Seal your record. Keep your past private.

You apply for a job. The interview goes great. They tell you they'll call by Friday. Friday comes and goes — silence. What happened? Chances are, a background check pulled up something from your past. Even old arrests that never led to a conviction can be enough for an employer to move on to the next candidate without telling you why.

The same thing happens with apartment applications, bank loans, volunteer positions, and professional licenses. Your record follows you like a shadow — invisible to you, but visible to everyone who runs a check. Record sealing puts an end to that. When your record is sealed, it's hidden from the public. Employers, landlords, and background check companies can't access it, and in most states, you're not required to disclose it.

Record sealing is available in many states where expungement isn't an option, or where your specific offense doesn't qualify for full expungement. Think of it as putting your record behind a locked door — it still technically exists in the court system, but nobody outside of law enforcement and certain government agencies can see it. For everyday life, a sealed record might as well not exist.

Record sealing is a court-ordered process that restricts public access to your criminal record. Unlike expungement, which destroys the record entirely, sealing keeps the record in the court system but blocks it from being visible to employers, landlords, background check companies, and the general public. For practical purposes, a sealed record is invisible to anyone who isn't law enforcement or a specific government agency with authorized access.

Can employers see sealed records?

No. Once your record is sealed, standard background check companies cannot access it. When an employer runs a background check through services like Checkr, GoodHire, or HireRight, your sealed record will not appear. In most states, you can legally answer "no" when asked if you've ever been arrested or convicted for the sealed offense. The only exceptions are certain government jobs, law enforcement positions, and jobs that involve working with children or vulnerable populations — where some states allow access to sealed records.

Does a sealed record show up on a background check?

No, that's the whole point. Background check companies pull information from court records and law enforcement databases. When a court orders your record sealed, these agencies are legally required to restrict access. The record effectively disappears from commercial background checks. We verify this after your record is sealed by running a check to confirm the information is no longer accessible.

Can landlords see sealed records?

No. Landlords who run background checks through tenant screening services will not see your sealed record. This means your past won't prevent you from getting approved for housing. This is especially important in competitive rental markets where landlords reject applicants at the first sign of any criminal history.

How to seal records after probation

In most states, completing probation is a key requirement for record sealing eligibility. Once you've served your full probation period, paid all fines and restitution, and completed any required programs (community service, drug treatment, anger management, etc.), you become eligible to petition the court to seal your record. Some states have a waiting period after probation ends — typically 1 to 5 years depending on the offense — before you can file. Our free eligibility check will tell you exactly where you stand.

How to seal a juvenile record

Juvenile records are often easier to seal than adult records, and many states seal them automatically once you turn 18 or 21. If your state doesn't do this automatically, you can petition the court to seal your juvenile record. In most cases, juvenile sealing is granted as long as you haven't been convicted of any offenses as an adult. This is important because juvenile records can still appear on background checks and affect your ability to get a job, housing, or education.