Adult Record Sealing in Ohio
In Ohio, adult criminal records are not expunged (or permanently deleted), unless you are a victim of human trafficking and you have been convicted of prostitution, solicitation, or loitering to solicit.
If you wish to seal your record, you should contact your county’s Court of Common Pleas, and/or any local courts where you received a criminal conviction. You should ask if there is free legal representation to help you complete your record sealing application.
In the event you wish to file your record sealing application by yourself, the fee is $50 but some municipalities may charge more. Check with each court about their current filing fees and request a poverty affidavit if you unable to afford the fee. Sealing a non-conviction, acquittal, no bill or dismissed charges should always be free of charge.
The Certificate of Qualification for Employment (CQE)
If you are ineligible for record sealing, you should consider applying for the CQE. The CQE removes certain legal barriers to employment or occupational licensing, and it protects employers from negligent hiring liability if they hire someone with this certificate.
With the CQE, a job seeker or individual applying for a state license must have their application individually considered by either the employer or state licensing board. A person cannot be denied solely because of their criminal conviction. However, the certificate cannot be used for obtaining a job or state license in the healthcare field if a person has been convicted of murder, kidnapping, or certain serious and violent offenses.
Record Sealing and CQE Frequency Asked Questions
How to Apply
Record Sealing and/or Expungement
Apply online for Record Sealing and Expungement
Once you have submitted your information, an attorney from the Cuyahoga County Public Defender’s Office will contact you regarding your application. If you have additional questions regarding the process or your application, please call the Public Defender’s Office at (216) 443-7580.
Certificate of Qualification for Employment (CQE)
You will create a username and password, fill out the application and await confirmation that your application has been accepted. Once accepted, you will print your application and take it to your county’s Clerk of Court’s Office with the $50 filing fee. The court will assign you a court date to determine if your county judge will grant you the CQE. Assistance is available through the Second Chance Reentry Legal Clinic at Case Western Reserve University, if you would like help completing your CQE application. Please contact the Legal Clinic at lawclinic@case.edu or (216) 368-2766. Learn more about the Certificate of Qualification.