How it works in Kansas
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Request your Record
Complete and submit your application to request an official copy of your criminal history record from the Kansas Bureau of Investigation.
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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 in Kan. Stat. § 21-6614: certain records require one year to have passed, others three years, others five years, and others ten years.
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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.
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File your Expeal Request
Once you have confirmed you have everything, file the petition with the court that handled the original case. Kansas filing fees vary by judicial district; the figure cited here is the 11th Judicial District schedule as a baseline, and your county's clerk of court can confirm the current local rate.
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Work with the Court
After the court confirms it has received your filing, watch for the next instructions — typically a hearing date 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 court rules on the petition, it issues an order either granting or denying expungement. Review the order's terms carefully — they spell out which records are covered. Keep a certified copy of the order for your own files.
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Verify the Record Update
Under Kan. Stat. § 21-6614, the clerk of court and the arresting agency update or remove the records covered by the order, and the order also restores the right to keep and bear arms in the situations the statute covers. Confirm with the arresting agency that its records reflect the expungement. 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
Court forms
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