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Sealing or Expunging

Sealing or Expunging

Florida Statutes 943.0585 and 943.059 require that a person wishing to have his or her criminal history record sealed or expunged must first obtain a Certificate of Eligibility from Florida Department of Law enforcement. With this certificate, the person can then petition the court for an order to seal or expunge his or her record. Effective July 1, 2006, these sections of Florida Statutes are amended to establish a 12 month expiration date for certificates. If the date issued on the certificate is more than 12 months old when the subject files a petition with the court, the certificate is invalid and the applicant must re-apply to FDLE and qualify to obtain a new certificate. This will help to ensure that the subject is still eligible when the court receives the petition. A packet with forms that can be used in this process may be obtained from any of the criminal departments.

Please visit www.fdle.state.fl.us/expunge/ for information about sealing and expunging criminal history records.

Sealing or Expunging

Frequently Asked Expungment/Seal Questions

What do I need: 

The packet requesting the expungement/seal is available on the FDLE website or you can come into the Clerk’s office for an expungemet/sealing packet

Certified Copy of the Disposition of the case obtained at the clerk’s office

Fingerprints (This can be completed at your local law enforcement agency.  The Clerk’s Office does not provide this service)

State Attorney section of the form completed

The completed packet with a fee of $75.00 would be mailed to Tallahassee

Filing:

If approved by FDLE you will receive a certificate of eligibility this will need to be submitted to the Clerk’s office with an Affidavit, Petition, and proposed Order to Expunge or Seal the case these can be obtained thru an Attorney or the Law Library at the Courthouse

If the Judge grants the expunge/seal the Clerk’s office will mail certified copies to all parties involved in the case

Fees:

Filing Fee $42.00

Copies $1.00 per page

Certifications $2.00 per certification