Expunging a Criminal Record in Alabama (2026)
Reviewed by DocDraft Legal Team · Alabama · Last updated August 19, 2026
Record-clearing in Alabama is called expungement, and it is entirely petition-based under the Record Expungement Designed to Enhance Employment and Eliminate Recidivism (REDEEMER) Act, Ala. Code 15-27-1 and following. Dismissals, acquittals, and no-billed charges can be expunged after short waiting periods, and the 2021 amendments (Act 2021-286) added up to two nonviolent misdemeanor convictions after a three-year wait, plus one pardoned felony conviction. Violent offenses, sex offenses, crimes of moral turpitude, and serious traffic offenses such as DUI are excluded. Alabama has no automatic 'clean slate' sealing, so nothing is cleared unless you petition the circuit court, pay the $500 administrative fee, and win an order. The Alabama Law Enforcement Agency (ALEA) maintains the state criminal history repository that the order directs to be updated.
Find out where you stand in Alabama
What are you trying to clear?
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What record-clearing relief does Alabama offer and what is it called?
Alabama calls it expungement, under the REDEEMER Act, Ala. Code 15-27-1 and following. An expungement orders agencies to remove the record from public criminal history. It is petition-only, filed in circuit court. Alabama has no automatic sealing, so nothing clears unless you file and win an order.
What is eligible for expungement in Alabama and what is the waiting period?
Non-convictions such as dismissals with prejudice, no-bills, and acquittals are eligible about 90 days after disposition. Under 2021's Act 2021-286, up to two nonviolent misdemeanor convictions can be expunged three years after the case ends, plus one pardoned felony. Violent, sex, moral-turpitude, and serious traffic offenses are excluded.
Can you expunge a felony conviction in Alabama?
Only in a narrow case. Under Ala. Code 15-27-2, a felony conviction is expungeable only after the Alabama Board of Pardons and Paroles grants a pardon and at least 180 days pass from the certificate of pardon, and only for a nonviolent felony. Felony non-convictions (dismissals, acquittals, no-bills) qualify on their own after about 90 days.
Does Alabama have automatic 'clean slate' record sealing?
No. Alabama has not enacted a clean-slate or automatic-sealing law, so no eligible record clears on its own. Every expungement requires a petition to the circuit court, a $500 administrative fee under Ala. Code 15-27-4 (fee waiver available), notice to the district attorney, and a judge's order. Nothing happens automatically.
Alabama's Petition-Only Expungement Under the REDEEMER Act
Alabama's only record-clearing mechanism is expungement under the Record Expungement Designed to Enhance Employment and Eliminate Recidivism (REDEEMER) Act, Ala. Code 15-27-1 and following. It is entirely petition-based; Alabama has no automatic 'clean slate' sealing, so no record clears unless you file. Non-convictions carry the broadest eligibility: a charge dismissed with prejudice, no-billed by a grand jury, or ending in acquittal is generally eligible about 90 days after disposition under Ala. Code 15-27-1. The 2021 amendments (Act 2021-286) expanded relief to CONVICTIONS: up to two nonviolent misdemeanor convictions, and municipal-ordinance and minor traffic convictions, can be expunged three years after the case is fully resolved, and one nonviolent felony CONVICTION can be expunged only after the Alabama Board of Pardons and Paroles grants a pardon and 180 days pass. Categorically excluded are violent offenses, sex offenses, crimes involving moral turpitude, and serious traffic offenses such as DUI, so those cannot be cleared. You file a Petition for Expungement of Records (Form CR-65) in the circuit court of the county where the charge originated, attach a certified ALEA criminal history record and certified case dispositions, pay the $500 administrative filing fee under Ala. Code 15-27-4 (a fee waiver is available for indigency), and serve the district attorney and the arresting agency, who may object and trigger a hearing. If the judge grants the order, the Alabama Law Enforcement Agency (ALEA), which maintains the state criminal history repository, and the other named agencies are directed to update their records. An expungement is not a total erasure: the record is preserved under seal and remains accessible to law enforcement, prosecutors, and certain licensing and background contexts by court order or statute.
