Colorado Record Sealing Laws: How to Seal Your Criminal Record (2026)

Colorado law seals adult criminal records rather than expunging them. Under C.R.S. §§ 24-72-701 through 24-72-711, a sealing order restricts public access to a record while leaving it accessible to law enforcement, courts, and certain licensing agencies. Senate Bill 22-099 (effective August 10, 2022) added automatic sealing for eligible convictions, meaning the court and the Colorado Bureau of Investigation (CBI) can seal qualifying records without any action by the defendant.

Information last verified on May 29, 2026. This article has not yet been reviewed by a licensed attorney.

Jurisdiction scope: This article covers adult criminal record sealing and juvenile record expungement under Colorado law as of May 29, 2026. For the national framework and other states, see Expungement Laws by State.

Sealing vs. Expungement: Colorado Uses Different Words

When people search for "Colorado expungement," they are usually looking for a way to clear an adult criminal record. Colorado law uses the word sealing for that process. Under C.R.S. § 24-72-703, a sealing order restricts public access to criminal justice records but does not destroy them. Law enforcement agencies, courts, prosecutors, and certain professional licensing boards retain access to sealed records. True expungement, which treats a record as if it never existed, is reserved in Colorado for two narrower categories: juvenile delinquency records under C.R.S. § 19-1-306 and certain underage alcohol offense records. If you were arrested or convicted as an adult, sealing is the relief available to you. The practical effect is meaningful: once a record is sealed, it does not appear on most background checks, and Colorado law allows individuals to state in most contexts that the sealed arrest or conviction did not occur. Under C.R.S. § 24-72-703(2)(b), once a sealing order is entered the defendant "may properly reply, upon an inquiry into the matter, that public criminal records do not exist," and under C.R.S. § 24-72-703(2)(d)(I) an applicant "may state that the applicant has not been criminally convicted."

Automatic Sealing Under SB 22-099 (C.R.S. § 13-3-117)

Senate Bill 22-099, signed into law and effective August 10, 2022, created a system of automatic record sealing for eligible convictions statewide. The automatic mechanism itself is codified at C.R.S. § 13-3-117, titled "State court administrator - automatic conviction sealing," which cross-references C.R.S. §§ 24-72-703 and 24-72-706 only for the underlying eligibility criteria. Under C.R.S. § 13-3-117, the state court administrator compiles lists of eligible records each quarter, district attorneys have 45 days to review and object, and courts of the judicial district enter sealing orders within 14 days after receiving the final list. The CBI then removes qualifying records from standard criminal background checks. No petition or court appearance is required from the defendant. The automatic process started with misdemeanor records on July 1, 2024, and expanded to eligible felony records on July 1, 2025. The waiting periods for automatic sealing, set by C.R.S. § 13-3-117(1)(a.5), are longer than those for petition-based sealing: 4 years for civil infractions and 7 years for petty offenses and misdemeanors, measured from the final disposition of the case, and 10 years for eligible felonies, measured from the later of the final disposition of all criminal proceedings or release from supervision. For a misdemeanor conviction entered in 2015 with no further supervision, automatic sealing would have become available in 2022, but the administrative processing began July 1, 2024. Defendants and their attorneys retain the right to access their own sealed records under C.R.S. § 24-72-703(2). A defendant whose record has been sealed may obtain the information in the sealed record from the CBI without a court order under § 24-72-703(2)(a)(VII); the person who is the subject of the records and the prosecuting attorney may inspect them without a court order under § 24-72-703(2)(c); and an attorney may access a sealed record on the defendant's written permission under § 24-72-703(2)(a)(IX). You can check whether your record has been sealed using the Colorado Judicial Department's Sealed Case Search at coloradojudicial.gov.

Petition-Based Sealing: Waiting Periods by Offense Level

Even before the automatic process runs, defendants may file a petition to seal eligible records under C.R.S. § 24-72-706. Petition-based sealing has shorter waiting periods than automatic sealing. The waiting period runs from the later of the final disposition of all criminal proceedings or the defendant's release from supervision concerning the conviction. Current waiting periods by offense classification are: petty offenses and petty drug offenses, 1 year; class 2 and class 3 misdemeanors, drug misdemeanors, and level 4 drug felonies under C.R.S. § 18-18-403.5(2.5), 2 years; class 1 misdemeanors, class 4 through class 6 felonies, and level 3 and level 4 drug felonies (not under § 18-18-403.5(2.5)), 3 years; and all other eligible offenses, 5 years. One additional rule applies to petty offenses and marijuana possession convictions: those records must be sealed upon completion of the sentence if no subsequent conviction occurred, with no waiting period required. Unpaid restitution bars sealing of a conviction record, but unpaid fines and court fees cannot be used to deny sealing as of 2025 under C.R.S. § 24-72-703(12)(b).

