Expunging a Criminal Record in Nevada (2026)
Reviewed by DocDraft Legal Team · Nevada · Last updated August 19, 2026
Nevada does not use the word 'expungement,' which erases a record entirely. Instead, Nevada seals criminal records under NRS 179.245 for convictions and NRS 179.255 for non-convictions, hiding them from public view while allowing certain agencies to keep access. Whether a conviction can be sealed and how long you must wait depend on the offense category, with waiting periods measured from release from custody or discharge from probation or parole. Some serious offenses, including category A felonies, felony DUI, crimes against a child, and sexual offenses, can never be sealed. You file a petition in the court where the case was decided, and the Nevada Department of Public Safety updates the record.
Find out where you stand in Nevada
What are you trying to clear?
DocDraft provides document preparation, not legal advice.
What record-clearing relief does Nevada offer, and what is it called?
Nevada calls it record 'sealing,' not expungement. Under NRS 179.245 (convictions) and NRS 179.255 (non-convictions), a sealed record is hidden from public view and employers, but it is not destroyed. Courts, law enforcement, and some licensing bodies can still access sealed records in defined situations.
What criminal records are eligible to be sealed in Nevada?
Most misdemeanors, gross misdemeanors, and category B, C, D, and E felonies can be sealed in Nevada after a waiting period. Arrests and charges that did not lead to conviction, such as dismissals and acquittals, can be sealed under NRS 179.255. Category A felonies, felony DUI, crimes against a child, and sexual offenses can never be sealed.
Can you seal a felony conviction in Nevada?
Yes, many felonies can be sealed in Nevada. Category B, C, and D felonies require a 5 year wait, and a category E felony requires 2 years, both measured from release from custody or discharge from probation or parole under NRS 179.245. Category A felonies and felony DUI can never be sealed.
Does Nevada have automatic 'clean slate' sealing of convictions?
No. Nevada does not automatically seal eligible convictions, so you must file a petition under NRS 179.245. Nevada does provide sealing for non-convictions under NRS 179.255, and a court can order records sealed after an acquittal or dismissal, but there is no automatic clean-slate system for convictions the way some states have adopted.
What is the waiting period to seal a record in Nevada by offense category?
Under NRS 179.245, category B, C, and D felonies require 5 years, a category E felony 2 years, a gross misdemeanor 2 years, and most misdemeanors 1 year, all from release or discharge. A non-felony DUI requires 7 years. Category A felonies, felony DUI, crimes against a child, and sexual offenses can never be sealed.
Nevada Seals Rather Than Expunges: Category-Based Waiting Periods Under NRS 179.245
Nevada is a sealing state, not an expungement state. NRS 179.245 governs sealing after a conviction and NRS 179.255 governs sealing of non-convictions such as dismissals and acquittals. A sealed record is removed from public view, so you can generally answer 'no' to conviction questions, but the record is not physically destroyed and remains accessible to courts, law enforcement, and certain regulators. Eligibility and timing turn on the offense category, measured from release from custody or discharge from probation or parole: category B, C, and D felonies require 5 years, a category E felony 2 years, a gross misdemeanor 2 years, and most misdemeanors 1 year, while a non-felony DUI requires 7 years. Reforms in 2019 (Assembly Bill 192) shortened many of these periods. Some offenses can never be sealed under NRS 179.245, including category A felonies, felony DUI, crimes against a child, and sexual offenses. Nevada has no automatic clean-slate program for convictions, so relief is petition-based: you file in the court where the case was decided, such as the justice or municipal court for a misdemeanor or the district court for a felony, serve the district attorney, and, once granted, the Nevada Department of Public Safety Records, Communications and Compliance Division updates the central repository.
Relevant Laws
Sealing Records After Conviction (NRS 179.245)
Nevada's core record-sealing statute for convictions. It sets who is eligible, the waiting periods by offense category measured from release or discharge, the petition and notice process, and the list of offenses that can never be sealed, such as category A felonies, felony DUI, crimes against a child, and sexual offenses.
