{"id":373795,"date":"2017-05-26T11:54:13","date_gmt":"2017-05-26T16:54:13","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/content.findlaw-admin.com\/ability-law\/state\/maryland-law\/how-to-expunge-a-criminal-record-in-maryland.html"},"modified":"2024-11-04T11:35:49","modified_gmt":"2024-11-04T16:35:49","slug":"how-to-expunge-a-criminal-record-in-maryland","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/www.findlaw.com\/state\/maryland-law\/how-to-expunge-a-criminal-record-in-maryland.html","title":{"rendered":"How To Expunge a Criminal Record in Maryland"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
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How To Expunge a Criminal Record in Maryland<\/h1>\n
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\n By Susan Buckner, J.D.<\/a> | Legally reviewed by FindLaw Staff<\/a>\n | Last updated\n
\n \n <\/i>\n Legally Reviewed\n <\/summary>\n\n
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This article has been written and reviewed for legal accuracy, clarity, and style by FindLaw\u2019s team of legal writers and attorneys<\/a> and in accordance with our editorial standards<\/a>.<\/em><\/p>\n\n <\/div>\n <\/details>\n\n

\n \n <\/i>\n Fact-Checked\n <\/summary>\n\n
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The last updated date refers to the last time this article was reviewed by FindLaw or one of our contributing authors<\/a>. We make every effort to keep our articles updated. For information regarding a specific legal issue affecting you, please contact an attorney in your area<\/a>.<\/em><\/p>\n\n <\/div>\n <\/details>\n<\/section>\n

If you have a criminal history, you may have difficulty getting employers, banks, and licensing agencies to look past your past and believe you’ve started over. Arrests and convictions are public records and will appear on background checks for years. You can clear your background in Maryland by starting the expungement process<\/a> and having your records sealed.<\/p>\r\n

Almost all criminal records can get expunged<\/a> from Maryland’s court records. Even cases that had a guilty disposition may get expunged after a waiting period.<\/p>\r\n

This article explains how to expunge your criminal record in Maryland.<\/p>\r\n

What is Expungement?<\/b><\/h2>\r\n

Expungement is a legal process<\/a> that helps you destroy or remove all or part of a criminal case’s records from view. If your case is successfully expunged, it becomes inaccessible in court and law enforcement records. The expunged record is still available for some types of searches. The FBI can still access parts of your record. If you get arrested again, prosecutors can use your record to build their new case.<\/p>\r\n

Expungement<\/a> lets you answer "no" to the question, "Have you ever been convicted of a crime?" on job applications. Expungement does not:<\/p>\r\n