Alaska Expungement Laws: What You Can (and Cannot) Do With Your Criminal Record
Alaska Expungement Laws: What You Can (and Cannot) Do With Your Criminal Record
Alaska does not have a general expungement law. Criminal conviction records maintained by the Alaska Department of Public Safety (DPS) are permanent, with only two narrow forms of relief available under state law: the set-aside of conviction under AS 12.55.085 and the sealing of records resulting from mistaken identity or false accusation under AS 12.62.180.
Information last verified on May 29, 2026. This article has not yet been reviewed by a licensed attorney.
Jurisdiction scope: This article covers Alaska state criminal records only. For a state-by-state comparison, see Expungement Laws by State.
Does Alaska Have Expungement?
Alaska does not have expungement in the way most states use that term. The Alaska Department of Public Safety has confirmed on its official background-check pages that "Alaska does not have an expungement law, meaning criminal history records cannot be permanently removed from the central repository." That statement reflects longstanding Alaska law. The Alaska Legislature has not enacted a general expungement statute, so there is no procedure by which an adult can petition a court to permanently destroy or remove a criminal conviction record from the DPS central repository. Records of arrests, charges, and convictions accumulate and remain in the DPS criminal history repository indefinitely unless one of the two narrow statutory exceptions applies.
The Set-Aside of Conviction Under AS 12.55.085
The closest Alaska comes to conviction relief for adults is the set-aside procedure under AS 12.55.085. A set-aside is not expungement. When a court grants a Suspended Imposition of Sentence (SIS), it withholds a formal judgment of conviction and instead places the defendant on probation. If the defendant successfully completes all probation conditions, the court may set aside the conviction under AS 12.55.085. The practical effect is that the case is officially noted as "set aside" in court records. Under Alaska Administrative Rule 40(a)(13), cases in which a defendant successfully completed an SIS and the court set aside the conviction are automatically removed from public access on the Alaska Court System's CourtView website, provided all other charges in the case were also dismissed, set aside, or the defendant was acquitted. However, the conviction record continues to exist in DPS criminal history files and does not disappear from background checks that query the DPS repository directly. The set-aside may carry some collateral benefits in limited licensing or employment contexts, but it does not erase the DPS record or restore all civil rights automatically. Not all convictions qualify for SIS at sentencing. Courts may not impose SIS for certain serious felonies, and prosecutors and judges retain broad discretion over whether to offer SIS in the first place. If SIS was not granted at the time of sentencing, the set-aside route under AS 12.55.085 is not available.
Sealing of Records Under AS 12.62.180
Alaska law provides one mechanism specifically labeled "sealing," but it applies only to records that resulted from mistaken identity or false accusation. Under AS 12.62.180, a criminal justice agency may seal information it is responsible for maintaining when that information meets those narrow criteria. To seek this relief, an individual submits a written request to the head of the agency holding the record, asking that the information be sealed because it resulted from mistaken identity or false accusation. For records held by DPS, the request goes to the R&I Quality Assurance Unit at 5700 E. Tudor Road, Anchorage, AK 99507. DPS has a designated "Request to Seal Criminal Justice Record" form for this purpose. This process does not apply to accurate conviction records. If you were arrested, charged, and convicted and the record correctly reflects those facts, AS 12.62.180 provides no avenue for sealing.
Challenging Inaccurate or Incomplete Criminal History
Separate from the sealing process, Alaska law allows individuals to challenge the accuracy or completeness of their criminal history records held by DPS. If you believe your DPS criminal history report contains inaccurate or incomplete information, you can submit a "Request to Correct Criminal Justice Information" form to the DPS R&I Quality Assurance Unit. DPS is required to respond within five days, or to forward the correction request to the responsible agency if DPS is not the holder of the disputed information. Missing disposition data is among the most common issues that arise in these correction requests. Providing documentation from your court case can help expedite the process. A successful correction updates the accuracy of the record but does not remove it. The distinction between correcting an inaccurate record and sealing or expunging an accurate conviction record is critical: only the former is available as of right under Alaska law.
Juvenile Records in Alaska
Alaska treats juvenile delinquency records under a separate statutory framework. Juvenile records are not automatically public in the same way adult criminal records are, and Alaska law provides procedures under which certain juvenile records may be sealed when the individual reaches adulthood and meets applicable conditions. The specific eligibility requirements and procedures for juvenile record sealing are distinct from anything discussed in this article, which focuses on adult criminal records. If you have a juvenile record and want to understand your options, consult an Alaska attorney familiar with the Alaska Delinquency Rules and the applicable provisions of the Alaska Children's Code.
What You Can Do If You Have an Alaska Criminal Record
Given how limited Alaska's record-relief options are, practical steps focus on accuracy and context rather than erasure. First, obtain your own criminal history record from DPS to verify it is accurate and complete. Second, if the record contains errors or missing dispositions, submit a correction request to DPS R&I with supporting court documentation. Third, if you received an SIS at sentencing and have completed probation, consult an Alaska attorney about whether you are eligible to petition the court for a set-aside under AS 12.55.085. Fourth, if your record stems from a case of mistaken identity or false accusation, ask an attorney whether a sealing request under AS 12.62.180 applies to your situation. Finally, be aware that some federal records, FBI records, and records held by other states are outside the reach of Alaska's procedures entirely.
Disclaimer: This article discusses Alaska state law as it existed on May 29, 2026. Alaska criminal records law is subject to legislative change. Nothing in this article constitutes legal advice. Consult a licensed Alaska attorney for guidance specific to your situation.
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Sources
The information in this article is drawn from official Alaska government sources, including Alaska Statutes Title 12 (Code of Criminal Procedure), Alaska Administrative Rule 40, and official Alaska Department of Public Safety background-check and record-correction guidance.
- Alaska Department of Public Safety, Background Checks and Record Correction: https://dps.alaska.gov/statewide/background-checks/
- Alaska Court System, CourtView Online Information and Administrative Rule 40: https://courts.alaska.gov/trialcourts/cvinfo.htm
- Alaska Statute AS 12.55.085 (Suspended Imposition of Sentence): https://www.akleg.gov/basis/statutes.asp#12.55.085
- Alaska Statute AS 12.62.180 (Sealing of Records): https://www.akleg.gov/basis/statutes.asp#12.62.180
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RecordingLaw.com provides general legal information, not legal advice. Laws change; verify current statutes with official Alaska sources or a licensed attorney.