Learn / Arizona Record Sealing

Arizona Record Sealing Guide (A.R.S. § 13-911)

Last updated May 2026. Reflects SB 1639, effective September 13, 2024.

What sealing actually does

Arizona's record-sealing statute, A.R.S. § 13-911, allows eligible petitioners to hide their criminal record from public view. After a court grants a sealing order:

• The case file is removed from public access at the courthouse
• Background-check companies can no longer report it on standard checks
• Most employers cannot see the record
• You can legally answer "no" when asked "have you ever been convicted of a crime" on most employment applications, housing applications, and licensing applications

What sealing doesn't do:

• Law enforcement, AZPOST (Arizona Peace Officer Standards & Training), and the courts can still see the record
• Background checks for child-related work (DCS, DDD, schools) and vulnerable-adult work can still surface it
• Federal immigration officials can still see it
• If you're charged with a future crime, the sealed conviction can still be used as a prior for sentencing enhancement
• Sealing does NOT vacate the conviction (use § 13-905 set-aside for that) and does NOT destroy the record (use § 36-2862 marijuana expungement for that)

Who can seal a record under § 13-911

Eligibility under § 13-911 has three layers: the offense must not be excluded, the waiting period must have elapsed, and certain procedural conditions must be met.

Offense exclusions (§ 13-911(O))

The following offenses cannot be sealed:

• Sexual offenses requiring registration under A.R.S. § 13-3821
• Offenses against a victim under 15 years of age
• Dangerous crimes against children under § 13-705
• Sexual exploitation of a minor
• Most violent offenses involving deadly weapons or serious physical injury
• Selected DUI categories with a victim

If your offense falls into any of these categories, sealing is not available. Other remedies (like set-aside under § 13-905, which has fewer exclusions) may still apply.

Waiting periods (§ 13-911(B))

The clock starts at absolute discharge — the later of (a) probation discharge or (b) release from custody if you served prison time. Different waiting periods apply by offense class:

• Class 2 or 3 felony: 10 years
• Class 4, 5, or 6 felony: 5 years
• Class 1 misdemeanor: 3 years
• Class 2 or 3 misdemeanor: 2 years

Important note: SB 1639 (effective September 13, 2024) removed a prior 5-year extension that used to apply when the petitioner had any prior felony conviction. After SB 1639, prior convictions no longer extend the waiting period — only the offense class of the offense being sealed matters for timing.

Procedural conditions

Beyond offense class and waiting period, you must also:

• Have completed probation or your sentence (with proof of discharge)
• Have paid all restitution in full
• Have paid all fines and fees
• Have no active warrants or pending criminal cases
• Not have had a prior § 13-911 sealing petition denied within the last 3 years (denial triggers a 3-year refile bar under § 13-911(L))

How the sealing process works

The procedure under § 13-911 is straightforward but has timing requirements that matter:

1. File petition with original court. The case must be filed in the same court that imposed the original conviction (Superior Court for felonies, justice/city court for misdemeanors).
2. Serve the prosecutor. The county attorney's office (or the city/town prosecutor for misdemeanors) must be served a copy of the petition by certified mail or personal service.
3. 60-day prosecutor response window. SB 1639 expanded this from 30 to 60 days. The prosecutor has 60 days to file an objection. If they don't object, the court can rule on the papers.
4. Court decision. If uncontested, the court typically rules within 7-14 days of the 60-day mark. If the prosecutor objects, a hearing is scheduled.
5. Sealing order issued. Once granted, the court files the sealing order and the record is removed from public view within a few weeks.

Total timeline: typically 60-150 days from filing, depending on whether there's an objection and the court's calendar.

What it costs

Arizona courts charge $0 to file a § 13-911 sealing petition. The legislature deliberately removed filing fees to make this remedy accessible. Don't pay any service that quotes you "court fees" on top of their service price — there are none.

If you hire a service to prepare the paperwork, expect $500-$1,500. If you hire an attorney, expect $1,500-$3,000. Filing pro se costs nothing.

Common reasons petitions are denied

• Outstanding restitution. The single most common cause. Confirm with the court clerk that your balance is $0 before filing.
• Premature filing. Calendar your absolute discharge date carefully — the waiting period starts at the LATER of probation discharge or prison release.
• Pending case or warrant. Resolve everything first.
• Excluded offense. Check § 13-911(O). If unsure, our screening tool flags exclusions.
• Prior denial within 3 years. § 13-911(L) bars refile during this window. Calendar carefully.

A denial under § 13-911 is serious because of the 3-year refile bar. Make sure you qualify before filing.