SecondChanceInfo

District of Columbia Clean Slate Law: Automatic Sealing (2026)

Second Chance Amendment Act of 2022 (D.C. Law 24-284), as amended by the Secure DC Omnibus Amendment Act of 2024 (D.C. Law 25-175), the Fiscal Year 2025 Budget Support Act of 2024 (D.C. Law 25-217) and the Peace DC Omnibus Amendment Act of 2025 (D.C. Law 26-52)

Last updated: (official sources checked)Enacted — not yet operating

Quick Answer

The District of Columbia's Second Chance Amendment Act provides automatic sealing of non-conviction records and of misdemeanor convictions 10 years after the sentence ends, and automatic expungement of decriminalized offenses and simple marijuana possession. But automatic relief has not started: the court has until October 1, 2027 to process eligible records.

Meanwhile you can file a motion to seal in D.C. Superior Court. Non-conviction records can be sealed by motion now, misdemeanor convictions after 5 years and most felonies after 8 years — only the most serious felonies are barred. Felonies, DUI, crimes of violence and intrafamily offenses are never sealed automatically.

Is it operating yet?

The Second Chance Amendment Act has applied since March 1, 2025, but the statute gives the D.C. Superior Court until October 1, 2027 to automatically seal or expunge eligible records (or 90 days after a case ends or a waiting period expires, if that is later). The D.C. Courts' sealing page says the automatic provisions are not yet in effect and no cases are being automatically sealed or expunged (see the official links below). Until automatic processing begins, you must file a motion to get relief.

Sources: D.C. Code § 16-805 (D.C. Law Library) (§ 16-805, Applicability note; § 16-805(c)(1)(A); § 16-805(c)(2)); D.C. Code § 16-802 (D.C. Law Library) (§ 16-802(b)); D.C. Law 26-9, Second Chance Clarification Temporary Amendment Act of 2025 (D.C. Law Library) (Long title); U.S. Attorney's Office for the District of Columbia — letter to the D.C. Council, March 3, 2025 (PDF) (Letter, p. 1)

The law

Bill 24-63, enacted as D.C. Law 24-284, effective March 10, 2023. Its applicability was delayed by later budget laws; under D.C. Law 25-217 (effective Sept. 18, 2024) the amendments to Chapter 8 apply as of March 1, 2025. D.C. Law 26-52 (effective Oct. 28, 2025, applicable as of March 1, 2025) reset the automatic non-conviction sealing timeline and clarified that records eligible for future automatic sealing can be sealed by motion now.

Sources: D.C. Law 24-284, Second Chance Amendment Act of 2022 (D.C. Law Library) (Law Information); D.C. Code § 16-805 (D.C. Law Library) (§ 16-805, Applicability note; § 16-805(c)(1)(A)); D.C. Law 25-217, Fiscal Year 2025 Budget Support Act of 2024 (D.C. Law Library) (Sec. 7290(a); Law Information); D.C. Law 26-52, Peace DC Omnibus Amendment Act of 2025 (D.C. Law Library) (Law Information; Sec. 10(b); Sec. 7(a)(1); Long title)

What automatic sealing does

Automatic sealing removes the records from public view but lets specific parties (courts, prosecutors, law enforcement, certain licensing agencies, schools/child-care facilities and some government employers) keep restricted access. Automatic expungement (for decriminalized, legalized or unconstitutional offenses and pre-2015 marijuana possession) restores the person, legally, to their pre-arrest status. In both cases the person may decline to disclose the record without committing perjury.

Sources: D.C. Code § 16-805 (D.C. Law Library) (§ 16-805(a)(2); § 16-805(a)(1); § 16-805, credits); D.C. Code § 16-802 (D.C. Law Library) (§ 16-802(a))

Records covered and waiting periods

Non-conviction records (dismissals, no-papers, acquittals other than by reason of insanity)

Waiting period
None; to be sealed by October 1, 2027, or within 90 days after the case ends, whichever is later
Conditions
Offense is not on the § 16-805(b) excluded list

Source: D.C. Code § 16-805 (D.C. Law Library) (§ 16-805(a)(1); § 16-805(c)(1)(A); § 16-805(b)(1))

Misdemeanor convictions

Waiting period
10 years after completion of the sentence; to be sealed by October 1, 2027, or within 90 days after the waiting period expires, whichever is later
Conditions
Offense is not on the § 16-805(b) excluded list; unpaid fines/restitution do not prevent completion of the sentence

Sources: D.C. Code § 16-805 (D.C. Law Library) (§ 16-805(a)(2); § 16-805(c)(2)); D.C. Code § 16-801 (D.C. Law Library, Council of the District of Columbia) (§ 16-801(2))

Automatic expungement: offenses later decriminalized, legalized or held unconstitutional, and simple marijuana possession before February 15, 2015

Waiting period
None; to be expunged by October 1, 2027, or within 90 days after the case ends, whichever is later
Conditions
Case has ended; the prosecutor has not shown by clear and convincing evidence that the record must be retained or that the person does not qualify

Source: D.C. Code § 16-802 (D.C. Law Library) (§ 16-802(a); § 16-802(b); § 16-802(a)(2)(A))

Not cleared automatically

  • Felony convictions are not automatically sealed (automatic conviction sealing covers misdemeanors only).

    Source: D.C. Code § 16-805 (D.C. Law Library) (§ 16-805(a)(2))

  • Intrafamily offenses, parental kidnapping, criminal abuse or financial exploitation of a vulnerable adult or elderly person, a guardian's refusal or neglect to provide for a child under 14, and incest are excluded from automatic sealing.

