Clean Slate law
A state law that seals eligible criminal records automatically, without the person applying.
In more detail
Thirteen states have enacted Clean Slate legislation, beginning with Pennsylvania in 2018. Eligible records are sealed after a waiting period with no petition required. Washington DC began automatic expungement in January 2026 and Virginia's took effect in July 2026 after a delay.
Why it matters to you
Automatic relief does not notify you, and it does not notify the background-check companies. A significant number of people have already been sealed, do not know it, and are still being reported on.
What to do
If you live in a Clean Slate state, check your state criminal history and compare it to what screening companies are reporting. The gap is your dispute.
- Expungement
A court order restricting or destroying the government's record of a criminal case.
- Record sealing
Restricting public access to a criminal record without destroying it.
- Ban the box / fair-chance hiring
Laws restricting when and how an employer may ask about or use criminal history.