How long does a misdemeanor or felony stay on your record in Ohio
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| A conviction for a misdemeanor or felony stays on your record forever. It does NOT automatically drop off after a certain amount of years. It does NOT drop off your record like a speeding ticket or other minor traffic offense. In order to deal with your misdemeanor or felony, you must actively do something about it.
You do have the option of requesting the court to seal your criminal record so that others cannot find it if you meet certain criteria. This process is called expungement. Generally, you may apply to expunge or seal your criminal record after one year for a misdemeanor or after three years for a felony. |
Certain convictions, however, cannot be expunged. This means that not all convictions can be sealed from public view.
Expungement is only available for first time offenders. So if you've been convicted of more than one crime, you are generally (but not always) out of luck when it comes to sealing/expunging your criminal record. In this site, we've covered many common questions related to the expungement process. If you qualify, it is well worth your time to expunge your criminal record for the purposes of college applications, employment, credit purposes, insurance, rental housing and more.
Continue on to our complete guide to Ohio expungement law
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