Pennsylvania’s Clean Slate Law represents one of the most significant criminal justice reforms in recent years, automatically sealing millions of old criminal records without requiring individuals to file petitions or hire attorneys. If you have old convictions or arrests on your record, this law may have already sealed them or will do so soon, opening doors to employment, housing, and other opportunities previously blocked by your criminal history.
The criminal defense attorneys at Rubin, Glickman, Steinberg & Gifford have helped Pennsylvania residents understand and benefit from Clean Slate provisions for over 65 years. We explain how this law affects your specific record, whether you qualify for automatic sealing, and what additional steps you may need to take to clear your criminal history.
What the Clean Slate Law Does
The Clean Slate Law, which began implementation in 2018, was expanded in 2019, and further updated in 2023, automatically seals eligible criminal records after certain waiting periods without requiring you to petition the court. This automation is revolutionary because many people with eligible records never pursued sealing due to a lack of knowledge, inability to afford legal fees, or difficulty navigating the court system. The law removes these barriers by making sealing happen automatically.
When your record is sealed under Clean Slate, it becomes inaccessible to most employers, landlords, educational institutions, and members of the public conducting background checks. The sealed information remains in government databases, but private background check companies cannot access or report it. You can legally state you were not convicted of sealed offenses on most job and housing applications.
Pennsylvania’s Administrative Office of Pennsylvania Courts runs the Clean Slate system quarterly, reviewing criminal records statewide to identify newly eligible cases. Once identified, the system automatically seals qualifying records without any action required from you. However, the process takes time, and even eligible records may remain visible for months or years after you become eligible due to system backlogs and the quarterly review schedule.
The law does not destroy your criminal record like expungement does. Instead, it restricts access so most private entities cannot see the information. Certain government agencies, law enforcement, and courts retain access to sealed records for specific purposes, including criminal investigations, sentencing considerations in future cases, and reviews for sensitive government positions.
Which Records Qualify for Automatic Sealing
Summary offenses, Pennsylvania’s least serious criminal classification, qualify for automatic sealing 5 years after conviction if you remain free from any conviction for that period following completion of your sentence. This 5-year waiting period took effect under the state’s Clean Slate 3.0 expansion (Act 36 of 2023), which shortened the previous 10-year summary-offense waiting period starting in mid-2024. Summary offenses include disorderly conduct, harassment, underage drinking, retail theft under $150, and many traffic violations. These convictions appear on criminal background checks and can prevent employment or housing opportunities despite their minor nature.
Second and third-degree misdemeanors punishable by imprisonment of two years or less may become eligible for automatic sealing 7 years after you complete your sentence. This includes convictions for simple assault, theft, criminal mischief, and possession of small amounts of marijuana. The 7-year period begins when you finish all conditions, including imprisonment, probation, parole, fines, and restitution.
Charges that did not result in a conviction also qualify for automatic sealing under Clean Slate. If you were arrested but charges were withdrawn, dismissed, or resulted in a not guilty verdict, those records become eligible for sealing 60 days after the final disposition. This provision helps people who were arrested but never convicted avoid ongoing consequences from charges that did not lead to convictions. Unfortunately, the system sometimes fails to detect these matters and attorney action may be needed to obtain sealing. Moreover, automatic sealing sometimes fails to address allied docket numbers, such as county court records created for bail reviews or other miscellaneous dockets.
Undocketed summary convictions and charges, which often involve minor traffic violations and other summary offenses that never appeared on formal court dockets, become eligible for immediate sealing once identified by the system. These records sometimes escape notice during background checks but can still cause problems when discovered.
Records That Do Not Qualify for Automatic Sealing
First-degree misdemeanors generally do not qualify for automatic sealing and require manual petitions for limited access if they meet eligibility requirements. These more serious misdemeanors include DUI, theft of property worth more than $200, simple assault causing bodily injury, and stalking. While some first-degree misdemeanors may be sealed through court petition after 10 years, they are not automatically processed under Clean Slate.
Most felony convictions remain excluded from automatic sealing. However, under the Clean Slate 3.0 expansion, certain less serious drug felonies became eligible for automatic sealing after 10 years without a subsequent misdemeanor or felony conviction, provided the sentence imposed fell under roughly 30 to 60 months and total aggregate confinement was under 7 years. More serious felonies outside that narrow drug-offense carveout may still qualify for limited access through manual petition after 10 years, but the Clean Slate system does not automatically seal them. Second and first-degree felonies, along with crimes of violence, sexual offenses, and offenses requiring Megan’s Law registration, can never be sealed or expunged.
Convictions for offenses involving firearms, corruption of minors, cruelty to animals, intimidation of witnesses, and failure to register as a sex offender are permanently ineligible for sealing. If you have four or more offenses punishable by imprisonment of more than one year, your record does not qualify for automatic sealing regardless of the individual offense types.
The 10-year waiting period for automatic sealing is calculated from the date you complete all aspects of your sentence. Many people misunderstand when this period begins. If you were sentenced to probation, the 10 years do not start until you successfully complete probation. Unpaid fines and restitution delay the start of your eligibility period, so resolving all financial obligations is essential for moving toward sealing.
Frequently Asked Questions
How long do I have to wait for a summary offense to be automatically sealed in PA?
As of the Clean Slate 3.0 expansion, summary offenses qualify for automatic sealing 5 years after conviction, provided you remain free from any new conviction during that period.
Can felony convictions ever be automatically sealed under Clean Slate?
Most felonies remain excluded, but certain less serious drug felonies with shorter sentences became eligible for automatic sealing after 10 years under the Clean Slate 3.0 expansion. Violent crimes, sexual offenses, and Megan’s Law offenses can never be sealed.
Does Clean Slate erase my criminal record like an expungement?
No. Clean Slate seals records from public and private background checks, but the information remains accessible to law enforcement, courts, and certain government agencies, unlike an expungement which destroys the record.
What happens if I have unpaid fines or restitution?
Unpaid fines and restitution delay the start of your eligibility period, so resolving all financial obligations from your sentence is essential to moving toward automatic sealing.
Why should I contact an attorney about Clean Slate sealing?
An attorney can verify whether Clean Slate has actually sealed your eligible records, identify records that need a manual petition, and help you pursue every available option for clearing your record.
Contact Rubin, Glickman, Steinberg & Gifford About Your Criminal Record
Understanding how Pennsylvania’s Clean Slate Law affects your specific criminal record requires careful analysis of your convictions, sentencing dates, and current eligibility status. The criminal defense team at Rubin, Glickman, Steinberg & Gifford is the largest criminal defense firm in Montgomery and Bucks counties. We review your complete criminal history, verify whether Clean Slate has sealed eligible offenses, identify records requiring manual petitions, and help you take advantage of all available options for clearing your record.
Our attorneys have successfully helped countless clients seal and expunge criminal records, opening doors to employment, housing, professional licenses, and restoring civil rights. We handle all aspects of the petition process, including gathering documentation, filing motions, responding to district attorney objections, and representing you at hearings. Contact our office today for a free consultation about cleaning up your Pennsylvania criminal record under Clean Slate and other available relief options.
Rubin, Glickman, Steinberg & Gifford P.C.
Pennsylvania Attorney's
August 31, 2026
