Who qualifies
Clean Slate 3.0 expanded petition-based sealing in 2024. Most misdemeanor convictions, including most graded M1, can be sealed after seven years without a conviction for an offense punishable by a year or more. Certain felonies of the third degree, and ungraded felonies, can be sealed after ten years: theft offenses, forgery and fraud, criminal mischief, criminal trespass, welfare fraud and qualifying drug offenses.
What disqualifies a petition
- Convictions for offenses against the person punishable by more than two years (misdemeanor terroristic threats is an exception), offenses against the family, firearms offenses, sexual offenses, and corruption of minors
- Any conviction for murder, a first-degree felony, or an offense punishable by 20 or more years
- Two or more convictions punishable by more than two years in the last 10 years
- Certain other convictions within the last 15 years
- Unpaid court-ordered restitution
One docket, one conviction
For petitions, multiple counts charged on one docket under one offense tracking number are treated as a single conviction (18 Pa.C.S. § 9122.1(b.1)). That matters when you’re counting prior convictions, and it can affect whether every count on a docket can be sealed. We analyze each docket before quoting.
How the petition works
The petition is filed in the county where the conviction occurred and served on the District Attorney, who has 30 days to consent or object (Pa.R.Crim.P. 791). A current State Police criminal history is attached unless the District Attorney waives it. If the Commonwealth consents, the order can take effect immediately; otherwise it is stayed for 30 days in case of an appeal.
Common questions
Is limited access the same as expungement?
No. Expungement destroys the record. Limited access seals it: it still exists, but the public and most employers can’t see it.
Do I have to disclose a sealed conviction?
In most cases, no. You can answer as if the offense never happened, with exceptions for criminal justice agencies, certain licensing boards, and employers required by federal law to check records.
Can I seal a conviction that Clean Slate skipped?
Often yes. Clean Slate only reaches some offenses and depends on matching data. Many convictions it skips can still be sealed by petition.