Expunging a Criminal Record in Connecticut (2026)
Reviewed by DocDraft Legal Team · Connecticut · Last updated August 19, 2026
Connecticut does not use the word 'expungement' for adult convictions; the state term is 'erasure' of criminal records under Conn. Gen. Stat. 54-142a. Connecticut is a clean-slate state: the Clean Slate Act (Conn. Gen. Stat. 54-142e and following), effective January 1, 2023 and implemented in 2024, automatically erases eligible misdemeanors seven years after the most recent conviction and certain Class D, Class E, and unclassified felonies ten years after the most recent conviction. Where a conviction does not qualify for automatic erasure, the petition route is an absolute pardon from the Board of Pardons and Paroles, which fully erases the record if granted. Sex offenses and family-violence crimes are excluded from automatic Clean Slate erasure. The state repository is maintained by the Department of Emergency Services and Public Protection (State Police).
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What are you trying to clear?
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What record-clearing relief does Connecticut offer, and what is it called?
Connecticut calls it 'erasure,' not expungement. Under Conn. Gen. Stat. 54-142a, erased records are physically destroyed or restricted from public view. Two routes exist in Connecticut: automatic Clean Slate erasure for eligible convictions, and an absolute pardon from the Board of Pardons and Paroles that fully erases a record.
What convictions are eligible for erasure in Connecticut, and how long is the wait?
Under Connecticut's Clean Slate law, any misdemeanor is eligible seven years after the most recent conviction, and Class D, Class E, or unclassified felonies (including operating under the influence) are eligible ten years after the most recent conviction. Sex offenses and family-violence crimes are not eligible for erasure.
Can you expunge or erase a felony in Connecticut?
Yes, some felonies. Connecticut Clean Slate erasure reaches Class D, Class E, and unclassified felonies carrying under five years, ten years after the most recent conviction. More serious felonies are not automatically erased, but an absolute pardon from the Board of Pardons and Paroles can fully erase a felony record if the Board grants it.
Does Connecticut have automatic 'clean slate' erasure of records?
Yes. The Connecticut Clean Slate Act, Conn. Gen. Stat. 54-142e and following, took effect January 1, 2023 and was implemented in 2024. Eligible misdemeanors and certain Class D/E felonies committed on or after January 1, 2000 are erased automatically, with no petition, once the waiting period passes.
Which convictions are automatically erased under Connecticut's Clean Slate Act?
Under Conn. Gen. Stat. 54-142e, Connecticut automatically erases any misdemeanor seven years after the most recent conviction and Class D, Class E, or unclassified felonies (including operating under the influence) ten years after, for offenses on or after January 1, 2000. Sex offenses and family-violence crimes are excluded, and pre-2000 offenses require a petition.
Connecticut's 'Erasure' System, the Clean Slate Act, and the Absolute Pardon Route
Connecticut is a clean-slate state that clears records through 'erasure' rather than 'expungement.' The general erasure statute is Conn. Gen. Stat. 54-142a, and the automatic Clean Slate provisions live at Conn. Gen. Stat. 54-142e and following, effective January 1, 2023 and implemented in 2024. For offenses committed on or after January 1, 2000, erasure happens automatically without any petition: any classified or unclassified misdemeanor is erased seven years after the person's most recent conviction, and Class D, Class E, or unclassified felonies (those carrying under five years, including operating while under the influence) are erased ten years after the most recent conviction. Offenses committed before January 1, 2000 are not erased automatically; the person must file a petition on a form prescribed by the Office of the Chief Court Administrator. Sex offenses and family-violence crimes are excluded from Clean Slate erasure. Where a conviction is not eligible for automatic erasure, the petition route is an absolute pardon from the Connecticut Board of Pardons and Paroles, which, if granted, fully erases the official Connecticut adult criminal record. A person can apply for an absolute pardon three years after a misdemeanor conviction and five years after a felony conviction, with no pending charges and not while on probation or parole. The state criminal-history repository is maintained by the Department of Emergency Services and Public Protection (Connecticut State Police), which updates records when erasure or a pardon takes effect.
