Florida Expungement Laws: Seal vs. Expunge, FDLE Certificate of Eligibility, and Eligibility Rules (2026)

Florida gives eligible residents two legal tools to limit public access to criminal history records: sealing under Fla. Stat. § 943.059 and full expungement under § 943.0585, both administered through the Florida Department of Law Enforcement (FDLE), which must issue a Certificate of Eligibility before any court can act.

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

Jurisdiction scope: This page covers Florida state law only. For a 50-state overview see Expungement Laws by State.

Sealing vs. Expungement: Two Separate Tracks

Florida law draws a clear line between sealing a record and expunging it, and the difference matters. Under Fla. Stat. § 943.059, sealing makes a criminal history record confidential and exempt from public disclosure. The record still exists in FDLE's system, and a defined set of government agencies retains full access to it. Under Fla. Stat. § 943.0585, expungement goes further: the court orders the record physically destroyed or obliterated by all agencies that received notice of the expunction. FDLE retains a confidential copy, but that copy is unavailable to the public and most licensing bodies. For sealed records, entitled agencies see the arrest event plus a notation that the record is sealed. For expunged records, those same agencies receive only demographic information and a notation that records have been expunged, without seeing the underlying arrest, charges, or disposition. Sealing is available to a broader population because it covers cases where adjudication was withheld, while expungement generally requires that no conviction occurred and that charges were dismissed, that no charging document was filed, or that a not-guilty verdict or acquittal was entered on all counts.

Key statutes: Fla. Stat. § 943.059 (sealing); Fla. Stat. § 943.0585 (expungement).

Who Qualifies: Core Eligibility Rules

To qualify for either court-ordered sealing or expungement, an applicant must meet several requirements set out in the relevant statute and cross-referenced in § 943.0584. First, the applicant must never have been adjudicated guilty in Florida of any criminal offense, felony or misdemeanor. Both § 943.0585(1)(d) and § 943.059(1)(b) limit this bar to adjudications in this state, so an out-of-state conviction does not, on the text of these two provisions, trigger this particular disqualification. Second, the applicant must not have been adjudicated guilty in connection with the specific arrest at issue. Third, the applicant must no longer be under any court supervision, including probation, community control, or any court-ordered condition, arising from that arrest. Fourth, the person must never have previously had a criminal history record sealed or expunged under Florida law, with one limited exception: a record that was sealed at least 10 years ago may qualify for expungement if it is otherwise eligible under § 943.0585. The 10-year clock on a sealed record applies specifically to cases where adjudication was withheld or where all charges were not dismissed before trial. For expungement, the underlying case must also have ended without any conviction: charges were not filed, were dismissed or nolle prossed, or resulted in acquittal or a not-guilty verdict on all counts.

Key statutes: Fla. Stat. § 943.0585(1); Fla. Stat. § 943.059(1); Fla. Stat. § 943.0584.

Disqualifying Offenses Under § 943.0584

A conviction for any offense listed in § 943.0584 permanently bars sealing or expungement of that criminal record. A separate, broader rule under §§ 943.0585(1)(d) and 943.059(1)(b) bars anyone who has ever been adjudicated guilty in Florida of any criminal offense, felony or misdemeanor, whether or not it appears on the § 943.0584 list, from sealing or expunging any record. The same subsection separately bars a person adjudicated delinquent in Florida for any felony or for any of 13 enumerated misdemeanors, including assault, battery, assault on a law enforcement officer, carrying a concealed weapon, exposure of sexual organs, arson, petit theft, neglect of a child, and cruelty to animals, unless that delinquency record has been expunged under § 943.0515. The disqualifying list is long and includes: murder and manslaughter (§§ 782.04, 782.065, 782.07, 782.071, 782.072); terrorism (§ 775.30); sexual offenses under Chapter 794; lewd or lascivious offenses involving persons under 16 (§ 800.04); human trafficking (§ 787.06); kidnapping and false imprisonment (§§ 787.01, 787.02); robbery, carjacking, and home-invasion robbery (§§ 812.13, 812.131, 812.133, 812.135); stalking and aggravated stalking (§ 784.048); aggravated assault and aggravated battery (§§ 784.021, 784.045); domestic battery by strangulation (§ 784.041); arson (§ 806.01); burglary of a dwelling (§ 810.02); voyeurism and digital voyeurism (§§ 810.14, 810.145); drug trafficking (§ 893.135); manufacturing controlled substances under Chapter 893; child abuse and aggravated child abuse (§ 827.03); sexual performance by a child (§ 827.071); selling or buying minors (§ 847.0145); aircraft piracy (§ 860.16); and all offenses that qualify a person as a sexual predator or sexual offender under §§ 775.21 and 943.0435. This list is not exhaustive. The § 943.0584 bar is record-specific: subsection (2) makes a criminal history record ineligible only if that record is itself a conviction for a listed offense, so it does not by its terms reach a separate, unrelated arrest record. The cross-record bar comes instead from §§ 943.0585(1)(d) and 943.059(1)(b), and those provisions require an adjudication of guilt, while § 943.0584(1) defines conviction more broadly to include a plea entered with adjudication withheld.