Sealing Records of Non-Convictions (NRS 179.255)
Governs sealing of records where there was no conviction, such as a dismissal, acquittal, or a charge that was never pursued. It allows a person to petition to seal arrest and court records for cases that did not result in a conviction, on a shorter or immediate timeline compared to convictions.
No Automatic Clean Slate: Petition-Only Sealing in Nevada
Nevada does not automatically seal eligible convictions. Relief is petition-based under NRS 179.245, and 2019 reforms (Assembly Bill 192) shortened many waiting periods but did not create an automatic clean-slate system for convictions the way some other states have adopted.
No General Federal Expungement of State Records
There is no general federal law to expunge or seal a Nevada state conviction, and 'expungement' that destroys a record is not what Nevada offers. Nevada uses sealing, which hides but does not erase the record, so relief for a Nevada state case comes through the Nevada courts under NRS Chapter 179.
Regional Variances
Nevada Record Sealing Eligibility Table (NRS 179.245 and 179.255)
Relief type and name
Nevada offers 'sealing,' not expungement, under NRS 179.245 for convictions and NRS 179.255 for non-convictions. A sealed record is hidden from public view but not destroyed, and courts, law enforcement, and certain regulators retain access. Sealing lets you generally deny the conviction for most purposes.
Category B, C, and D felonies
Eligible after a 5 year waiting period, measured from release from custody or discharge from probation or parole under NRS 179.245. These mid-level felonies are sealable once the wait passes and no exclusion applies, and 2019 reforms shortened the prior periods.
Category E felony and gross misdemeanor
Eligible after a 2 year waiting period from release from custody or discharge from probation or parole under NRS 179.245. Category E is Nevada's least serious felony class, and gross misdemeanors share the same 2 year timeline for sealing.
Misdemeanors and DUI
Most misdemeanor convictions are eligible 1 year after the case is closed under NRS 179.245. A non-felony DUI is an exception and requires a 7 year wait from release or discharge. A felony DUI can never be sealed.
Non-convictions
Records of arrests and charges that did not result in a conviction, such as dismissals and acquittals, can be sealed under NRS 179.255 on a shorter or immediate basis, and a court can order sealing after an acquittal or dismissal without the long conviction waiting periods.
Never eligible to be sealed
Under NRS 179.245, category A felonies, felony DUI, crimes against a child, and sexual offenses can never be sealed in Nevada. These serious offenses are permanently excluded no matter how much time has passed, so a petition for one of them will be denied.
Clean-slate status
Nevada has no automatic clean-slate sealing for convictions. All conviction sealing is petition-based under NRS 179.245, filed in the court where the case was decided, and the Nevada Department of Public Safety updates the central repository once the order is entered.
Suggested Compliance Checklist
Confirm the offense category and waiting period in Nevada
Before you file the petition days after startingVerify each conviction's category and that the NRS 179.245 waiting period has run from release or discharge: 5 years for category B, C, and D felonies, 2 years for a category E felony or gross misdemeanor, 1 year for most misdemeanors, and 7 years for a non-felony DUI. Confirm the offense is not a never-eligible category A felony, felony DUI, crime against a child, or sexual offense.
Obtain your Nevada criminal history record
Early, before drafting the petition days after startingRequest your criminal history from the Nevada Department of Public Safety Records, Communications and Compliance Division and collect case numbers, charges, and disposition dates for each case you want sealed. The petition must list every record accurately, and a conviction petition requires a current state repository history.
Prepare the petition to seal under the correct statute
After confirming eligibility days after startingDraft a petition to seal under NRS 179.245 for convictions or NRS 179.255 for non-convictions, using the self-help packet from the court where the case was decided. Include the required disposition details and criminal history. There is no single statewide form number for every court, so use the correct court's packet.
