Clear your Virginia record.

✓ Virginia change state

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About clearing a record in Virginia

You can clear your Virginia record. Virginia law lets you seal most criminal records automatically under the Virginia Record Sealing Act (Va. Code Ann. § 19.2-392.5 et seq., ch. 23.2), and seal others — including misdemeanors after 7 years and certain felonies after 10 years — through a petition and court hearing. Non-conviction records may also be expunged under Va. Code Ann. § 19.2-392.1 et seq. (ch. 23.1).

Virginia automatically seals most eligible records as of July 1, 2026 — no petition required for that path.

When automatic sealing does not apply, Virginia requires a petition and a court hearing, with waiting periods set by the offense type under Va. Code Ann. § 19.2-392.12.

Virginia preserves a separate classic-expungement remedy for arrest records and not-guilty dispositions under Va. Code Ann. § 19.2-392.1 et seq.

Some petition-track filings restrict eligibility if you have any prior criminal record.

Remedies in Virginia

  • Expungement DIY