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How much does expungement (record clearing) cost?

Honest answer first: we do not publish a 50-state expungement fee table, because we could not verify one from official sources. Expungement fees are set inside each state's record-clearing statute and court rules — not on the general fee schedules this site is built from — and the figures circulating on roundup sites disagree with each other. Rather than print numbers we can't stand behind, this page breaks down what the cost consists of, so you can price your own case with one call to the clerk.

The cost components

• The petition filing fee — where a state charges one, the petition is usually filed in the court that handled the original case, and some states waive the fee for acquittals, dismissals, or certain first offences. Ask the clerk what the expungement petition fee is and whether your disposition qualifies for a waiver.
• Fingerprinting and background-check fees — many states require a fresh fingerprint-based state bureau (and sometimes FBI) check as part of the petition packet. Those are agency fees, not court fees.
• Certified copies — of the original disposition and of the expungement order itself, priced per certification by the clerk.
• Service or notice copies — several states require the petition to be served on the prosecutor and other agencies at the petitioner's cost.

What to ask the clerk (one call, four questions)

1. What is the filing fee for an expungement petition in this court — and is it waived for my type of disposition?
2. Which background checks do you require, and what do they cost?
3. Who must be served with the petition, and how?
4. How many certified copies of the order will I need, and what does each cost?

If money is the barrier, ask about the court's fee-waiver procedure at the same time — our fee waiver guide explains how those work. And if eligibility is in doubt, that is a legal question: a legal-aid office or a licensed attorney in your state can answer it; this site cannot.