§ 943.0585, Fla. Stat.
Florida Expungement
The record is destroyed.
Expungement is the strongest relief Florida offers. It applies when your charges were dropped, never filed, or dismissed before you were ever convicted. Agencies physically destroy their copies of the record, and FDLE keeps a single confidential copy that almost no one can reach.
- Court petition
- Required
- Lifetime relief
- Uses your one chance
- FDLE fee
- $75
Who this fits
Your case was dropped, no-filed, nolle prosequi'd, or dismissed, and you have never been convicted of anything.
What it actually does to your record
The arrest is removed from public record. In nearly every situation — including most job and housing applications — you may lawfully deny that the arrest ever happened.
Eligibility is about your whole record
The most common reason applications fail is not the case being cleared — it is a different case entirely. A prior adjudication of guilt anywhere in Florida, including DUI or driving while license suspended, can close this route before it starts. Our screening checks your whole picture, not just the arrest you are focused on.
Questions about expungement
Who qualifies for expungement in Florida?
Your case was dropped, no-filed, nolle prosequi'd, or dismissed, and you have never been convicted of anything. This relief is governed by § 943.0585, Fla. Stat.. Eligibility also depends on your record as a whole — a prior adjudication of guilt in any case, in any county, can close this route even when the case you want cleared looks clean.
Does expungement require a court hearing?
Yes. After FDLE issues your Certificate of Eligibility, you file a petition, a sworn affidavit, and a proposed order with the court in the county where you were arrested. A judge must sign the order before the record is actually cleared.
Does expungement use up my one-in-a-lifetime relief?
Yes. Florida permits one court-ordered sealing or expungement per person for life, and this route consumes it. If you have more than one record, choosing which to clear is permanent.
What does expungement cost?
FDLE charges a non-refundable $75 processing fee, paid by money order or check. You will also pay the clerk of court for certified dispositions, and possibly a fingerprinting fee. Our preparation fee is separate and disclosed up front.