Oklahoma Expungement Laws: How to Clear or Seal a Criminal Record

Oklahoma uses the term "expungement," which means sealing the record so the public cannot see it. Records are not physically destroyed. There are two main types. A "Section 18" expungement (22 O.S. § 18) seals the entire arrest record and the court record. A "Section 991c" expungement is for people who completed a deferred sentence: it expunges the plea, and the case is shown as "pled not guilty, case dismissed," but the arrest record stays. Oklahoma also has a "Clean Slate" law that will make some categories eligible for expungement without a petition, and the Governor can grant pardons.

According to OSBI's summary of 22 O.S. § 18, a person may have records expunged if they were acquitted, if a conviction was reversed on appeal and dismissed, if DNA established factual innocence, or if they were arrested but no charges were filed and either the statute of limitations ran out or the prosecutor declined to file. Identity-theft victims arrested for crimes committed by someone using their name also qualify. If felony charges were dismissed, the person qualifies if they have never been convicted of a felony, have no charges pending, and either the statute of limitations has run or the prosecutor confirms the charges will not be refiled. This does not apply to dismissals after a deferred sentence. Misdemeanor charges dismissed after a deferred judgment or delayed sentence qualify once one year has passed since dismissal, if no charges are pending. Nonviolent felony charges dismissed after a deferred sentence qualify after five years if the person has never been convicted of a felony and has no pending charges.

According to OSBI's summary, a misdemeanor conviction with a fine of less than $501 and no jail or suspended sentence can be expunged once the fine is paid or satisfied, if the person has never been convicted of a felony and has no pending charges. A misdemeanor conviction with jail time, a suspended sentence, or a fine over $500 can be expunged once at least five years have passed since the end of the last misdemeanor sentence, if the person has no felony convictions and no pending charges.

According to OSBI's summary, a single nonviolent felony conviction (an offense not listed in 57 O.S. § 571) can be expunged five years after the sentence is completed. The person must have no other felony conviction, no separate misdemeanor conviction in the last seven years, and no pending charges. A person with no more than two felony convictions can seek expungement ten years after completing the sentence, if none of the offenses is on the list in 21 O.S. § 13.1 or requires sex-offender registration and no charges are pending. A nonviolent felony that was later reclassified as a misdemeanor can be expunged 30 days after the sentence ends, if restitution is paid and any ordered treatment is completed.

A 2022 law (HB 3316) created a "Clean Slate" process for automatic, petition-free expungement of 11 categories, including acquittals, reversed convictions, DNA exonerations, pardons, declined charges, identity theft and reclassified felonies. Some dismissals and misdemeanor categories qualify only when the record is a single-source Oklahoma record. Felony convictions and deferred felony dismissals are not Clean Slate eligible. Under the plan, OSBI identifies eligible records each month and sends them to the prosecuting and arresting agencies, which have 45 days to object. OSBI has been phasing the system in, and the earliest possible implementation deadline was November 1, 2025. A 2026 law summarized by CLEET (SB 2030, listed as effective November 1, 2026) reorganizes the process. It creates an online OSBI portal, lets some records be sealed without a court petition, and removes automatic expungement for certain records.

File a petition for expungement in district court. One petition can cover multiple arrests in the same county, but each county needs its own petition. The State can object even if the person qualifies. After the court grants the order, a certified copy goes to OSBI. OSBI asks for the person's name, Social Security number, date of birth, the charges, the arrest date, and the court outcome. For domestic-related charges, include a police report showing the relationship to the victim. OSBI says court records are usually expunged about a month after it receives the order, and arrest records about a month after it receives the order and fee. OSBI cannot pre-approve anyone and strongly suggests getting a lawyer.

OSBI says expunging the court record is free. Expunging the arrest record requires a $150 OSBI processing fee, paid by cashier's check or money order (no personal checks), and local law enforcement agencies may charge their own fees.

Expungement seals the court or arrest record so the public cannot access it. Physical records are not destroyed. OSBI may keep identifying information such as fingerprints, but it is not linked to the sealed arrest. A 991c expungement updates the outcome to show the case was dismissed, but the arrest record is not removed. According to the CLEET 2026 summary, expunged records generally become unavailable to the public and to law enforcement, while some Clean Slate sealed records stay available to law enforcement for criminal justice purposes.

Only the Governor can grant a pardon, and only after a hearing and a favorable recommendation from a majority of the Pardon and Parole Board. The applicant must have an Oklahoma felony or misdemeanor conviction (traffic misdemeanors do not qualify), must have completed the full sentence or met the supervision rule, paid all fines and restitution, and have no pending charges, warrants or child-support arrears. Apply online, and there is no fee. Processing usually takes 6 to 12 months. A pardon does not clear the record, and a pardon is not needed to get an expungement. A person with a full pardon is eligible for expungement, and a full pardon for a nonviolent felony restores firearm rights under 21 O.S. § 1283(B).

The Oklahoma State Bureau of Investigation (OSBI) handles criminal history record requests. The fastest route is CHIRP, OSBI's online portal for name-based checks (chirp.osbi.ok.gov); you need an email address and a credit card or bank account. You can also send OSBI's Criminal History Request Form by fax (405-879-2503, credit card only), by mail, or in person at OSBI, 6600 N. Harvey, Oklahoma City, OK 73116 (9 a.m.-4 p.m. weekdays). Requests must include at least full name and date of birth. Fingerprint-based checks require original fingerprint cards sent by mail or in person. OSBI lists fees of $15 (name-based) and $19 (fingerprint-based); under SB 1921 (74 O.S. 150.9), the fees rise to $20 and $25 effective November 1, 2026.