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Expunging a Criminal Record in Colorado (2026)

Reviewed by DocDraft Legal Team · Colorado · Last updated August 19, 2026

Colorado does not 'expunge' most adult convictions; instead it SEALS them from public view under the record-sealing statutes at C.R.S. 24-72-701 and following. Sealing hides the record from most employers and the public, but law enforcement, courts, and some licensing agencies can still access it. You generally petition the district or county court where the case was filed after a waiting period that runs from the later of the final disposition or your release from supervision. Colorado also runs an automatic 'Clean Slate' program under Senate Bill 22-099, which began sealing eligible misdemeanors on July 1, 2024 and eligible lower-level felonies on July 1, 2025. Serious offenses, including DUI/DWAI, sex offenses, and most violent crimes, remain permanently ineligible. The Colorado Bureau of Investigation maintains the state criminal history repository.

Find out where you stand in Colorado

What are you trying to clear?

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What record-clearing relief does Colorado offer, and what is it called?

Colorado uses record SEALING, not expungement, for adult records under C.R.S. 24-72-701 and following. Sealing hides a conviction or arrest from public and most employer view, but true expungement (destruction) in Colorado is reserved mainly for juvenile records and underage-alcohol offenses. Law enforcement can still see a sealed record.

What is eligible in Colorado and what is the waiting period to seal a record?

Non-convictions can be sealed immediately once the case ends. For convictions under C.R.S. 24-72-706, the wait runs from the later of final disposition or release from supervision: 1 year for petty offenses, 2 years for class 2 or 3 misdemeanors and drug misdemeanors, 3 years for other misdemeanors and lower felonies, and 5 years for other eligible felonies.

Can you seal a felony conviction in Colorado?

Yes, many felonies are eligible in Colorado. Class 4, 5, and 6 felonies and level 3 or 4 drug felonies can typically be sealed 3 years after completion, and other eligible felonies after 5 years, under C.R.S. 24-72-706. Class 1 and 2 felonies, sex offenses, and other serious crimes are permanently excluded.

Does Colorado have automatic 'Clean Slate' sealing?

Yes. Colorado's Clean Slate Act, Senate Bill 22-099, directs the state to automatically seal eligible records without a petition. Automatic sealing of eligible misdemeanors began July 1, 2024, and eligible lower-level felonies began July 1, 2025, generally 7 years after a misdemeanor and 10 years after a felony, with no clean intervening convictions.

Which offenses can never be sealed in Colorado, even under Clean Slate?

Colorado permanently excludes DUI and DWAI convictions, sex offenses requiring registration, class 1 and class 2 felonies, and most Victim Rights Act crimes such as domestic violence and other violent offenses under C.R.S. 24-4.1-302. These stay on your public record and are ineligible for both petition sealing and automatic Clean Slate sealing.

Colorado Record Sealing, the Clean Slate Act, and What Stays Public

Colorado clears adult criminal records by SEALING them under C.R.S. 24-72-701 and following, not by expungement, which in Colorado is largely limited to juvenile and underage-drinking records. Sealing removes a record from public and most employer background checks, but law enforcement, the courts, and certain licensing and criminal-justice agencies retain access, so it is not a full erasure. You petition the district or county court where the case was filed. Under C.R.S. 24-72-705, non-convictions (dismissals, acquittals, and cases that never led to charges) can be sealed once the case is over. For convictions under C.R.S. 24-72-706, the waiting period runs from the later of the final disposition of all proceedings or release from supervision: 1 year for petty offenses and civil infractions, 2 years for class 2 or 3 misdemeanors, drug misdemeanors, and level 4 drug felonies, 3 years for other misdemeanors and class 4, 5, and 6 felonies and level 3 drug felonies, and 5 years for other eligible felonies. DUI and DWAI convictions, sex offenses, class 1 and 2 felonies, and most Victim Rights Act offenses under C.R.S. 24-4.1-302 (including domestic violence) are permanently excluded. On top of petitions, Colorado's Clean Slate Act (Senate Bill 22-099, 2022) directs the Colorado Bureau of Investigation and the Judicial Department to seal eligible records automatically: eligible misdemeanors began sealing July 1, 2024 and eligible lower-level felonies July 1, 2025, generally 7 years after a misdemeanor and 10 years after a felony with no new convictions in the interim. The Colorado Bureau of Investigation maintains the statewide criminal history repository that must be updated once a record is sealed.

Relevant Laws

Colorado Record Sealing Statutes (C.R.S. 24-72-701 et seq.)

Part 7 of Article 72 governs the sealing of Colorado criminal justice records. It defines sealing (hiding a record from public view rather than destroying it), preserves law-enforcement and licensing access under C.R.S. 24-72-703, and separates non-conviction sealing (24-72-705) from conviction sealing.

Clean Slate Act, Automatic Sealing (Senate Bill 22-099, 2022)

Colorado's Clean Slate Act directs the state to automatically seal eligible criminal records without a petition. Automatic sealing of eligible misdemeanors began July 1, 2024, and eligible lower-level felonies began July 1, 2025, generally 7 years after a misdemeanor and 10 years after a felony with no new convictions.

Conviction Sealing, Eligibility and Waiting Periods (C.R.S. 24-72-706)

Sets the petition process and waiting periods for sealing convictions, running from the later of final disposition or release from supervision: 1 year (petty), 2 years (class 2/3 misdemeanors, drug misdemeanors), 3 years (other misdemeanors, class 4-6 felonies), and 5 years (other eligible felonies). Excludes DUI/DWAI, sex offenses, and class 1-2 felonies.

