How it works in the District of Columbia

The steps

1. Request your record

   Schedule an appointment with the Metropolitan Police Department's Arrest and Criminal History Section, complete PD Form 70 (Criminal History Request), and submit the request for an official copy of your criminal history record. Choose Option A (for sealing or expungement under Chapter 8 of Title 16). Book the appointment online (walk-ins Monday–Friday); processing takes up to 10 business days. You must be 18 and can only request your own record.

   Record request fee: $7.00

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, parole, supervised release, classes or other conditions, you also need certified proof that you completed them. Unpaid fines, restitution or other money the court ordered do not stop your sentence from counting as complete under D.C. Code § 16-801.

   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 motion

   Complete the motion based on the type of charge and outcome. Among other requirements, there are waiting periods for convictions under D.C. Code § 16-806: at least five years after you complete your sentence for a misdemeanor, and at least eight years for a felony — except that a felony in Offense Severity Group 1, 2 or 3 of the D.C. Sentencing Commission's Master Grid (as of March 10, 2023) cannot be sealed. The prosecutor may waive a waiting period in writing. Unpaid fines, restitution or other money the court ordered do not stop your sentence from counting as complete.

6. Finalize your motion

   Take the completed motion 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 motion to seal

   File the motion with the D.C. Superior Court that handled the case.

8. Work with the court

   After the D.C. Superior Court confirms it has received your filing, watch for the court's next instructions — typically an order setting a hearing date, a request for additional briefing, or a direct ruling on the motion. Respond promptly to anything the court asks for.

9. Receive the court's order

   Once the D.C. Superior Court rules on your motion, it issues a written order either granting or denying the request to seal. Review the order's terms carefully — they spell out which records are covered and what each agency must do. Keep a certified copy for your own files.

10. Verify the record is sealed

    Under D.C. Code § 16-807, once the court orders your record sealed, the Clerk and each prosecutor and law enforcement, corrections, pretrial and community supervision agency must remove every reference to your citation, arrest, prosecution or conviction from their public records, may keep them only in a nonpublic, restricted file, and must answer public inquiries that no records are available. Each of those agencies files a certification with the court within 90 days that it has done so, and the Clerk makes reasonable efforts to send you a copy of the order and the certifications. If a background-check provider later produces an outdated report, your certified copy of the court's order is your authoritative reference. Confirm with the arresting agency that its records reflect the sealing as well.

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.