title: "Pennsylvania Expungement - LSC-Grade Legal Packet"

state: "PA"

category: "Expungement"

date: "2026-03-20"

price: "$47"

lsc_grade: true

Pennsylvania Expungement Packet

Templates for informational purposes only. Not legal advice.

ELIGIBILITY CHECKLIST

Path 1 — Full Expungement (18 Pa.C.S. § 9122):

• [ ] You were acquitted (found not guilty) of all charges
• [ ] Your charges were dismissed or withdrawn
• [ ] You completed ARD (Accelerated Rehabilitative Disposition) for a non-violent offense
• [ ] You received a Governor's pardon
• [ ] You were convicted only of summary offenses and 5 years have passed since completing your sentence
• [ ] You were convicted of underage drinking (Section 6308) and are now 21 or older
• [ ] Your case resulted in no conviction within 18 months of arrest

Path 2 — Limited Access / Court-Ordered Sealing (18 Pa.C.S. § 9122.1):

• [ ] Free from conviction for 7 years (qualifying misdemeanors)
• [ ] Free from conviction for 10 years (certain non-violent felonies)
• [ ] All court-ordered restitution paid
• [ ] Offense is NOT an excluded offense (assault, DV, firearms, sex offenses, animal cruelty, corruption of minors)

Path 3 — Clean Slate Automatic Sealing (18 Pa.C.S. § 9122.2):

• [ ] Convicted of misdemeanor 2nd or 3rd degree (or ungraded, max 2-year sentence)
• [ ] Free from conviction for 7 years (misdemeanors) or 10 years (qualifying felonies)
• [ ] All court-ordered restitution paid
• [ ] Non-conviction (dismissed, acquitted, withdrawn) of any charge
• [ ] Summary offense conviction at least 5 years old

You do NOT qualify if: convicted of misdemeanor or felony (except above), pending criminal charges, 4+ convictions punishable by 1+ year in prison, or offense is on excluded list.

FORM 1: PETITION FOR EXPUNGEMENT — BLANK TEMPLATE

`

________________________________________________________________________________

IN THE COURT OF COMMON PLEAS

[COUNTY] COUNTY, PENNSYLVANIA

________________________________________________________________________________

COMMONWEALTH OF PENNSYLVANIA, )

) Case No.: _______________

Plaintiff, ) Original Case No.: _______________

)

vs. )

) PETITION FOR EXPUNGEMENT

[YOUR FULL LEGAL NAME], ) 18 Pa.C.S. Section 9122

Petitioner/Defendant. )

________________________________________________________________________________

PETITION FOR EXPUNGEMENT OF CRIMINAL RECORD

AND NOW comes the Petitioner, [YOUR FULL LEGAL NAME], by and through [self / counsel], and

respectfully petitions this Honorable Court for expungement of the criminal record referenced

herein, pursuant to 18 Pa.C.S. Section 9122, and avers as follows:

1. Petitioner's name is ________________________________________________________________________,

DOB: _____________________________, SID#: _________________________________.

1. Petitioner resides at _________________________________________________________________________,

__________________________, PA _______.

1. On __________________, Petitioner was arrested/charged in ___________________ County, PA,

Case No. _________________________________.

1. The charge(s) were: _________________________________________________________________________

_________________________________________________________________________________________________.

1. The disposition was:

[ ] All charges were dismissed or nolle prossed

[ ] Petitioner was found not guilty

[ ] Petitioner completed ARD (Accelerated Rehabilitative Disposition)

[ ] Petitioner was convicted of a summary offense and has been arrest-free for 5+ years

[ ] Petitioner is 70+ years old and has been arrest-free for 10+ years

[ ] Other: _______________________________________________________________________________

1. Petitioner is eligible for expungement under 18 Pa.C.S. Section 9122 because:

_________________________________________________________________________________________________.

1. Since disposition, Petitioner has not been arrested or convicted of any crime.

WHEREFORE, Petitioner requests this Court enter an Order expunging all records related to the above case.

_________________________________ Date: _________________

[YOUR FULL LEGAL NAME], Petitioner

Address: _________________________________________________________________________________

City, State, ZIP: __________________________________________________________________________

Phone: _______________________ Email: _______________________

`

--- PAGE BREAK ---

FORM 2: ORDER OF COURT — BLANK TEMPLATE

`

________________________________________________________________________________

IN THE COURT OF COMMON PLEAS

[COUNTY] COUNTY, PENNSYLVANIA

________________________________________________________________________________

COMMONWEALTH OF PENNSYLVANIA, )

) Case No.: _______________

Plaintiff, )

)

vs. )

) ORDER OF COURT

[PETITIONER NAME], )

Petitioner. )

________________________________________________________________________________

AND NOW, this _____ day of _______________, 202_, upon consideration of the Petition for

Expungement filed by [PETITIONER NAME], pursuant to 18 Pa.C.S. Section 9122, it is hereby

ORDERED as follows:

[ ] PETITION IS GRANTED. The Clerk of Courts is directed to expunge from all records all

official records and all records relating to the arrest, charge, and prosecution of

[PETITIONER NAME] in Case No. _______________, including but not limited to:

• The records of the [COUNTY] County Clerk of Courts
• The records of the [COUNTY] County District Attorney
• The records of the Pennsylvania State Police Central Repository
• The records of the Federal Bureau of Investigation

The expungement shall be effective immediately upon entry of this Order.