Relevant Laws
Alabama Expungement Statute (Ala. Code 15-27-1 et seq., REDEEMER Act)
The REDEEMER Act is Alabama's expungement law. Section 15-27-1 governs expungement of non-conviction records (dismissals with prejudice, no-bills, acquittals), and the 2021 amendments (Act 2021-286) added expungement of up to two nonviolent misdemeanor convictions and certain traffic and municipal convictions.
Felony and Pardoned-Conviction Expungement (Ala. Code 15-27-2)
Sets out expungement of felony charges and convictions. A nonviolent felony conviction is expungeable only after the Alabama Board of Pardons and Paroles grants a pardon and 180 days pass; felony non-convictions qualify without a pardon after the standard waiting period.
Petition, $500 Fee, and Notice Requirements (Ala. Code 15-27-4)
Requires the Petition for Expungement of Records to be filed in the circuit court where the charge originated, sets the $500 administrative filing fee (with a hardship waiver), and requires notice to the district attorney, the arresting agency, and any victim, who may object and prompt a hearing.
No Automatic Clean Slate; No General Federal Expungement
Alabama has not enacted a clean-slate or automatic-sealing law, so every expungement is petition-only under Chapter 27. There is also no general federal expungement of state convictions; record-clearing of an Alabama record is governed by Alabama law and processed through the state courts and ALEA.
Regional Variances
Alabama Expungement Eligibility Table
Relief type and name
Expungement under the REDEEMER Act, Ala. Code 15-27-1 and following. Petition-only; there is no automatic 'clean slate' or sealing track in Alabama. An expungement removes the record from public view but preserves it under seal for law enforcement and certain agencies under Ala. Code 15-27-6 and 15-27-7.
Eligible non-convictions and waiting period
Charges dismissed with prejudice, no-billed by a grand jury, or ending in acquittal are eligible under Ala. Code 15-27-1, generally about 90 days after disposition. Charges dismissed WITHOUT prejudice or resolved through diversion carry longer statutory waits before they become eligible.
Eligible convictions and waiting period
Under the 2021 amendments (Act 2021-286), up to two nonviolent MISDEMEANOR convictions (plus municipal-ordinance and minor traffic convictions) are eligible three years after the case is fully resolved. A nonviolent FELONY conviction is eligible only after a Board of Pardons and Paroles pardon plus 180 days under Ala. Code 15-27-2.
Excluded offenses
Violent offenses, sex offenses, offenses involving moral turpitude, and serious traffic offenses (including DUI convictions) cannot be expunged as convictions. These exclusions are categorical, so an ineligible conviction stays on the record regardless of how much time has passed. A dismissed or acquitted version of such a charge may still qualify as a non-conviction.
Clean-slate status, fee, court, and repository
No automatic clean-slate relief exists in Alabama. Petitions (Form CR-65) are filed in the circuit court of the county where the charge originated, with a $500 administrative fee under Ala. Code 15-27-4 (hardship waiver available). The Alabama Law Enforcement Agency (ALEA) maintains the state criminal history repository updated by the order.
Suggested Compliance Checklist
Confirm the offense is eligible and the waiting period has run
Before you file days after startingMatch your case to Ala. Code 15-27-1 and 15-27-2: non-convictions after about 90 days, up to two nonviolent misdemeanor convictions after 3 years, and a nonviolent felony only after a pardon plus 180 days. Confirm the offense is not a violent, sex, moral-turpitude, or serious traffic (DUI) offense, which are excluded.
Order a certified ALEA criminal history record
Before drafting the petition days after startingRequest your official criminal history from the Alabama Law Enforcement Agency (ALEA), the state repository, and obtain certified case dispositions from the court clerk. These certified documents must be attached to the petition so the court can verify the charge, its outcome, and your remaining eligibility.
