Sealing or Expunging Juvenile Records in California
How juvenile records are sealed or expunged in California, and whether it happens automatically.
Short answer: Some juvenile records are sealed automatically: the court must dismiss and seal a case dismissed after January 1, 2015 if the person successfully completed probation and was not found to have committed a serious offense listed in Welfare and Institutions Code § 707(b) at age 14 or older; Cal. Welf. & Inst. Code §§ 781, 786, 707(b), 790-795; form JV-595-INFO
| Juvenile records | Some juvenile records are sealed automatically: the court must dismiss and seal a case dismissed after January 1, 2015 if the person successfully completed probation and was not found to have committed a serious offense listed in Welfare and Institutions Code § 707(b) at age 14 or older; records are also sealed after successful deferred entry of judgment or completion of certain diversion programs. Otherwise, a person can ask the court to seal records once the person is at least 18 or five years have passed since the case closed and the court finds rehabilitation; an adult conviction for a crime of moral turpitude bars sealing, and serious § 707(b) offenses have extra requirements. There is no cost to ask, and sealed juvenile records generally do not need to be reported on job or school applications. |
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Where to get help in California
More California expungement & criminal records
- Getting a Copy of Your California Criminal Record
- Expunging or Sealing a Felony in California
- Clearing a DUI From Your Record in California
- How to File for Expungement in California
- All California expungement & criminal records rules
FAQ
How do you seal a juvenile record in California?
Some juvenile records are sealed automatically: the court must dismiss and seal a case dismissed after January 1, 2015 if the person successfully completed probation and was not found to have committed a serious offense listed in Welfare and Institutions Code § 707(b) at age 14 or older; records are also sealed after successful deferred entry of judgment or completion of certain diversion programs. Otherwise, a person can ask the court to seal records once the person is at least 18 or five years have passed since the case closed and the court finds rehabilitation; an adult conviction for a crime of moral turpitude bars sealing, and serious § 707(b) offenses have extra requirements. There is no cost to ask, and sealed juvenile records generally do not need to be reported on job or school applications.
General legal information, not legal advice. Laws change and local rules can differ; check the linked official source or talk to a lawyer about your situation.