Who Is Excluded: Offenses That Cannot Be Sealed

Colorado law permanently bars sealing for several offense categories. Adult records that cannot be sealed include convictions for crimes of violence as defined in C.R.S. § 18-1.3-406, which covers first-degree murder, kidnapping, sexual assault, aggravated robbery, and similar serious felonies. Sex offenses that require registration on the Colorado sex offender registry cannot be sealed. Felonies enumerated in the Victim Rights Act under C.R.S. § 24-4.1-302(1) are excluded, which includes crimes such as homicide, first-degree assault, and domestic violence felonies. DUI and DWAI convictions under C.R.S. § 42-4-1301 are not eligible for sealing. Child abuse convictions, extraordinary risk crimes, and crimes involving domestic violence are also excluded. For the automatic sealing process specifically, the Colorado Bar Association's Colorado Lawyer publication notes that the excluded categories additionally cover class 1, 2, and 3 felonies (except certain pre-October 2013 marijuana cultivation convictions), traffic offenses, and special offender drug crimes. An offense that falls outside these exclusions is generally eligible, but confirming eligibility against the full statutory list before filing a petition is advisable.

Non-Conviction Records: Dismissals and Acquittals

Records arising from a case that did not end in a conviction receive automatic sealing under a separate provision. Under C.R.S. § 24-72-705, the court must order records sealed without a petition when a case is completely dismissed, when the defendant is acquitted of all charges, when the defendant completes a diversion agreement prior to charges being filed, or when a deferred judgment is dismissed after successful completion. Under C.R.S. § 24-72-705(1)(a.5), the court must enter the sealing order at the time of disposition and must serve the order no later than 28 days after the date of disposition. Because no conviction resulted, no waiting period applies. Diversion records are sealed by the district attorney without a court order upon completion, under the provisions SB 22-099 added to district attorney practice. If you were arrested and no charges were filed within the statute of limitations, your arrest record may also be eligible for sealing under C.R.S. § 24-72-704. For arrest records where charges were never filed, the CBI processes court-order sealings upon receipt of a valid order.

Juvenile Expungement Under C.R.S. § 19-1-306

Colorado uses the word expungement, not sealing, for juvenile delinquency records. Under C.R.S. § 19-1-306, expungement means the records are deemed never to have existed for most purposes. The court must enter a mandatory expungement order within 42 days of disposition for several categories: acquittals and dismissals; adjudications for petty offenses, class 3 and class 4 misdemeanors, and level 1 and level 2 drug misdemeanors (where no sex offense, domestic violence, or victim-notification obligation applies); and completed diversions and deferred adjudications. Petition-based expungement is available for other juvenile records after specified waiting periods. A juvenile who was adjudicated for a felony, misdemeanor, or delinquency action may petition after 36 months from unconditional release from sentence, provided no pending charges exist. Automatic expungement is not available for adjudications involving unlawful sexual behavior, aggravated juvenile offender status, or homicide offenses under C.R.S. § 18-3-101. Prosecutors and victims have 35 days to object; if an objection is filed, the court schedules a hearing. The juvenile expungement forms are JDF 301 through JDF 304, available through the Colorado Judicial Department.

How to File a Petition: Steps and Forms

The petition process for adult record sealing involves several steps. First, obtain a certified copy of your criminal history from the CBI or the court where the case was heard to confirm the offense, disposition date, and whether the waiting period has elapsed. Second, complete the applicable Judicial Department forms: JDF 611 (instructions for sealing conviction records), JDF 612 (motion to seal conviction records in county or district court), and JDF 615 (proposed order). For multiple cases, use JDF 641. Third, file the completed forms in the court where the case was originally filed. Court filing fees apply, though fee waivers are available for low-income petitioners. Fourth, the court notifies the prosecution. If the prosecution files an objection, the court schedules a hearing within 42 days. If no objection is filed at least 7 days before the scheduled hearing date, the court vacates the hearing and grants the sealing request. Fifth, after the judge signs the order, deliver a certified copy to the CBI. As of July 1, 2024, the CBI no longer charges a fee to process sealing orders. After CBI updates its records, the sealed case no longer appears on standard background checks. The Colorado Judicial Department's self-help page at coloradojudicial.gov/self-help/seal-my-case lists current forms and instructions.

Important: This article describes Colorado's record sealing laws as of May 29, 2026, based on C.R.S. §§ 24-72-701 through 24-72-711, C.R.S. § 13-3-117, and C.R.S. § 19-1-306. It is provided for general information only and does not constitute legal advice. Eligibility depends on the specific facts of your case, including the offense classification, disposition date, and supervision end date. Laws change, and the provisions described above may have been amended after this date. Consult a licensed Colorado attorney before filing any petition or relying on this information to make decisions about your record.

