How it works in Arkansas

  1. Request your Record

    Complete and submit your application to request an official copy of your criminal history record.

    Record request fee: $24.00 — Breakdown: $20 search + $2 INA processing + $2 credit-card processing. Mandatory employer/consent-based background checks are $22.00 on the same page.

  2. Review your Record

    Confirm there is no disqualifying information in your history. If there is something incorrect, follow the process to challenge the issue. If everything is accurate, make a copy for your file and keep the original somewhere safe.

  3. Request Certified Documents

    Collect certified copies of relevant documents. These include a copy of the disposition of the case from the clerk of court that handled the original case and the arrest record from the arresting agency. If you had probation or parole, had to take classes, had to pay fees, or had any other obligations, you also need certified proof that you completed the requirements.

    Certified copy fee: $5.00

  4. Verify the Final Documents

    Review each document for accuracy. Confirm each one is certified and clearly shows you completed your obligations. Make copies of every original.

  5. Prepare your Petition

    Complete the petition based on the type of charge and outcome you are seeking. Note Arkansas' timing restrictions: certain arrest records and not-guilty records require one year to pass; certain misdemeanor driving or boating while intoxicated convictions require ten years; and certain felony convictions require five years.

  6. Finalize your Petition

    Take the completed petition from Step 5, the documents collected in Step 3, and the background check from Step 1, and put them together in a complete package. Double-check every file in the package is the original and ensure you have a copy of the complete package for your personal file.

  7. File your Expeal Request

    File the petition with the court that handled the case.

    Filing fee: — Ark. Code § 16-90-1419, as amended by Act 680 of 2019 (eff. 2019-07-24), prohibits circuit and district court clerks from collecting any filing fee for the uniform petition to seal.

  8. Work with the Court

    After the court confirms it has received your filing, watch for the next instructions — typically a hearing notice or a request for additional documents. Respond promptly to anything the court asks for, and prepare for the hearing.

  9. Receive the Court's Order

    Once the judge rules, the court issues a uniform order either granting or denying your petition. Review the order's terms carefully — they spell out exactly which records are covered. Keep a certified copy for your own files.

  10. Verify the Record Update

    Arkansas law directs the Arkansas Crime Information Center and the original arresting agency to update or remove the records covered by the order. If a background-check provider later produces an outdated report, your certified copy of the order is your authoritative reference. Under Ark. Code § 16-90-14017, you can lawfully decline to disclose the sealed record in most non-government contexts.

If you have to mail anything, keep a copy of whatever you send and use a method with a tracking number like the USPS Flat Rate Envelope.

Official agencies

Court forms

Arkansas record-clearing statutes

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