Expungements

The process of “expungement” seals or destroys records of an offender’s criminal record. In this way, the offender’s criminal record is not available to the public and can be viewed only by court order. This may help offenders secure employment or housing or apply for loans.

Not all Missouri offenses, however, are eligible for expungement. Eligibility is determined by either the Missouri Constitution or Missouri state statutes.

Most expungements require the offender to file a petition with the court. A few types of expungements – such as some expungements for marijuana-related convictions authorized by the 2022 passage of Amendment 3 – are considered “automatic.” All this means is the offender does not need to file a petition. Instead, the local courts themselves must investigate which offenses are eligible for expungement.

The Missouri Courts have created a number of free forms to help eligible offenders petition for expungements. Use these forms, and instructions for completing them, from the Missouri Courts website.