Key statute: Fla. Stat. § 943.0584.

The FDLE Certificate of Eligibility: Step-by-Step

Neither sealing nor expungement can proceed without a Certificate of Eligibility issued by FDLE. The certificate confirms statutory eligibility but does not guarantee that the court will grant relief. The process requires the following steps.

Step 1 - Obtain and complete the application. Download the application from FDLE's website or request it by email at SEinfo@fdle.state.fl.us. The form must be signed and dated before a notary public and must include your full name, date of birth, race, sex, mailing and permanent addresses, arresting agency, date of arrest, and the charges.

Step 2 - Gather required documents. You will need a certified copy of the case disposition from the clerk of court in the county where the case was heard. If you completed probation, include documentation of termination. Pre-trial intervention completion certificates are accepted in lieu of a disposition copy.

Step 3 - State attorney certification (expungement only). For expungement applications under § 943.0585, the state attorney or statewide prosecutor must complete and sign a written certification page included in the application.

Step 4 - Obtain a fingerprint card. A law enforcement official must take your fingerprints and stamp the card with the agency's ORI number.

Step 5 - Submit the packet with the $75 fee. FDLE charges a nonrefundable $75 processing fee payable by money order, cashier's check, or personal check. Cash, gift cards, and temporary checks are not accepted.

Step 6 - Wait for FDLE review. Current processing time is over 12 weeks from receipt of a complete packet. FDLE does not expedite applications.

Step 7 - File the court petition. Once you receive the Certificate of Eligibility (valid for 12 months), file a petition with the court that handled the original case. The petition must include the certificate and a sworn statement attesting to eligibility. The state attorney and arresting agency are served and may object. The court has discretion to deny even an otherwise eligible petition. With only one court-ordered sealing or expungement allowed in a lifetime, have a Florida criminal defense lawyer review your petition and any state attorney objection in a free consultation (attorney advertising).

Key statutes: Fla. Stat. § 943.0585(2); Fla. Stat. § 943.059(2); FDLE Seal and Expunge Process (fdle.state.fl.us/seal-and-expunge-process).

Automatic Sealing Under § 943.0595

Florida's 2019 automatic sealing law, amended in 2023, creates a separate track that requires no application from the person arrested. Under § 943.0595, when a case ends with no charges filed, dismissal or nolle prosequi on all counts, a not-guilty verdict on all counts, or a judgment of acquittal on all counts, the clerk of court transmits the disposition electronically to FDLE, which then seals the record automatically. No application, no fee, and no court petition are required. Automatic sealing is not available for cases involving forcible felonies as defined in § 776.08 or for offenses listed in § 943.0435(1)(h)1.a.(I). An important limitation: automatic sealing through § 943.0595 covers the FDLE criminal history record but does not seal records held by local agencies such as county sheriff offices or municipal police departments. There is no lifetime limit on the number of records that qualify for automatic sealing. On the text of the statutes, an automatic sealing also does not appear to consume the one court-ordered sealing or expunction a person is allowed in a lifetime: the lifetime bar in § 943.0585(1)(g) and its mirror in § 943.059(1)(e) reach only a prior sealing or expunction obtained under § 943.0585, § 943.059, former § 893.14, former § 901.33, or former § 943.058, and § 943.0595 is not on that list.

Key statute: Fla. Stat. § 943.0595 (effective 2019, amended 2023).

Special Expungement Tracks

Florida recognizes several situations where standard eligibility rules do not apply.

Human trafficking victims (§ 943.0583). A person who was a victim of human trafficking may petition to expunge any record arising from an offense committed as part of the trafficking scheme. The applicant need not meet the standard eligibility criteria under § 943.0585.

Lawful self-defense (§ 943.0578). When a prosecutor certifies in writing that charges were not filed or were dismissed because the person acted in lawful self-defense under Chapter 776, the person may apply directly to FDLE for a Certificate of Eligibility for expungement without meeting standard requirements.

Juvenile diversion (§ 943.0582). A minor who successfully completed an authorized diversion program for a misdemeanor or for a felony that is neither a forcible felony nor a felony involving the manufacture, sale, purchase, transport, possession, or use of a firearm or weapon, and who has no other criminal record, may apply for expungement of the diversion arrest without a court petition.

