Clearing a Criminal Record
Conn. Gen. Stat. § 54-142a — erased automatically seven years after a misdemeanor conviction and ten after a lower felony
When a person is found not guilty, or the charge is dismissed, all police, court and prosecutor records of the charge are erased once the time to appeal runs out, or the appeal ends in the person's favor.
Who handles this in Connecticut: legal aid programs and the state offices, listed in the Connecticut directory.
| The conviction | Erased |
|---|---|
| The convictionA misdemeanor, or a motor vehicle violation punishable by not more than one year | ErasedSeven years after the most recent judgment of conviction |
| The convictionA class D or E felony, an unclassified felony punishable by not more than five years, or a driving under the influence conviction | ErasedTen years after the most recent judgment of conviction |
- For an offense on or after 1 January 2000 it happens by operation of law; for one before, on a petition.
- The person must have finished any incarceration, parole or supervision for it and any other offense.
- A conviction since 1 January 2000 designated a family violence crime is not erased this way, and neither is a driving under the influence conviction followed by another within ten years.
Sources for this section (1)
- Conn. Gen. Stat. § 54-142a — (Formerly Sec. 54-90). Erasure of criminal records
Legal information, not legal advice. Verified as of October 2026. Applying it to a particular situation is the work of a licensed Connecticut attorney.