[ ] PETITION IS DENIED. The Petition for Expungement is denied for the following reasons:

_________________________________________________________________________________________________.

[ ] HEARING SCHEDULED. The parties shall appear for a hearing on this matter on

_______________ at _____:_____ ____M in Courtroom No. _____.

_________________________________

Judge, Court of Common Pleas

[COUNTY] County, Pennsylvania

`

--- PAGE BREAK ---

FORM 3: NOTICE OF HEARING — BLANK TEMPLATE

`

________________________________________________________________________________

NOTICE OF HEARING

________________________________________________________________________________

TO: District Attorney's Office

[COUNTY] County, Pennsylvania

[ADDRESS OF DA'S OFFICE]

RE: Notice of Hearing on Petition for Expungement

[COUNTY] County Court of Common Pleas

Case No.: _______________

PLEASE TAKE NOTICE that a hearing has been scheduled on the Petition for Expungement filed by:

PETITIONER: [YOUR FULL LEGAL NAME]

ADDRESS: _________________________________________________________________________________

CITY, STATE, ZIP: ______________________________________________________________________

DATE OF HEARING: _________________________________

TIME: _____:_____ ____M

PLACE: Court of Common Pleas

[COUNTY] County Courthouse

[COURTROOM NUMBER, IF KNOWN]

[ADDRESS OF COURTHOUSE]

PURPOSE: The Petitioner seeks expungement of criminal records pursuant to 18 Pa.C.S. Section 9122

relating to Case No. _______________, involving charges of _______________________________________.

You are entitled to appear at this hearing and present evidence or objection to the Petition.

Dated: _________________________________

_________________________________

[YOUR FULL LEGAL NAME], Petitioner

Address: _________________________________________________________________________________

Phone: _______________________ Email: _______________________

`

--- PAGE BREAK ---

FORM 4: CERTIFICATE OF SERVICE — BLANK TEMPLATE

`

________________________________________________________________________________

CERTIFICATE OF SERVICE

________________________________________________________________________________

I, [YOUR FULL LEGAL NAME], being duly sworn, depose and say:

1. I am the Petitioner in the above-entitled matter.

1. On _______________, 202_, I served the NOTICE OF HEARING upon:

[ ] The District Attorney's Office by:

[ ] FIRST-CLASS MAIL (postage prepaid)

[ ] HAND DELIVERY

[ ] ELECTRONIC FILING (if available in this county)

to the following address:

District Attorney's Office

[COUNTY] County, Pennsylvania

[ADDRESS OF DA'S OFFICE WHERE SERVED]

1. The Notice of Hearing was for a hearing scheduled on _______________, 202_, at _____:_____ ____M.

1. I have filed a copy of this Certificate with the Prothonotary of the [COUNTY] County Court of

Common Pleas.

FURTHER AFFIANT SAYETH NAUGHT.

_________________________________

[YOUR FULL LEGAL NAME], Petitioner

Address: _________________________________________________________________________________

City, State, ZIP: __________________________________________________________________________

Phone: _______________________ Email: _______________________

SWORN to and subscribed before me this _____ day of _______________, 202_.

_________________________________

Notary Public

My Commission Expires: ___________

[SEAL]

`

FILING STEPS

1. Get your Pennsylvania criminal history record at epatch.state.pa.us ($22 fee; allow 1–3 business days).
2. Determine your path: Full Expungement (acquittal, dismissal, ARD, summary offense 5+ yrs), Limited Access (qualifying misdemeanor/felony, 7–10 yrs crime-free), or Clean Slate (automatic, no petition needed).
3. Complete the Petition for Expungement listing each case you want cleared: docket number, charges, date, disposition.
4. Attach your Pennsylvania criminal history record to the petition.
5. Prepare a proposed Order of Court for the judge to sign.
6. File at the Prothonotary's Office in the Court of Common Pleas where your case was heard; pay the filing fee ($50–$150, varies by county); request an In Forma Pauperis waiver if you cannot afford it.
7. Get your hearing date from the clerk (some counties decide without a hearing).
8. Mail or deliver a copy of the petition and Notice of Hearing to the District Attorney's Office in the same county.
9. Complete the Certificate of Service and file it with the Prothonotary.
10. Attend your hearing if required — arrive 15 minutes early, bring all documents, address the judge as "Your Honor."
11. If granted: get certified copies from the Prothonotary; mail a certified copy to PA State Police Central Repository, 1800 Elmerton Ave, Harrisburg, PA 17110.
12. Order a new background check 30–120 days later to confirm your record is cleared.

COURT INFORMATION

PA State Police Criminal History: $22 at epatch.state.pa.us

FILING CHECKLIST

• [ ] Criminal history record from PA State Police (printed within 90 days)
• [ ] Docket numbers for each case you want expunged
• [ ] Disposition information for each case
• [ ] Proof of sentence completion (probation, fines, restitution paid)
• [ ] Completed Petition for Expungement
• [ ] Proposed Order of Court for the judge to sign
• [ ] Notice of Hearing (completed after you receive hearing date)
• [ ] Certificate of Service form (completed after serving DA)
• [ ] Filing fee or IFP application
• [ ] Government-issued photo ID
• [ ] Self-addressed stamped envelope (some courts require)
• [ ] At least 3 extra copies of all documents for hearing

STATUTE REFERENCES

DISCLAIMER

This guide is for informational purposes only and does not constitute legal advice. Criminal record clearing laws in Pennsylvania are complex and subject to change. This guide does not create an attorney-client relationship. Court procedures, filing fees, and timelines may vary by county. Always verify current requirements with your local Court of Common Pleas.

Expungement does not guarantee employment or housing. Some employers and licensing boards may still have access to sealed records.

Need help? Find free legal aid at palawhelp.org or call 211.