Pennsylvania's Clean Slate Act (Act 56 of 2018) created the first automated record-sealing law in the United States. Unlike traditional expungement — which requires an individual petition, often with attorney assistance — Clean Slate uses an automated state database process to seal qualifying records without requiring the person to file anything.
What Records Are Automatically Sealed?
The Clean Slate Act provides for automatic sealing of:
- Summary offense convictions after 10 years with no new convictions and all fines paid.
- Second- and third-degree misdemeanor convictions (M2 and M3) after 10 years with no new convictions and all fines and restitution paid.
- Arrests that did not result in conviction (charges dismissed or not prosecuted), after 60 days from the final disposition.
What Is Not Sealed Under Clean Slate
Automatic sealing does not apply to:
- First-degree misdemeanors (M1), which require a traditional petition.
- Felony convictions of any class.
- Offenses involving violence, sexual crimes, or offenses against children.
- DUI convictions.
- Cases where fines or restitution remain unpaid.
What Sealing Means Practically
A sealed record is not deleted — it remains accessible to law enforcement, courts, and some licensing bodies. But it is removed from public court dockets and cannot be accessed by standard background check companies used by employers, landlords, and universities. This is the primary practical benefit: people with sealed records can lawfully answer "no" to many background check questions about criminal history.
Clean Slate 2.0 (Act 29 of 2024)
In 2024, Pennsylvania expanded the law with Clean Slate 2.0 (Act 29 of 2024), which extended automatic sealing to most M1 misdemeanor convictions (excluding DUI and violent offenses) after 7 years. This was a major expansion: M1s include many drug possession convictions, theft, and property offenses that had previously required expensive individual petitions.
Connection to Parole and Reentry
The Clean Slate Act is directly relevant to people leaving state prison through the Pennsylvania Board of Probation and Parole. Sealed records make it significantly easier to secure employment and housing — the two factors most strongly correlated with successful reentry and reduced recidivism. The PA Board has incorporated Clean Slate information into its reentry planning processes, and parole agents are directed to inform parolees about eligibility.