How it works in Connecticut
These steps cover the court-petition process — the path that applies if you don't qualify for the automatic process.
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Get Fingerprinted
Visit your local police or sheriff's station and have your fingerprints taken.
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Request your Record
Complete and submit your application to request an official copy of your criminal history record from the Connecticut Department of Emergency Services and Public Protection.
Record request fee: $75.00 — State Criminal History Check (fingerprint-based); a separate $15.00 fingerprinting fee may apply if prints are taken at a CT State Police location. DESPP Fee Waiver available for indigent applicants.
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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.
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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 those requirements.
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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.
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Prepare your Petition
Complete the petition based on the type of charge and outcome you are seeking. Note the timing restrictions that apply: certain misdemeanor convictions require seven years to pass before you file, and certain felony convictions require ten years.
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Finalize your Petition
Take the completed petition from Step 6, the documents collected in Step 4, and the background check from Step 2, 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.
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File your Expeal Request
File the petition with the Connecticut court that handled the original case.
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Work with the Court
After the Connecticut court confirms it has received your filing, watch for the next instructions from the court — typically the schedule for a hearing or a request for additional information. Respond promptly to anything the court asks for.
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Receive the Court's Order
Once the Connecticut court rules on your petition, it issues an order either granting or denying erasure. Review the order's terms carefully — they spell out which records are covered and the date the erasure takes effect. Keep a certified copy of the order for your own files.
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Verify the Record is Erased
Under Conn. Gen. Stat. § 54-142a, the Department of Emergency Services and Public Protection erases the criminal justice information covered by the order, and the Judicial Branch updates its records accordingly. Confirm with the original arresting agency that its records reflect the erasure as well. If a background-check provider later produces an outdated report, your certified copy of the court's order is your authoritative reference.
If you have to mail anything, remember to keep a copy of whatever you send and to use a method with a tracking number like the USPS Flat Rate Envelope.
Official agencies
- Connecticut's Clean Slate page for post-2000 convictions
- Connecticut's Clean Slate page for pre-2000 convictions
Court forms
Last reviewed