Connecticut Expungement Laws: Erasure, Clean Slate, and Absolute Pardon
Connecticut Expungement Laws: Erasure, Clean Slate, and Absolute Pardon
Connecticut does not use the word "expungement." Instead, state law provides for the erasure of criminal records under Conn. Gen. Stat. § 54-142a, automatic erasure of eligible convictions under the Clean Slate law (Public Act 21-32, codified at Conn. Gen. Stat. § 54-142u et seq.), and full erasure of conviction records through an absolute pardon granted by the Connecticut Board of Pardons and Paroles.
Information last verified on May 29, 2026. This article has not yet been reviewed by a licensed attorney.
Jurisdiction scope: This article covers Connecticut state law only. For a nationwide comparison, see Expungement Laws by State.
How Connecticut's Erasure System Works
Connecticut uses the term "erasure" rather than expungement, but the practical effect is identical: an erased record is flagged for nondisclosure and may not be disclosed to most employers, landlords, or the public. Under Conn. Gen. Stat. § 54-142a, when a record is erased, "any person shall be deemed to have never been arrested" for the underlying offense. Erasure does not mean physical destruction of the record in all cases. As Governor Lamont stated when announcing the 2023-2024 Clean Slate rollout, "record erasure does not mean deletion or destruction; instead, erasure causes a record to be flagged for nondisclosure to anyone other than the clerk holding the records." Connecticut law creates three distinct pathways to erasure: automatic erasure of non-conviction records under § 54-142a, automatic erasure of eligible conviction records under the Clean Slate law, and discretionary erasure through an absolute pardon from the Board of Pardons and Paroles. Choosing the right pathway depends on the nature of the record and when the offense occurred.
Automatic Erasure of Non-Conviction Records (Conn. Gen. Stat. § 54-142a)
For arrests that did not result in conviction, Connecticut law provides immediate automatic erasure with no petition required. Under Conn. Gen. Stat. § 54-142a, the following outcomes trigger automatic erasure: an acquittal at trial; a dismissal of charges; or a nolle prosequi entered by the prosecutor. For dismissals and acquittals, erasure occurs upon expiration of the time to file a writ of error or take an appeal, or upon final determination of any appeal sustaining the trial court's decision. For a nolled case, erasure takes effect 13 months after the nolle was entered, which is why a pending nolle disqualifies a person from applying for a pardon until that 13-month window closes. No court filing, fee, or attorney is required for non-conviction erasure. The individual may legally represent that the arrest never occurred on most job applications and background checks following erasure. This automatic pathway covers the most common scenario: an arrest that resulted in no conviction.
Connecticut Clean Slate Law: Automatic Erasure of Convictions (Public Act 21-32)
Public Act 21-32, signed in 2021 and amended by Public Acts 21-33, 22-26, 23-134, and 23-169, created a system of automatic erasure for eligible low-level convictions. The law is codified primarily at Conn. Gen. Stat. §§ 54-142u through 54-142x. Eligibility turns on three requirements. First, the conviction must have occurred on or after January 1, 2000. Second, the individual must have completed all components of the sentence, including incarceration, parole, special parole, and probation. Third, the applicable waiting period must have elapsed with no new convictions: seven years from the most recent conviction for any classified or unclassified misdemeanor, and ten years from the most recent conviction for Class D felonies, Class E felonies, unclassified felonies carrying a maximum sentence of less than five years, and operating-under-the-influence convictions under Conn. Gen. Stat. § 14-227a. The state's criminal justice agencies, led by the Judicial Branch, determine eligibility and apply the erasure automatically. No application, court filing, or fee is required. For convictions occurring before January 1, 2000, individuals must file a petition for Clean Slate erasure using form JD-CR-202 with the sentencing court.
Excluded offenses: Family violence crimes (for convictions on or after January 1, 2000), sexually violent offenses, nonviolent sexual offenses, most violent crimes (including assault, robbery, and murder), weapons violations, and repeat OUI convictions within a ten-year window do not qualify for Clean Slate automatic erasure.
Cannabis Conviction Erasure
Connecticut enacted a separate automatic erasure provision for cannabis convictions alongside its legalization of adult-use cannabis. Convictions for possession of a cannabis-type substance under Conn. Gen. Stat. § 21a-279(c) imposed between January 1, 2000, and September 30, 2015, were automatically erased on January 1, 2023, under Conn. Gen. Stat. § 54-142u. The state reported that approximately 43,754 cannabis possession convictions were cleared in that initial erasure. For cannabis convictions that fall outside the automatic erasure window, including possession offenses imposed before January 1, 2000, or between October 1, 2015, and July 1, 2021, as well as possession of paraphernalia under § 21a-267 before July 1, 2021, and small-amount manufacturing or sale under § 21a-277(b) before July 1, 2021, and individuals may file a petition directly with the sentencing court under Conn. Gen. Stat. §§ 54-142v or 54-142d. No official petition form is required for cannabis erasure petitions; applicants file directly with supporting documentation showing the amounts involved.
Absolute Pardon Through the Board of Pardons and Paroles
The absolute pardon is Connecticut's mechanism for erasing conviction records that do not qualify for Clean Slate automatic erasure, including higher-level felony convictions. The Connecticut Board of Pardons and Paroles (BOPP) has constitutional and statutory authority under Conn. Gen. Stat. § 54-130a to grant absolute pardons for any offense against the state. When an absolute pardon is granted, all of the applicant's Connecticut adult criminal convictions are erased from the criminal record database. The Board, Judicial Branch, Court Support Services Division, State Police, and FBI work together to clear the record across databases. The waiting period is five years from the date of the most recent felony conviction and three years from the date of the most recent misdemeanor conviction. Additional eligibility requirements include: no pending charges or open cases in any jurisdiction; no nolle entered within the preceding 13 months; and no current probation or parole supervision. There is no application fee, but applicants must obtain a Connecticut State Police Criminal History Report through the Connecticut Criminal History Request System at a cost of $75 (fee waivers are available). Applications are submitted through the BOPP ePardon Portal at ct.gov/bopp. The Board also offers expedited review for non-violent offenses with no victim interest. A denial requires a one-year wait before reapplication, though the Board may impose a longer period.
Implementation Timeline and Current Status
The Clean Slate automated erasure system began its first major rollout in January 2023, when cannabis convictions were cleared. The broader Clean Slate automatic erasure for misdemeanors and eligible felonies launched in December 2023 and completed for most records by the end of January 2024. Operating-under-the-influence convictions covered by the ten-year waiting period were processed by the end of March 2024. A subset of approximately 62,364 convictions requiring manual review continued through the first half of 2024. By the time full implementation was reached, over 80,000 individuals had approximately 178,499 convictions automatically erased. Implementation required more than $5 million in information technology upgrades to state criminal justice databases. The Clean Slate petition process for pre-2000 convictions has been available since January 1, 2023, at the sentencing court using form JD-CR-202.
Disclaimer: This article describes Connecticut state law as verified from official government sources on May 29, 2026. Laws change, and individual circumstances vary. Consult a licensed Connecticut attorney before making decisions about your criminal record.
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Sources
The following Connecticut government sources were used to verify the information in this article.
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RecordingLaw.com provides legal information, not legal advice. Laws change frequently. Verify current statutes with official Connecticut government sources or a licensed Connecticut attorney before acting.