Ohio Expungement Law
When Can You Apply for Expungement?
Under Ohio's expungement laws, individuals must wait a specific duration before applying — often referred to as the "expungement waiting period." This period begins only after the case is fully discharged, meaning all sentences served, probation completed, and fines/restitution paid.
Felony Conviction
An eligible offender can apply to the sentencing court to seek the expungement and sealing of their felony conviction record three years after the case's termination. However, some offenses may only require a one-year waiting period.
Misdemeanor Conviction
An eligible offender can apply to the sentencing court to have their misdemeanor conviction expunged and sealed one year after the case's conclusion. For minor misdemeanors, this waiting period is reduced to six months.
Dismissed Charge
When a charge against an individual is dismissed, that individual is eligible to apply for the expungement and sealing of their record without delay. There is no required waiting period.
Acquittal (Not Guilty)
A person who is acquitted at the end of a trial is permitted to apply for expungement without delay. There is no required waiting period to submit an expungement request for a not guilty verdict.
No Bill (Grand Jury)
In the event that a grand jury has issued a No Bill, an application for expungement may be submitted at any time following the completion of two years from the date the grand jury communicated its No Bill to the court.
Bail Forfeiture (Misdemeanor)
An individual arrested for a misdemeanor who has experienced bail forfeiture may submit an application to the court at any point after one year has passed since the bail forfeiture was recorded.
Expungement of Multiple Offenses
When there are two or three convictions stemming from the same incident, they will be treated as a single conviction for the purposes of expungement and sealing. If an individual faces multiple charges due to a single act and at least one charge has a different final disposition, they cannot seek expungement for any case until they are eligible to apply for all related records.
A 2014 amendment (OH SB143) introduced an exception: if the final disposition of one charge is an unsealable motor vehicle offense (excluding OVI or physical control), and all other charges qualify under the Not Guilty / Dismissal / No Bill law (ORC 2953.52), the court may permit sealing of all records together (ORC 2953.61).
Statewide Representation