Florida Record Sealing & Expungement Eligibility Checker

‍

This checker gives a general, plain-English estimate based on Florida Department of Law Enforcement (FDLE) guidance and current Florida law (Fla. Stat. §943.059, §943.0585, and §943.0584). It is educational only, is not legal advice, and does not create an attorney–client relationship. Eligibility is fact-specific, and even eligible petitions are granted at the court's discretion — have an attorney review your record before you rely on any result.

‍

What this checker does

Wondering if you can clear an old arrest or charge off your record? This free tool walks you through the core eligibility rules for sealing and expunging a Florida criminal record and gives you a plain-English estimate in under a minute. It runs entirely in your browser — nothing you select is stored or sent anywhere.

The result is a starting point, not a verdict. Florida's rules turn on the precise disposition of your case, and even a fully eligible petition is granted at the judge's discretion. Before you rely on any outcome, have a criminal defense attorney review your actual record.

Sealing and expungement are not the same thing

People use the words interchangeably, but they are two distinct remedies with different effects on your record. Per FDLE, once a record is either sealed or expunged the general public can no longer access it — the difference is what happens behind that curtain:

• Sealing (Fla. Stat. §943.059) makes the record confidential and hidden from the public, but a short list of government and related entities can still see the sealed record in full.
• Expungement (Fla. Stat. §943.0585) goes further: those same entities are only told that the subject “has had a record expunged,” and cannot see the record itself without a court order.

The remedy you qualify for depends on how your case ended. A case that ended in your favor — charges dropped, dismissed, not filed, or acquitted — can be either sealed or expunged, and expungement is normally the stronger choice. A case where adjudication was withheld can only be sealed; it does not become eligible for expungement until it has been sealed for 10 years. Either way, you get one court-ordered seal or expunge in your lifetime.

Who generally qualifies

To obtain a Certificate of Eligibility and a court order, you typically must meet all of these conditions:

• You have never been convicted (adjudicated guilty) of any criminal offense — in Florida or anywhere else.
• You have never had a Florida record sealed or expunged before. You get one court-ordered sealing or expunction in a lifetime.
• You are no longer under any court supervision (probation, parole, etc.) for the case.
• The charge is not on the ineligible-offense list in Fla. Stat. §943.0584.

Charges that can't be sealed or expunged

Section 943.0584 permanently bars relief for a defined list of serious offenses even when adjudication was withheld — including sexual offenses and anything requiring sex-offender registration, murder and manslaughter, domestic violence assault or battery, aggravated assault and aggravated battery, stalking, kidnapping and human trafficking, robbery, carjacking and home-invasion robbery, burglary of a dwelling, arson, child abuse, abuse of the elderly or disabled, drug trafficking, and public-corruption offenses. The classification can be nuanced, so confirm it with an attorney rather than assuming.

The FDLE process, step by step

1. Apply to FDLE for a Certificate of Eligibility. You'll submit a completed application, a certified copy of the disposition for each charge, a fingerprint card, and a $75 processing fee. Expunction applications also require a certified statement from the State Attorney. (See the FDLE Seal and Expunge process.)
2. File your petition with the court. Once FDLE issues the certificate (valid for 12 months), your attorney files a petition — with a sworn statement — in the court where the case was handled.
3. The court decides. The State Attorney and arresting agency may respond, and the judge rules. Meeting every requirement makes you eligible; it does not guarantee the order.

Because a single misread disposition can derail a petition — or wrongly convince you that you don't qualify — most people are better served having a lawyer pull the record and handle the filing.

Official Florida sources

This checker follows the Florida Department of Law Enforcement (FDLE) — the agency that issues the Certificate of Eligibility and administers the seal-and-expunge process — together with the controlling Florida Statutes. Always confirm the current requirements directly with FDLE:

• FDLE — Seal and Expunge Process (primary source)
• FDLE — Applying for a Certificate of Eligibility
• FDLE — Frequently Asked Questions
• Fla. Stat. §943.0585 — Court-ordered expunction
• Fla. Stat. §943.059 — Court-ordered sealing
• Fla. Stat. §943.0584 — Records ineligible for sealing or expunction

Ready to clear your record?

Our team handles Florida sealing and expungement petitions from start to finish — pulling your certified disposition, securing the FDLE certificate, and filing with the court. Learn more about our record sealing and expungement services and expungement representation, or reach us 24/7 at (386) 255-1400.

Disclaimer: This checker and article are provided for general educational purposes only, are based on Florida law as of 2026, and do not constitute legal advice or create an attorney–client relationship. Eligibility for sealing or expungement depends on the specific facts of your case, and the decision to grant relief rests with the court. Do not act, or decline to act, based solely on this tool. Consult a licensed Florida attorney about your individual situation.