Source review: September 29, 2026. Information only, not legal advice.
Expungement vs. sealing: six-state comparison
Expungement, sealing, dismissal and record restriction are not interchangeable. Texas distinguishes expunction from nondisclosure; California commonly uses conviction dismissal or arrest sealing; Georgia uses record restriction. New York, Florida and Illinois have their own routes. The effect, first agency and records still visible depend on the state and exact order. Check your record before relying on any label.
What does each term mean?
Expunction or expungement can remove qualifying entries under a state's rules. Sealing or nondisclosure limits who can see specified records without necessarily destroying them. Dismissal of a conviction is a different court remedy in California. Restriction describes limits on non-criminal-justice access in Georgia. The precise legal effect is found in the order and statute, not a marketing synonym.
Which agency and document come first in each state?
This comparison is RecordReset's synthesis of six separate official court, agency and legal-aid instructions, reviewed on the date above. It is a navigation aid, not an eligibility table. Follow the linked authority for your case.
| State | Route | Question to resolve first | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| Texas | Expunction or nondisclosure | Disposition, every offense from arrest, limitations and exclusions | TexasLawHelp |
| California | Conviction dismissal or arrest sealing | Conviction vs. arrest; probation and other conditions | California Courts |
| New York | Clean Slate or CPL 160.59 sealing | Automatic rollout status vs. separate court application | New York Courts |
| Florida | Sealing or expungement | FDLE certificate, then court order for court-ordered route | FDLE |
| Illinois | Expungement or sealing | Disposition, offense and statutory exclusions | Illinois Courts |
| Georgia | Record restriction | Arrest date changes which agency handles the first step | GBI |
Who can still see a record after relief?
That depends on the jurisdiction, order and data custodian. TexasLawHelp says authorized agencies can still see a nondisclosed record. California Courts cautions that dismissal is not true expungement. GBI describes restrictions for non-criminal-justice purposes. A private background report might also need a separate dispute or update. Do not tell an employer or licensing board a record was erased without checking the actual order and disclosure rules.
What is the sensible first step?
Get the exact arrest or case history and final disposition, then select the state process. If a case was dismissed, read why dismissal alone is not enough. RecordReset's free screener may flag a route needing review; it cannot grant relief.
Questions people ask
Is sealing the same as deleting a record?
No. Access can remain for specified law enforcement, licensing or government users, and the treatment of court and private copies depends on the state and order.
Does California expunge convictions?
California Courts says true expungement does not exist there. A conviction dismissal may change some legal effects but does not erase every record.
Can a Texas conviction be expunged?
TexasLawHelp says ordinary convictions and regular probation are not eligible for expunction; a separate nondisclosure route may be possible in some cases.
Does automatic relief mean a record is already hidden?
Not necessarily. New York Courts says its Clean Slate implementation can continue until November 2027; other states also have exceptions and record-update processes. Check the actual record.
RecordReset is a self-help legal information service, not a law firm. A screening can only say a case may match published rules and needs review. A court or agency determines relief. RecordReset does not file cases or offer attorney review; paid enrollment and draft PDFs are paused for legal and form review.