No General Federal Expungement; Non-Conviction Sealing (C.R.S. 24-72-705)

There is no general federal statute to expunge state convictions, so Colorado record clearing is governed entirely by state law. C.R.S. 24-72-705 lets you seal arrests and other records that did not result in a conviction, such as dismissals and acquittals, once the case has concluded.

Regional Variances

Colorado Record-Sealing Eligibility Table

Relief type and name

Colorado uses record SEALING under C.R.S. 24-72-701 and following, not expungement, for adult records. Sealing hides the record from the public and most employers but does not destroy it; law enforcement, courts, and some licensing agencies keep access under C.R.S. 24-72-703. True expungement is reserved mainly for juvenile and underage-alcohol records.

Eligible offenses

Non-convictions (dismissals, acquittals, and uncharged arrests) are broadly sealable under C.R.S. 24-72-705. Many convictions are sealable under C.R.S. 24-72-706, including most misdemeanors, drug offenses, and class 4, 5, and 6 felonies and level 3 and 4 drug felonies, once the applicable waiting period has passed.

Waiting period by offense class

Measured from the later of final disposition or release from supervision: non-convictions immediately; petty offenses and civil infractions 1 year; class 2 or 3 misdemeanors, drug misdemeanors, and level 4 drug felonies 2 years; other misdemeanors, class 4-6 felonies, and level 3 drug felonies 3 years; other eligible felonies 5 years (C.R.S. 24-72-706).

Excluded offenses

Permanently ineligible in Colorado: DUI and DWAI convictions, sex offenses requiring registration, class 1 and class 2 felonies, and most Victim Rights Act crimes under C.R.S. 24-4.1-302 such as domestic violence and other violent felonies. Most traffic offenses are also excluded. These remain on the public record.

Clean Slate automatic sealing status

Active. Under the Clean Slate Act (SB 22-099), Colorado automatically seals eligible records without a petition. Eligible misdemeanors began automatic sealing July 1, 2024 and eligible lower-level felonies July 1, 2025, generally 7 years after a misdemeanor and 10 years after a felony with no new convictions. Excluded offenses above do not qualify for automatic sealing.

Suggested Compliance Checklist

Confirm Colorado eligibility and the waiting period

Before you file days after starting

Verify each charge is sealable under C.R.S. 24-72-706 and that the waiting period (1, 2, 3, or 5 years from the later of final disposition or release from supervision) has passed. Rule out excluded offenses such as DUI/DWAI, sex offenses, and class 1-2 felonies. Check whether the record is already scheduled for automatic Clean Slate sealing.

Order your Colorado criminal history from the CBI

Before drafting the petition days after starting

Request your state criminal history record from the Colorado Bureau of Investigation to capture exact case numbers, charge classes, and disposition dates. Accurate identifiers are needed to complete the sealing motion and to confirm eligibility charge by charge across every county where you have a case.

Prepare the correct Colorado JDF sealing motion

Before filing days after starting

Use the current Colorado Judicial Branch JDF forms that match your record type (non-conviction, single conviction, or multiple convictions under C.R.S. 24-72-705 through 24-72-709). Fill in the case details from your CBI record and prepare the proposed order to seal for the judge's signature.

File in the correct court, pay or waive the fee, and serve the DA

On filing days after starting

File in the district or county court where the case originated, pay the court filing fee and the CBI processing fee (or request a fee waiver), and serve the district attorney and any required agency. Be ready for an objection or a hearing on Victim Rights Act cases or certain felonies.

Confirm the sealing order reaches the CBI and agencies

After the order is signed days after starting

Ensure the signed sealing order is transmitted to the Colorado Bureau of Investigation and every agency holding the record so the state repository is updated, and keep a certified copy. Remember that sealed records remain visible to law enforcement and some licensing bodies. An attorney can help with contested motions or complex multi-case records.

Frequently Asked Questions

Non-conviction sealing motions in Colorado generally have no filing fee. For conviction sealing under C.R.S. 24-72-706, expect a court filing fee (commonly around $65) plus a Colorado Bureau of Investigation processing fee (about $65) charged if the motion is granted. If you cannot afford the fees, you can ask the Colorado court for a fee waiver.

After you file, a straightforward Colorado non-conviction or unopposed conviction sealing can take a few weeks to a few months, depending on the court's docket and whether the district attorney objects. Contested cases or those requiring a hearing take longer. Automatic Clean Slate sealing happens on the state's schedule without you filing, but it can lag the eligibility date.

Yes. In Colorado, sealing removes the record from public and most employer background checks, but it is not destroyed. Law enforcement, the courts, criminal justice agencies, and certain licensing bodies (for example those in health care, education, or law) can still access sealed records under exceptions in C.R.S. 24-72-703. Sealing limits, but does not fully erase, access.

Generally yes for most purposes. Colorado law allows you to state that a sealed criminal event never occurred, including to most private employers, so you can answer 'no' to whether you were arrested or convicted. Exceptions apply: you may need to disclose to law enforcement employers and certain licensing agencies. An attorney can help you confirm what a specific application requires.

No. Colorado permanently excludes DUI and DWAI convictions from record sealing under C.R.S. 24-72-706, and they are also excluded from automatic Clean Slate sealing. A driving-under-the-influence conviction stays on your public criminal and driving record. Other traffic offenses are also largely ineligible. A pardon from the governor is a separate, limited form of relief that does not remove the conviction.

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Sealing a Criminal Record in Colorado (2026) - DocDraft