Help Center for Texas

Let’s try to answer your question.

Frequently Asked Questions

Issues related to clearing your criminal records in Texas.

8 answers

No. Employers, landlords and anyone else looking for your charges can still find your criminal records through various other sources including background check companies or directly from the court in which your case was processed. Our system searches readily available public data to give you a free overview of your criminal record. However, when you purchase a Eligibility Report, we will conduct a thorough search of your criminal history and find the charges of interest for you. In addition, we will tell you what you can do to clear each charge on your record!

An expunction means the Court seals and destroys all records of both the arrest and any court proceedings, so they can't ever be found by anyone. Any record of the expunction also gets destroyed. It's like the arrest (and the expunction) never happened.

Non-disclosure requires all state and federal agencies to seal your record, so no one outside of the government can ever see it. The criminal record can be used against you in court for a future prosecution. But rest assured – law enforcement, jails, and the Department of Public Safety must seal your record and cannot disclose the offense to non-governmental agencies.

In Texas, you can expunge an arrest as long as you didn't get convicted or receive some type of community supervision. You can also expunge a Class C Misdemeanor if you've completed deferred adjudication (probation, treatment, or community service). If you were convicted, received community supervision, or did not complete a deferred adjudication for a Class C Misdemeanor, you may still be able to get a non-disclosure.

With an expunction, you don't have to tell employers, landlords, or police about your record. 80% of employers do background checks, and a criminal record reduces the likelihood you'll get called back or offered a job by nearly 50%. But an expunction means employers and others won’t see your criminal record. There’s just one exception: If you're being questioned under oath in court, you have to admit you were arrested and what for – but nothing more.

With a non-disclosure, the general public cannot find out what's on your record. All state and federal agencies that have any record of your offense must seal your record and cannot share any information on it with non-governmental entities. So, whether you're applying for a job, an apartment, or a loan, you can keep the details of your record completely private.

It takes the State of Texas about 4-5 months to process a case. So, the sooner you begin the process, the sooner your name gets cleared.

We can provide you with documentation as proof for your employer, letting them know you're petitioning for expunction or non-disclosure and your record should soon be cleared.