If you are seeking an Illinois expungement please review the expungement overview below. Check back often or Sign Up for an email alert when the Illinois Expungement Kit is ready.

Requirement(s) to qualify for an expungement in the state:

1. A person reaching age 17 may have prior records may be expunged if
   1. no petition for delinquency filed, or
   2. found not delinquent of offense, or
   3. offense would be Class B misdemeanor if an adult, or
   4. order of supervision terminated.
2. a) At any time after turning 21 or having 5 years pass since last juvenile court proceeding or confinement terminated, whichever is later, and no convictions since 17th birthday
b) a person may apply for expungement of the delinquency offense committed before age 17 not resulting in criminal court proceedings.
3. Whenever any person has reached the age of 17 or whenever all juvenile court proceedings relating to that person have been terminated, whichever is later, the person may petition the court to expunge law enforcement records relating to incidents occurring before his 17th birthday or his juvenile court records, or both, if the minor was placed under supervision pursuant to Sections 2-20, 3-21, or 4-18, and that order of supervision has since been successfully terminated.
4. An adult or minor prosecuted as an adult, not having previously been convicted of any criminal offense or municipal ordinance violation, charged with a violation of a municipal ordinance or a felony or misdemeanor, is acquitted or released without being convicted
5. A person who has been convicted of an offense is granted a pardon by the Governor which specifically authorizes expungement.
6. A person whose conviction has been set aside on direct review or on collateral attack and the court determines by clear and convincing evidence that the defendant was factually innocent of the charge.

Additional restrictions on who can qualify for an expungement

If you were convicted and this is your first misdemeanor or minor felony conviction (marijuana and prostitution) and it has it been 4 years since you successfully completed your sentence including probation and payment of all fines you are eligible immediately.

Does the law provide for sealing? What are the requirements?

Arrest without conviction for misdemeanor, for felonies, sentence for drug case can be sealed

What does it mean if you have a record expunged or sealed

The process of legally destroying, obliterating or striking out records or information in files, computers and other depositories relating to criminal charges is the expungement.

Law enforcement records or juvenile court records of juveniles, or both, to be expunged from the official records of the arresting authority. . The record of arrest expunged from the official records of the arresting authority and the Department may be expunged.

If you have your records expunged, in many cases, the records will be “off-limits” to employers and the rest of the general public and treated like they never existed. For example, when you fill out a job application, you do not have to tell a potential employer about the case you have had expunged.

No. The records cannot be accessed for general law enforcement or civil use. An expunged record may not be considered by any private or public entity in employment matters, certification, licensing, revocation of certification or licensure, or registration. Expunged juvenile criminal records' information may only be used for statistical and bona fide research purposes.

Are you eligible for an Illinois Expungement? Most crimes can be expunged. For a description of the crimes that cannot be expunged, click here .

Be sure to check the site often as we are in the process of adding Expungement Kit for the State of Illinois soon.