How it works in Michigan

These steps cover the court-petition process — the path that applies if you don't qualify for the automatic process.

  1. Get Fingerprinted

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

    Cost: $14.00 to $20.00 — depending on the municipality; Troy and Ypsilanti are cited as illustrative examples and Michigan municipal fingerprinting fees vary by jurisdiction

  2. Request your Record

    Complete and submit your application to request an official copy of your criminal history record from the Michigan State Police Criminal History Section.

    Record request fee: $30.00

  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. The cited fee is the 36th District Court (Detroit) schedule as an illustrative example; certified-copy fees are set by each clerk of court and vary across Michigan.

    Cost: $10.00 — 36th District Court (Detroit) schedule (illustrative; certified-copy fees vary by clerk of court across Michigan), plus up to $0.50 per page photocopied

  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 application to set aside the conviction based on the type of charge and outcome you are seeking. Note the timing restrictions in MCL § 780.621: certain misdemeanor convictions require seven years to have passed and certain felony convictions require ten years to have passed before you may apply to set them aside.

  7. Finalize your Petition

    Take the completed application 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 application with the court that handled the original case.

    Filing fee: $50.00

  9. 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, and prepare for the hearing if one is scheduled.

  10. Receive the Court's Order

    Once the court rules on the application, it issues an order either granting or denying the request to set aside the conviction. Review the order's terms carefully — they spell out which records are covered. Keep a certified copy of the order for your own files. If the court denies the application, MCL § 780.621 requires you to wait three years before you may refile.

  11. Verify the Record is Set Aside

    Under MCL § 780.621, the Michigan State Police and the original arresting agency update or restrict the records covered by the order. Confirm with the arresting agency that its records reflect the order 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

Court forms

Michigan record-clearing statutes

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