File in the correct Nevada court and serve the district attorney
Once the petition is complete days after startingFile the petition in the justice or municipal court for a misdemeanor, or the district court for a felony or gross misdemeanor, pay or request a waiver of the filing fee, and serve the district attorney who prosecuted the case so they can object or consent under NRS 179.245.
Distribute the signed order and confirm the record is sealed
After the court grants the petition days after startingSend certified copies of the sealing order to every agency named in it, including the Nevada Department of Public Safety central repository, the arresting agency, and the court clerk, and keep a certified copy for your records. An attorney can help if the district attorney objects or the record is complex.
| Task | Description | Document | Days after starting |
|---|---|---|---|
| Confirm the offense category and waiting period in Nevada | Verify each conviction's category and that the NRS 179.245 waiting period has run from release or discharge: 5 years for category B, C, and D felonies, 2 years for a category E felony or gross misdemeanor, 1 year for most misdemeanors, and 7 years for a non-felony DUI. Confirm the offense is not a never-eligible category A felony, felony DUI, crime against a child, or sexual offense. | - | Before you file the petition |
| Obtain your Nevada criminal history record | Request your criminal history from the Nevada Department of Public Safety Records, Communications and Compliance Division and collect case numbers, charges, and disposition dates for each case you want sealed. The petition must list every record accurately, and a conviction petition requires a current state repository history. | - | Early, before drafting the petition |
| Prepare the petition to seal under the correct statute | Draft a petition to seal under NRS 179.245 for convictions or NRS 179.255 for non-convictions, using the self-help packet from the court where the case was decided. Include the required disposition details and criminal history. There is no single statewide form number for every court, so use the correct court's packet. | - | After confirming eligibility |
| File in the correct Nevada court and serve the district attorney | File the petition in the justice or municipal court for a misdemeanor, or the district court for a felony or gross misdemeanor, pay or request a waiver of the filing fee, and serve the district attorney who prosecuted the case so they can object or consent under NRS 179.245. | - | Once the petition is complete |
| Distribute the signed order and confirm the record is sealed | Send certified copies of the sealing order to every agency named in it, including the Nevada Department of Public Safety central repository, the arresting agency, and the court clerk, and keep a certified copy for your records. An attorney can help if the district attorney objects or the record is complex. | - | After the court grants the petition |
Frequently Asked Questions
Costs vary by court and case. You generally pay a court filing fee for the petition to seal, plus a fee to obtain your Nevada criminal history record from the Department of Public Safety. Fee waivers may be available if you cannot afford the cost, and Nevada waives sealing fees for certain victims of sex trafficking under NRS 179.245. Attorney fees, if you hire one, are separate.
The timeline in Nevada varies by court and county, and often takes several months. Obtaining your state criminal history, preparing the petition, filing it, and giving the district attorney time to respond all add up. Unopposed petitions can move faster, while an objection or a required hearing can extend the process. Backlogs in busy courts can also lengthen the wait.
Sometimes yes. Sealing under NRS 179.245 hides the record from the general public and most employers, but it is not destroyed. Courts and law enforcement can access sealed records for defined purposes, and certain licensing and regulatory bodies, gaming authorities, and immigration officials may still see them. Sealing is not a guarantee that no agency will ever access the record.
Generally yes. Once a Nevada court seals your record, the law treats the proceedings as if they never occurred for most purposes, so you can usually answer that you were not arrested, charged, or convicted on a standard job application. Exceptions exist for certain licensing, gaming, and government positions, so read each application carefully before answering.
It depends on severity. A non-felony (misdemeanor) DUI can be sealed in Nevada, but only after a 7 year waiting period from release from custody or discharge from probation, which is longer than for other misdemeanors. A felony DUI can never be sealed under NRS 179.245. Confirm which category your DUI falls into before assuming it is eligible.
Other Nevada guides
Ready to Draft Your Document?
Get AI-powered legal documents with attorney review included. Plans start at $39.99/mo.