    Source: D.C. Code § 16-805 (D.C. Law Library) (§ 16-805(b)(1); § 16-805(b)(2)–(4); § 16-805(b)(5)–(6))

  • Misdemeanor sexual abuse, non-consensual pornography, sexual performance using minors, stalking, offenses requiring sex offender registration (while the registration period has not expired), and violations of the sex offender registration law are excluded.

    Sources: D.C. Code § 16-805 (D.C. Law Library) (§ 16-805(b)(7)–(11)); D.C. Code Title 22 table of chapters (D.C. Law Library) (Chapters 30A, 31, 31A)

  • Dangerous crimes, crimes of violence, DUI, commercial-vehicle DUI and operating while impaired are excluded.

    Source: D.C. Code § 16-805 (D.C. Law Library) (§ 16-805(b)(13)–(15); § 16-805(b)(15)–(17))

How to check whether your record was cleared

Who can still see a cleared record

  • Prosecutors, defense attorneys, law enforcement, corrections, pretrial and community supervision agencies may use sealed records for any lawful purpose, including employment decisions, sex offender registration, gun offender registration, firearm-possession checks, and sentencing in a later case.

    Source: D.C. Code § 16-807 (D.C. Law Library) (§ 16-807(d)(1)(B); § 16-807(d)(1)(B)(vii)–(x); § 16-807(d)(1)(B)(vi))

  • Licensing agencies (for disqualifying offenses), licensed schools, day care and child-protection facilities, and government employers filling judicial or senior executive positions keep access to the extent they had it before sealing.

    Sources: D.C. Code § 16-801 (D.C. Law Library, Council of the District of Columbia) (§ 16-801(5)(D)–(E); § 16-801(5)(F)); D.C. Code § 16-807 (D.C. Law Library) (§ 16-807(d)(1)(C))

If automatic relief does not cover your record

File a motion to seal in D.C. Superior Court under § 16-806. Non-conviction records can be sealed now by motion (for non-excluded offenses, the motion must be filed before October 1, 2027); convictions can be sealed by motion after 5 years (misdemeanor) or 8 years (felony, except Offense Severity Groups 1–3) from completion of the sentence. The motion must list all of the person's unsealed citations, arrests, charges and convictions; the court must rule within 180 days unless there is good cause for delay.

Sources: D.C. Code § 16-806 (D.C. Law Library) (§ 16-806(a)(1)(B); § 16-806(a)(3); § 16-806(a)(3)(A)(ii); § 16-806(c)(1)(A)(i); +1 more); D.C. Law 26-52, Peace DC Omnibus Amendment Act of 2025 (D.C. Law Library) (Long title)

District of Columbiaexpungement and sealing guide — every route by record type →

Official links

Frequently Asked Questions

Is D.C. automatically sealing records right now?
Not yet, according to the D.C. Courts. The law gives the court until October 1, 2027 to automatically seal eligible records, and the court's sealing page says no cases are being automatically sealed or expunged at this time.

Source: D.C. Code § 16-805 (D.C. Law Library) (§ 16-805(c)(1)(A); § 16-805(c)(2))

Do I have to wait until 2027, or can I file a motion now?
You can file now. A 2025 amendment made clear that records eligible for future automatic sealing can be sealed by motion; for a non-conviction record of an offense not on the excluded list, the motion must be filed before October 1, 2027. Convictions can be sealed by motion after the 5-year (misdemeanor) or 8-year (felony) waiting period.

Sources: D.C. Law 26-52, Peace DC Omnibus Amendment Act of 2025 (D.C. Law Library) (Long title); D.C. Code § 16-806 (D.C. Law Library) (§ 16-806(a)(1)(B); § 16-806(a)(3); § 16-806(a)(3)(A)(ii))

Will a felony conviction ever be sealed automatically?
No. Automatic sealing covers only non-conviction records and misdemeanor convictions. Felony convictions can be sealed only by motion after 8 years, and felonies in Offense Severity Groups 1–3 cannot be sealed.

Sources: D.C. Code § 16-805 (D.C. Law Library) (§ 16-805(a)(2)); D.C. Code § 16-806 (D.C. Law Library) (§ 16-806(a)(3)(A)(ii))

Can a DUI or domestic-violence-related conviction be sealed?
Not automatically: DUI and intrafamily offenses are on the excluded list for automatic sealing. But the motion-sealing section has no such exclusion, so these convictions can be sealed by motion after the waiting period if the court finds it is in the interests of justice.

Sources: D.C. Code § 16-805 (D.C. Law Library) (§ 16-805(b)(1); § 16-805(b)(13)–(15)); D.C. Code § 16-806 (D.C. Law Library) (§ 16-806(a)(3); § 16-806(a)(3)(B))

Do unpaid fines or restitution stop the waiting period?
No. The waiting period runs from completion of the sentence (discharge from incarceration, probation, parole or supervised release), and nonpayment of fines, restitution or other court-imposed money does not prevent a sentence from being completed.

Source: D.C. Code § 16-801 (D.C. Law Library, Council of the District of Columbia) (§ 16-801(2))

After sealing, do I have to tell employers about the record?
A person whose record is sealed cannot be found guilty of perjury or a false statement for not disclosing it. However, some entities, including law enforcement agencies, certain licensing agencies, schools and child-care facilities, and some government employers, can still see sealed records.

Sources: D.C. Code § 16-807 (D.C. Law Library) (§ 16-807(b); § 16-807(d)(1)(B); § 16-807(d)(1)(C)); D.C. Code § 16-801 (D.C. Law Library, Council of the District of Columbia) (§ 16-801(5)(D)–(E))

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This is informational only, not legal advice. Whether a particular record qualifies depends on the exact offense, sentence, dates and later cases. Confirm with the court, the state records agency or a legal aid office before relying on a record being cleared.

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