Expungement Filing
Expungement Information:
People with qualifying arrests and convictions may request the Court of their sentencing county to expunge or seal their records.
The Office of the Illinois State Appellate Defender provides an overview of the process and worksheets you can use to determine if you qualify to expunge or seal your record. They can also answer questions regarding your eligibility for expungement and sealing.
You can visit both the Illinois Supreme Court and the Illinois State Appellate Defender’s websites for more information and the necessary forms for expungement and/or sealing.
Illinois Legal Aid Online (ILAO) provides a guided interview to help you prepare your documents for requesting an expungement or sealing of your criminal record.
There is no fee to file a request to expunge a juvenile record. Juvenile Expungement information and forms
Procedure For Filing:
Step 1: Visit the Illinois Supreme Court Standardized Forms Website for Expungements. Select the forms relevant for your case(s). Please read completely the document titled “How to Expunge and/or Seal” before you begin.
Step 2: Follow the directions to print and/or fill out and print the necessary documents listed below to include in your Request. (See documents listed in Step 3)
Step 3: To file your Request, the following items should be e-filed at Odyssey eFileIL, as a new Miscellaneous Criminal case category.
For assistance with e-filing, visit the SRL Room, located on the first floor in the DeKalb County Courthouse, Room 105.
- A filing fee in the amount of $187.00 (non-refundable) for each Request filed, due at the time of efiling. This amount which covers the cost of filing the petition, copy fees, mailing and postage fees for required notices, and fees to the Illinois State Police. If your request to expunge and/or seal is denied by the Court, the State Police portion ($60.00) of the filing fee will be refunded to you.
- One (1) original “Request to Expunge and/or Seal Criminal Records.”
- One (1) original “Case List for Request to Expunge and/or Seal Criminal Records”
- One (1) original “Order to Expunge and/or Seal Records.”
- One (1) original “Order Denying Request to Expunge and Impound and/or Seal Criminal Records.”
* If eligible for sealing only – follow the above directions except file the document into the existing criminal case
Step 4: Agencies have 60 days to file an objection after receiving your Request to Expunge or Seal. The Circuit Clerk will set up a court date approximately 90 days from the initial filing date to allow time for agencies to respond. You will receive notice in the mail of the court date.
Step 5: If there is no objection to the Request, and the Judge agrees you are eligible, our office will forward on to the Illinois State Police a certified copy of the “Order to Expunge” or “Order to Seal” and $60, which is included in the $187.00 filing fee. Also, we will send you a certified copy of the “Order to Expunge” or “Order to Seal” and mail copies to the required agencies.
*The Clerks of the Courts Act absolutely forbids any clerk from giving legal advice. Legal advice includes telling you whether you qualify for an expungement or a sealing and how to fill out the forms. The clerks CAN tell you what is in your court file, including the disposition of your case, as well as local procedures for filing and the relevant fees.
Questions or to request additional information contact:
Office of the State Appellate Defender
Expungement & Sealing Unit
400 W. Monroe, Suite 202
Springfield, IL 62704
Toll-Free: 866-787-1776