CLEAN SLATE:
CHANGING LIVES WITH INNOVATIVE RECORD CLEARING
Since 2018, Pennsylvania has used an automated process to seal more than 40 million records. In 2023, Pennsylvania expanded Clean Slate so even more records are eligible.
In December 2023, PA expanded Clean Slate!
The new law expands record clearing in Pennsylvania in important ways.
- Felonies can be sealed for the first time in Pennsylvania history! Eligible felony convictions can be sealed after 10 years. Eligible offenses include most drug and theft-related felonies.
- The wait time for sealing misdemeanors and summary offenses has been shortened. Misdemeanors can be sealed after 7 years, and summary offenses after 5 years.
- Sealed records cannot be used against you by employers, landlords or schools.
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What Is Clean Slate?
Clean Slate uses technology to seal certain criminal records from public view through an automated process. Sealed records are not available to the public, helping people access employment, housing and education. Clean Slate automated sealing began in Pennsylvania on June 28, 2019. To date, over 1.2 million Pennsylvanians have benefitted from Clean Slate automated sealing, and over 40 million cases have been sealed. That’s more than half of the charges in the court’s database.
Why Clean Slate?
Clean Slate is the solution:
Clean Slate automated sealing addresses the second chance gap between eligibility and uptake. Clean Slate uses an automated process to identify and seal qualifying records. Over a million Pennsylvanians have benefitted from record clearing – without filing a single petition in court.