Sealing Records ARS 13-911

Under Arizona law (ARS § 13-911), sealing your criminal record is one of the most effective ways to move forward after an arrest, dismissal, or completed conviction. This legal process limits public access to your criminal history, helping with employment, housing, and background checks. Once sealed, the record is treated as though the arrest or conviction never occurred, though certain government agencies—including law enforcement and courts—retain access. Eligible cases include felonies, misdemeanors, and dismissed charges, as long as all sentence terms are completed and the required waiting period has passed. If you’re wondering “can a felony be expunged in Arizona,” sealing is the closest legal option—and a skilled record sealing lawyer can help guide the process.

Sealing Records judgment of guilt (aka no longer guilty), or arrest (as if they were never arrested)

• Sealing Records judgment of guilt (aka no longer guilty), or arrest (as if they were never arrested)
• Sealed arrest or conviction records are no longer accessible to the general public or through most government background checks.
• You are legally permitted to state that the arrest or conviction did not occur in most circumstances, including on employment, housing, financial aid, and loan applications.
• The Arizona Department of Public Safety (DPS) must update criminal history records to reflect that the case has been sealed.
• Sealing a record relieves you of many legal penalties and barriers associated with the conviction.
• This process offers significant advantages in reducing the long-term impact of a criminal record on everyday life.
• Important: Sealing does not change the original legal outcome (such as a guilty plea or conviction) and does not erase records from all systems. Law enforcement, prosecutors, courts, and certain licensing or government agencies retain access where required by law.

• Sealing a record does not affect driving records maintained by the Arizona Department of Transportation or influence insurance-related databases.
• It does not remove information from non-government websites or third-party background check companies that may have archived public records prior to sealing.
• Government websites or databases that were accessed and cached by private entities before sealing are not automatically updated or deleted.
• Certain individuals and agencies—including judges, prosecutors, law enforcement, the Department of Child Safety (DCS), the Arizona Department of Corrections (DOC), Juvenile Corrections, and the Clerk of Court—retain access to sealed records when acting within the scope of their official duties but cannot release them to the public without a judge’s approval.
• A sealed conviction remains legally recognizable for future crimes, such as having a prior felony or prior DUI for purposes such as sentencing enhancements or statutory reference.

• Charged with crime, but the case is dismissed (including diversion dismissals)
• Arrested but never charged with a crime (aka profile cases past the statute of limitations or with disposition letter or police report clearly showing no charges)
• Criminal convictions (guilty plea or found guilty at trial)

• The job involves houses, and you have a burglary/theft sealed case
• The job involves teachers/children work, and you have a child abuse or aggravated assault sealed case
• The job involves commercial pilot, driver, or boat
• The job involves finances, and you have theft/forgery/etc. sealed case
• The job is with police, prosecutor, court, or DCS
  Fingerprint clearance
• Child abuse for jobs that involve minors
• Vulnerable adult abuse for jobs involving the care of adults
• Defense of a civil action arising from arrest