Sealing A Juvenile Record
Fla. Stat. 943.0515 — a minor's criminal history expunged 2 years after 19, or 5 years after 21 for a serious offender
Expunged on a schedule. The state's criminal history program keeps a minor's criminal history record until 2 years after the minor reaches 19 years of age, and then expunges it, unless the exceptions in the section apply. For a minor classified as a serious or habitual juvenile offender, or committed to a maximum-risk residential facility, it keeps the record for 5 years after the minor reaches 21 years of age.
Applying early. A minor who is 18 years of age or older and under 21, and who has not been charged with or found to have committed any criminal offense in the 5-year period before applying, may apply to have the record expunged early, for offenses committed before 18. It needs the approval of the state attorney in each circuit involved, a $75 processing fee unless waived, fingerprints, and a sworn statement.
The exceptions that keep a record from expunging, such as a later adult offense, are in the section and are not all reproduced here. Adult records, federal agencies' own files, immigration consequences, and sex offender registration are outside this page. Whether a particular record qualifies, and what a sealed record still allows an agency to see, are questions for a licensed Florida attorney.
Sources for this section (1)
- Fla. Stat. 943.0515 — Retention of criminal history records of minors
Legal information, not legal advice. Verified as of September 2026. Applying it to a particular situation is the work of a licensed Florida attorney.