AN ARREST THAT DID NOT RESULT IN A CONVICTION MAY BE ELIGIBLE FOR EXPUNGMENT, OR DELETION, OF RECORDS
If you have an arrest record, meaning that you were fingerprinted, and were not convicted of the crime, you may be eligible for expungement, which is deletion of the information from the Washington State Patrol and FBI databases. Reasons for expungement include travel, immigration, licensing, and employment.
Question: Do I qualify?
Most arrests that did not result in conviction qualify so long as:
- It has been at least 3 years since the arrest or 2 years since the dismissal, whichever is sooner.
- You do not have prior gross or subsequent convictions
- It was not dismissed as the result of a deferred prosecution or similar. Most “deals” for first time offenders qualify.
Watch this one-minute video for more on expunging an arrest in Washington State
This quick quiz can help you figure out what is right for your record and if you qualify.