Prepare the Form CR-65 Petition for Expungement
Before filing days after startingComplete the Petition for Expungement of Records (Form CR-65) for each eligible case, listing the charge, court, case number, and disposition, and attach the certified ALEA history and dispositions. Confirm you have not exhausted the two-misdemeanor lifetime limit before submitting.
File in circuit court and pay or waive the $500 fee
When ready to file days after startingFile the petition in the circuit court of the county where the charge originated and pay the $500 administrative fee under Ala. Code 15-27-4. If you cannot afford it, file an affidavit of substantial hardship to request a fee waiver, and serve the district attorney, arresting agency, and any victim as required.
Track the objection window, hearing, and record update
After filing through final order days after startingMonitor the district attorney's objection window; if an objection is filed, attend the circuit court hearing. After a granting order, keep a certified copy and confirm ALEA and other named agencies update the record. An Alabama attorney can help if the case is contested or eligibility is unclear.
| Task | Description | Document | Days after starting |
|---|---|---|---|
| Confirm the offense is eligible and the waiting period has run | Match your case to Ala. Code 15-27-1 and 15-27-2: non-convictions after about 90 days, up to two nonviolent misdemeanor convictions after 3 years, and a nonviolent felony only after a pardon plus 180 days. Confirm the offense is not a violent, sex, moral-turpitude, or serious traffic (DUI) offense, which are excluded. | - | Before you file |
| Order a certified ALEA criminal history record | Request your official criminal history from the Alabama Law Enforcement Agency (ALEA), the state repository, and obtain certified case dispositions from the court clerk. These certified documents must be attached to the petition so the court can verify the charge, its outcome, and your remaining eligibility. | - | Before drafting the petition |
| Prepare the Form CR-65 Petition for Expungement | Complete the Petition for Expungement of Records (Form CR-65) for each eligible case, listing the charge, court, case number, and disposition, and attach the certified ALEA history and dispositions. Confirm you have not exhausted the two-misdemeanor lifetime limit before submitting. | - | Before filing |
| File in circuit court and pay or waive the $500 fee | File the petition in the circuit court of the county where the charge originated and pay the $500 administrative fee under Ala. Code 15-27-4. If you cannot afford it, file an affidavit of substantial hardship to request a fee waiver, and serve the district attorney, arresting agency, and any victim as required. | - | When ready to file |
| Track the objection window, hearing, and record update | Monitor the district attorney's objection window; if an objection is filed, attend the circuit court hearing. After a granting order, keep a certified copy and confirm ALEA and other named agencies update the record. An Alabama attorney can help if the case is contested or eligibility is unclear. | - | After filing through final order |
Frequently Asked Questions
Alabama charges a $500 administrative filing fee per petition under Ala. Code 15-27-4, which is high compared with most states and is separate from ordinary court docket fees. A fee waiver is available if you file an affidavit of substantial hardship and the court finds you indigent. Attorney fees, if you hire counsel, are additional.
After you file the Form CR-65 petition in circuit court, the process commonly takes several months, often roughly two to six, depending on the county, the district attorney's response window, and whether an objection triggers a hearing. Gathering the certified ALEA criminal history and case dispositions before filing helps avoid delays and rejected petitions.
Yes. An Alabama expungement is not a total erasure. Under Ala. Code 15-27-6 and 15-27-7, the record is kept under seal and remains accessible to law enforcement, prosecutors, and certain agencies (including some licensing, banking, and public-safety contexts) by court order or statute. The general public and most employers no longer see it.
Generally yes for most purposes. Under Ala. Code 15-27-16, once a record is expunged you may lawfully state that the arrest or charge did not occur, and you do not have to disclose it in most employment or housing applications. Exceptions apply: you must still disclose it to law enforcement agencies and for certain regulated licensing or firearms questions.
Not a DUI conviction. Serious traffic offenses, including driving under the influence, are excluded from conviction expungement under the REDEEMER Act, so a DUI conviction cannot be cleared. A DUI CHARGE that was dismissed with prejudice, no-billed, or ended in acquittal may still be expunged as a non-conviction after the waiting period. An attorney can help confirm your case type.
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