Sources

This article relies on primary Colorado statutes and official government publications. Key sources include C.R.S. §§ 24-72-701 through 24-72-711, C.R.S. § 13-3-117, and C.R.S. § 19-1-306 as published by the Colorado General Assembly; Senate Bill 22-099 (Chapter 276, 2022 Session Laws, effective August 10, 2022); House Bill 24-1133 (Chapter 384, 2024 Session Laws, effective July 1, 2025); the Colorado Judicial Department self-help page on record sealing; the Colorado Bar Association's Colorado Lawyer, "Automatic Record Sealing in Colorado"; and the Colorado Legislative Council Staff memorandum on sealing and expunging criminal records (2024).

Related Articles

• Expungement Laws by State
• DUI expungement by state
• How to check if your record has been expunged

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Last updated: May 29, 2026. Statutes cited reflect their in-force version as of May 29, 2026.

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Frequently Asked Questions

Does Colorado have expungement?

Colorado does not offer expungement for most adult criminal records. The correct term under Colorado law is sealing, governed by C.R.S. §§ 24-72-701 through 24-72-711. Sealing restricts public access but does not destroy the record. True expungement in Colorado is available mainly for juvenile delinquency records under C.R.S. § 19-1-306 and a narrow category of underage alcohol offenses.

How do I seal my record in Colorado?

For conviction records, obtain a copy of your criminal history to confirm your offense and disposition date, then complete Judicial Department forms JDF 612 and JDF 615 and file them in the court where your case was heard. The court notifies prosecutors, and if no objection is filed, the court enters a sealing order. Deliver a certified copy of the order to the CBI. For dismissed cases and acquittals, the court should enter a sealing order automatically at the time of disposition, and serve that order within 28 days, under C.R.S. § 24-72-705 without any petition from you.

What is Colorado automatic record sealing?

Colorado automatic record sealing, created by SB 22-099 (effective August 10, 2022) and implemented under C.R.S. § 13-3-117, is a process where the state court administrator identifies eligible records each quarter, district attorneys review for objections, and courts enter sealing orders without any petition from the defendant. The automatic process began for misdemeanor records on July 1, 2024, and expanded to eligible felonies on July 1, 2025. Waiting periods for automatic sealing under C.R.S. § 13-3-117(1)(a.5) are 4 years for civil infractions, 7 years for petty offenses and misdemeanors, and 10 years for eligible felonies.

What does C.R.S. § 24-72-706 cover?

C.R.S. § 24-72-706 is Colorado's petition-based conviction record sealing statute. It lets a defendant file a motion to seal conviction records, sets the petition waiting periods by offense level (1 year for civil infractions, petty offenses and petty drug offenses, 2 years for class 2 and class 3 misdemeanors and drug misdemeanors, 3 years for class 1 misdemeanors and class 4 through class 6 felonies, and 5 years for all other eligible offenses), and lists excluded offense categories. It does not create the automatic sealing pathway: that process is established by C.R.S. § 13-3-117, which looks to §§ 24-72-703 and 24-72-706 only for the underlying eligibility criteria. Section 24-72-706 was significantly amended by SB 22-099 in 2022 and HB 24-1133 in 2024.

How long does it take to seal a record in Colorado?

For non-contested petition cases, the process commonly takes two to four months from the time you file to the time the CBI updates its records. If the prosecutor objects, the court sets a hearing within 42 days of the objection. For automatic sealing, the state runs quarterly processing cycles, so records are sealed in batches rather than immediately. For non-conviction records such as dismissed charges, the court is required to enter the sealing order at the time of the disposition and to serve it no later than 28 days after that date.

What offenses cannot be sealed in Colorado?

Colorado permanently excludes the following from sealing: crimes of violence under C.R.S. § 18-1.3-406 (such as [first-degree murder](/difference-between-first-degree-second-and-third-degree), kidnapping, sexual assault, and aggravated robbery), sex offenses requiring registry, felonies listed in the Victim Rights Act under C.R.S. § 24-4.1-302(1), DUI and DWAI convictions, child abuse offenses, domestic violence felonies, and extraordinary risk crimes. Class 1, 2, and 3 felonies are ineligible for sealing. A very narrow exception allows petition-based sealing of certain class 3 felony marijuana cultivation convictions entered before October 1, 2013.

Can a DUI be expunged or sealed in Colorado?

No. DUI and DWAI convictions under C.R.S. § 42-4-1301 are specifically excluded from record sealing in Colorado. If you were arrested for DUI but the charge was dismissed or you were acquitted, the non-conviction record may be eligible for sealing under C.R.S. § 24-72-705.

How do I check if my Colorado record has been sealed?

Use the Colorado Judicial Department's Sealed Case Search form at coloradojudicial.gov/sealed-case to check court records. For CBI records, you can request your own criminal history report from the CBI. If you believe your record should have been automatically sealed but does not appear sealed, contact the court where the case was heard or the CBI directly.