Clearing a Record
KRS 431.078 — a misdemeanor record expunged on petition, five years after the sentence
- A person convicted of a misdemeanor, a violation or a traffic infraction may petition the convicting court to expunge the record, along with dismissed or amended charges in the same case.
- The petition is filed no sooner than five years after the sentence is completed, or five years after probation is completed, whichever is later.
- The court sets a hearing no sooner than 30 days after the petition is filed.
Acquittals and dismissals. When a court acquits a person, or dismisses every charge with prejudice not in exchange for a guilty plea, it orders the record expunged after 30 days unless the person objects; others may petition.
Sources for this section (2)
- KRS 431.078 — Expungement of misdemeanor, violation, and traffic infraction records of convictions and dismissed or amended charges
- KRS 431.076 — Expungement of criminal records for those acquitted of crimes, for whom charges have been dismissed but not in exchange for a guilty plea to another charge, or against whom charges have not resulted in an indictment or an information filed by the Commonwealth's attorney -- Effects of an order of expungement -- Expungement by court or upon petition of person charged -- Exception for records in the custody of the Department for Community Based Services
Legal information, not legal advice. Verified as of October 2026. Applying it to a particular situation is the work of a licensed Kentucky attorney.