Administrative expungement for unlawful arrests (§ 943.0581). A person arrested contrary to law or by mistake may apply directly to FDLE for administrative expungement, which does not require a court order.

Key statutes: Fla. Stat. §§ 943.0578, 943.0581, 943.0582, 943.0583.

Disclaimer: This page describes Florida expungement and sealing law as of May 29, 2026. It is not legal advice. Laws change, individual circumstances vary, and the court retains discretion to deny any petition. Consult a licensed Florida attorney before taking any action based on this information.

Related Articles

• Expungement Laws by State
• DUI Expungement by State: Which States Allow It?
• How to Check If Your Record Has Been Expunged

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

More Florida Laws

• Florida Self-Defense Laws
• Florida Sexting Laws
• Florida Statute of Limitations
• Florida Warrant Search

Frequently Asked Questions

How do you expunge your record in Florida?

You must first apply to FDLE for a Certificate of Eligibility ($75 fee, over 12 weeks processing). For expungement under Fla. Stat. § 943.0585, the state attorney must also sign a certification that your case ended without conviction. Once you have the certificate, file a sworn petition with the court that handled your case, serve the state attorney and arresting agency, and await a hearing. The court may grant or deny the petition even if FDLE confirmed eligibility.

What is the difference between sealing and expunging a record in Florida?

Sealing under § 943.059 makes a record confidential but leaves it in FDLE's system; government agencies listed in the statute can still access the full record. Expungement under § 943.0585 goes further: most agencies must physically destroy or obliterate their copies, and entitled agencies receive only demographic information and a notation that a record was expunged, without seeing the underlying arrest or charges. Sealing covers a broader set of outcomes, including adjudication-withheld cases that are not eligible for expungement.

What is the FDLE Certificate of Eligibility and why is it required?

The Certificate of Eligibility is a document issued by the Florida Department of Law Enforcement confirming that your record meets the statutory requirements for court-ordered sealing or expungement. Neither § 943.059 nor § 943.0585 allows a court to grant relief without a valid certificate. It costs $75, requires notarized application forms, a certified disposition, a fingerprint card, and for expungements, a state attorney certification. The certificate is valid for 12 months from issue.

Can a felony be expunged in Florida?

A felony charge that was dismissed, not prosecuted, or that resulted in acquittal or a not-guilty verdict may be eligible for expungement under § 943.0585, as long as you were not adjudicated guilty and the offense is not in the disqualifying list under § 943.0584. A Florida felony conviction, meaning a case where you were adjudicated guilty in this state, makes you ineligible for both sealing and expungement of any record. Many serious felony offense categories permanently disqualify a person from relief even if there was no conviction.

How long does Florida expungement take?

The FDLE certificate step alone currently takes more than 12 weeks from receipt of a complete packet. After receiving the certificate, you must file a court petition, serve all parties, and schedule a hearing. Total time from application to final court order typically ranges from six months to over a year depending on court scheduling in your county.

Does Florida have automatic expungement?

Florida does not have automatic expungement. However, § 943.0595 provides for automatic sealing of FDLE criminal history records when a case ends with no charges filed, dismissal, not-guilty verdict, or acquittal on all counts for offenses that are not forcible felonies. The clerk of court transmits the disposition to FDLE, which seals the record without any action by the arrested person. This automatic sealing does not cover records held by local law enforcement agencies.

Can you seal a record and then later expunge it in Florida?

Yes, under a narrow exception in § 943.0585. If your record was court-ordered sealed under § 943.059 and at least 10 years have passed, and the record is otherwise eligible for expungement, you may petition to expunge it. This exception applies specifically to cases where adjudication was withheld or where charges were not dismissed before trial. The one-lifetime limit still applies, so this is your single court-ordered action.

What offenses permanently disqualify you from expungement in Florida?

Florida Statute § 943.0584 lists dozens of offense categories that permanently bar relief, including murder, manslaughter, terrorism, all sexual offenses under Chapter 794, lewd offenses involving persons under 16, human trafficking, kidnapping, robbery, carjacking, home-invasion robbery, stalking, aggravated assault and battery, domestic battery by strangulation, arson, burglary of a dwelling, voyeurism, drug trafficking, child abuse, and all offenses triggering sexual predator or sexual offender registration. Under § 943.0584(2) a conviction for a listed offense disqualifies that specific record from relief. A separate, broader rule (§§ 943.0585(1)(d), 943.059(1)(b)) bars anyone who has ever been adjudicated guilty in Florida of any criminal offense, felony or misdemeanor, listed or not, from sealing or expunging any other record, including one from a completely separate arrest.