Florida sealing and expunging: the paperwork, filled in for your court

Florida is two separate processes, not one. First the state police decide whether you are eligible; only then can a court be asked to seal or expunge. Incomplete packets are returned, and the queue is measured in months.

149 · one case, one court

Flat. No hourly billing, no consultation to book.

What the process actually is

Apply to FDLE for a Certificate of Eligibility — full application, fingerprints, certified disposition, and for an expungement a certification signed by the state attorney.
Wait. FDLE processing runs past twelve weeks and cannot be expedited.
File the petition, the certificate and a sworn affidavit in the court of proper jurisdiction.

What you get for the fee

An eligibility read for your offence and your dates, against the current rules — including when the clock starts.
The application and order for your court, filled in with your case number, charge, disposition and dates.
A filing checklist: which office, what it costs there, how many copies, who has to be served, what any hearing is for.

What this is not

I am not a lawyer and this is not legal advice. You decide to file, you sign, you appear.
No promised outcome. A judge can deny a correctly filed application, and anyone quoting you a success rate is selling a number they cannot produce.
If your record is not eligible I will say so and you pay nothing. There is no point selling paperwork a court will reject.

What it costs whoever does it

FDLE processing fee 75, by check or money order.
Court filing fee, plus certified copies and notary — commonly around 245 all in, doing it yourself.

Those are the state's costs, not mine, and you pay them either way.

The free route, named

FDLE's own seal-and-expunge pages — The instructions and the application are free, and FDLE will also run a free Personal Review telling you which arrest dates might qualify. What it will not do is assemble your packet.

See if my case qualifies

The next page asks what court and what charge. Nothing is charged before you have the eligibility answer.

Not a law firm and not legal advice. Document preparation only. Swanum · Terms