complex or contested matters may require independent legal counsel.
Results disclosure
Results are not guaranteed. Eligibility and outcomes depend on state law, conviction type, court approval, and individual case circumstances. Past results do not guarantee future outcomes.
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