How it works in Idaho

  1. Get Fingerprinted

    Visit your local police or sheriff's station and have your fingerprints taken.

    Fingerprint fee: $12.00

  2. Request your Record

    Complete and submit your application to request an official copy of your criminal history record from the Idaho State Police, Bureau of Criminal Identification.

    Record request fee: $27.00

  3. 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.

  4. 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. Idaho clerk-of-court fees are set by each county, so the amount you pay depends on where your case was handled — the figures cited here are an Ada County example, not a statewide schedule.

    Cost: $1.00 per certified document and up to $1.00 per photocopied page — Ada County clerk schedule (illustrative; fees are set per county under Idaho Code section 31-3201A)

  5. 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.

  6. Prepare your Petition

    Complete the petition based on the type of charge and outcome you are seeking. Note the timing restrictions: certain arrest records require one year to pass and certain convictions require five years to pass under Idaho Stat. § 67-3004.

  7. 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.

  8. File your Expeal Request

    File the petition with the court that handled the case.

  9. Work with the Court

    After the court confirms it has received your filing, watch for the next instructions — typically a hearing date (required for shielding a conviction under Idaho Stat. § 67-3004) or a request for additional information. Respond promptly to anything the court asks for.

  10. Receive the Court's Order

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

  11. Verify the Record Update

    Under Idaho Stat. § 67-3004, the Idaho State Police, Bureau of Criminal Identification updates or shields the criminal-history record covered by the order, and the arresting agency updates its records to match. 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 original arresting agency that its records reflect the order 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.

Official agencies

Court forms

Idaho record-clearing statutes

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