Relevant Laws
Erasure of Criminal Records (Conn. Gen. Stat. 54-142a)
Connecticut's core record-clearing statute. It uses the term 'erasure' rather than expungement and provides for the destruction or restriction of erased criminal records, including records of dismissals, acquittals, and pardoned or otherwise erased convictions.
Clean Slate Automatic Erasure (Conn. Gen. Stat. 54-142e and following)
The Clean Slate Act, effective January 1, 2023 and implemented in 2024, automatically erases eligible misdemeanors seven years after the most recent conviction and certain Class D, Class E, and unclassified felonies ten years after, for offenses on or after January 1, 2000.
Clean Slate Eligibility and Waiting Periods
Any misdemeanor qualifies seven years after the most recent conviction; Class D, Class E, and unclassified felonies (including operating under the influence) qualify ten years after. Sex offenses and family-violence crimes are excluded; pre-2000 offenses require a petition.
Absolute Pardon from the Board of Pardons and Paroles
For convictions not reached by automatic Clean Slate erasure, an absolute pardon fully erases the official Connecticut adult criminal record if granted. There is no general federal expungement of state records; Connecticut relief is set by state law.
Regional Variances
Connecticut Record Erasure Eligibility Table
Relief type and name
Connecticut calls record-clearing 'erasure,' not expungement, under Conn. Gen. Stat. 54-142a. Erased records are destroyed or restricted from public access. Relief comes through two routes: automatic Clean Slate erasure and, for other convictions, an absolute pardon from the Board of Pardons and Paroles that fully erases the record.
Eligible offenses and waiting period by class
Under Conn. Gen. Stat. 54-142e, any classified or unclassified misdemeanor is eligible seven years after the most recent conviction. Class D, Class E, or unclassified felonies carrying under five years, including operating under the influence, are eligible ten years after the most recent conviction.
Clean Slate automatic timing
Automatic erasure applies to qualifying offenses committed on or after January 1, 2000; the Clean Slate Act took effect January 1, 2023 and was implemented in 2024. No petition is required for these. Qualifying offenses committed before January 1, 2000 must be erased by petition on a form prescribed by the Office of the Chief Court Administrator.
Absolute pardon route
For convictions not reached by Clean Slate, an absolute pardon from the Board of Pardons and Paroles fully erases the record. A person may apply three years after a misdemeanor conviction and five years after a felony conviction, with no pending charges and not while on probation or parole. Review takes roughly 12 to 18 months.
Excluded offenses
Sex offenses and family-violence crimes are not eligible for Clean Slate erasure in Connecticut. Serious felonies above Class D/E are not automatically erased and can be cleared, if at all, only through an absolute pardon granted by the Board of Pardons and Paroles.
Clean-slate status
Yes. Connecticut is a clean-slate state. Eligible records are erased automatically by operation of law under Conn. Gen. Stat. 54-142e and following, without any petition or fee, once the applicable seven-year or ten-year waiting period passes.
Suggested Compliance Checklist
Confirm your Connecticut offense class and waiting period
Before you rely on erasure or apply for a pardon days after startingVerify whether your conviction is a misdemeanor (seven-year wait) or a Class D, Class E, or unclassified felony (ten-year wait) under Conn. Gen. Stat. 54-142e, and whether it was committed on or after January 1, 2000. Confirm it is not a sex offense or family-violence crime, which are excluded from Clean Slate erasure.
Obtain your Connecticut criminal history record
Early in the process days after startingRequest your state RAP sheet from the Department of Emergency Services and Public Protection (Connecticut State Police) to confirm conviction dates and offense classes. This tells you whether automatic Clean Slate erasure applies or whether you must file a pre-2000 petition or seek an absolute pardon.
Prepare the correct petition or pardon application
After confirming your route days after startingFor a pre-2000 qualifying offense, complete the erasure petition prescribed by the Office of the Chief Court Administrator. For a conviction not covered by Clean Slate, prepare the absolute pardon application from the Board of Pardons and Paroles, including any references and supporting documents the Board requests.
