Record-clearing in Chester County, PA

(Updated July 14, 2026)

If you have a criminal conviction in Chester County, Legal Aid of Southeastern PA might be able to help.

For more information, contact the LASP Helpline at 877-429-5994 Monday-Friday, from 9 a.m.-1 p.m., or apply online 24/7.

If you do not qualify for LASP services or would like to complete the process on your own, please see the below information.  

PLEASE NOTE: Counties have specific procedural requirements that may differ from other counties.

Use the Chester County guides if you have convictions in CHESTER COUNTY.

• For other counties in LASP’s service area, visit the main record-clearing page for more information.

• For any other county outside of Bucks, Chester, Delaware and Montgomery counties, please find the legal aid organization in Pennsylvania or the United States that serves your area. 

Chester County Expungements

Expungement is the complete destruction of a criminal record, available in some cases: 

• Non-conviction dispositions (charges were dismissed, withdrawn, nolle prossed, not guilty, etc.) 

• ARD/Section 17 if you have completed all of the requirements 

• Summary convictions if you have five subsequent years free from arrest and have paid off all court fines, fees, costs, and restitution 

• Summary convictions if you were under 18 at the time of the offense, are now over 18, AND six months have passed since you completed the sentence and paid the fine 

• Misdemeanor and felony convictions if you are 70+ years old and have a ten-year arrest free period since the end of your sentence (including probation or parole) 

• If acquitted on all charges or if you receive a governor’s pardon, expungement is automatic. 

LASP strongly recommends pursuing an expungement with the assistance of a licensed, expert attorney.

However, if you plan to file an expungement petition on your own, LASP’s Community Engagement Unit provides the Chester County Expungement Guide (14-page PDF) as a resource. This is a self-help guide to expunging your criminal record in Chester County.

Chester County Limited Access (sealing, or Clean Slate)

Beginning February 12, 2024, Pennsylvania residents with criminal records have more chances for a fresh start. The Clean Slate 3.0 law expands record-sealing and shortens the timeframe for eligibility. 

Sealed records do not need to be disclosed, unless required by federal law. A sealed record cannot be seen on a background check or on the public case search. 

Some convictions are sealed automatically, but others require a petition to be filed in court. Limited access (aka sealing) is available for some low-level felony convictions after you have been arrest/conviction-free for 10 years: 

• Many drug crimes with shorter sentences 

• Theft (including Retail Theft and Receiving Stolen Property) 

• Trespass and Criminal Mischief 

• Forgery & Fraud (including Access/Device Fraud, Bad Checks, ID Theft & Welfare Fraud) 

• Conspiracy or Solicitation of any of the above 

Many misdemeanor convictions can be sealed after you have been arrest/conviction-free for 7 years, including ALL convictions on your record that are graded M2, M3, or M: 

• Recklessly Endangering Another Person 

• Simple Assault (M2 only) 

• Driving under the influence (DUI) 

• Disorderly Conduct 

• Resisting Arrest 

• Harassment 

• Terroristic Threats 

• Possession of an Instrument of Crime 

• Prostitution  

Chester County Limited Access Guide (self-help guide to sealing your criminal record in Chester County):

Pardons

Pardons follow statewide procedures (not county-specific). LASP is not representing pardon applicants. More information on how to represent yourself is available on LASP’s Pardons webpage.  

Return to LASP’s main record-clearing page