File with the correct Connecticut body and address any fee
When your paperwork is complete days after startingFile a pre-2000 erasure petition with the Connecticut Judicial Branch through the Superior Court where the case was handled, or submit the absolute pardon application to the Board of Pardons and Paroles. Confirm any current filing fee and whether a fee waiver is available before you submit.
Confirm the record was erased or the pardon granted
After decision or automatic erasure days after startingVerify that the Department of Emergency Services and Public Protection (Connecticut State Police) and the Judicial Branch updated or cleared the record. Some law-enforcement, licensing, or immigration authorities may retain limited access, so an attorney can help you confirm how far your relief reaches before you rely on it.
| Task | Description | Document | Days after starting |
|---|---|---|---|
| Confirm your Connecticut offense class and waiting period | Verify whether your conviction is a misdemeanor (seven-year wait) or a Class D, Class E, or unclassified felony (ten-year wait) under Conn. Gen. Stat. 54-142e, and whether it was committed on or after January 1, 2000. Confirm it is not a sex offense or family-violence crime, which are excluded from Clean Slate erasure. | - | Before you rely on erasure or apply for a pardon |
| Obtain your Connecticut criminal history record | Request your state RAP sheet from the Department of Emergency Services and Public Protection (Connecticut State Police) to confirm conviction dates and offense classes. This tells you whether automatic Clean Slate erasure applies or whether you must file a pre-2000 petition or seek an absolute pardon. | - | Early in the process |
| Prepare the correct petition or pardon application | For a pre-2000 qualifying offense, complete the erasure petition prescribed by the Office of the Chief Court Administrator. For a conviction not covered by Clean Slate, prepare the absolute pardon application from the Board of Pardons and Paroles, including any references and supporting documents the Board requests. | - | After confirming your route |
| File with the correct Connecticut body and address any fee | File a pre-2000 erasure petition with the Connecticut Judicial Branch through the Superior Court where the case was handled, or submit the absolute pardon application to the Board of Pardons and Paroles. Confirm any current filing fee and whether a fee waiver is available before you submit. | - | When your paperwork is complete |
| Confirm the record was erased or the pardon granted | Verify that the Department of Emergency Services and Public Protection (Connecticut State Police) and the Judicial Branch updated or cleared the record. Some law-enforcement, licensing, or immigration authorities may retain limited access, so an attorney can help you confirm how far your relief reaches before you rely on it. | - | After decision or automatic erasure |
Frequently Asked Questions
Automatic Clean Slate erasure in Connecticut costs nothing because it happens by operation of law with no filing. An absolute pardon application to the Board of Pardons and Paroles is generally submitted without a filing fee, though obtaining your criminal-history record and any supporting documents can carry small costs. Confirm current fees with the Board before applying.
In Connecticut, the absolute pardon process through the Board of Pardons and Paroles generally takes about 12 to 18 months from application to decision. Non-violent applicants may qualify for an expedited review that grants a pardon without a hearing. Automatic Clean Slate erasure, by contrast, occurs on its own once the waiting period passes.
Connecticut erasure and an absolute pardon are broad and clear the official adult criminal record, so most employers and the public will not see it. However, certain law-enforcement, court, licensing, or federal and immigration authorities may retain limited access in specific circumstances. An attorney can help you confirm how far your relief reaches.
Generally yes. Connecticut law treats an erased conviction as if it never occurred, and you may lawfully deny that you were arrested or convicted of the erased offense. Employers may not require you to disclose erased records. If you are unsure how a specific question applies, an attorney can advise before you answer.
Yes, in Connecticut a conviction for operating while under the influence is treated like an unclassified felony for Clean Slate purposes and is eligible for automatic erasure ten years after your most recent conviction, for offenses on or after January 1, 2000. Sex offenses and family-violence crimes, by contrast, remain excluded from erasure.
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