Expungements

The Utah Expungement Act governs how to expunge records of an arrest or conviction in Utah, regardless of when a person was arrested or convicted.

Expunging a criminal record does not change history; expunging a record means that the court orders the records of the arrest, investigation, detention and conviction in the criminal case sealed. Sealing a record means that the public cannot view or copy it. Conviction includes a verdict or finding of guilty after trial, a plea of guilty, or a plea of nolo contendere (no contest).

If an agency does not receive the expungement order, they are not required to seal their records. A government agency that has received an expungement order will respond to an inquiry as though that arrest or conviction did not occur. A person who has had records expunged may respond to an inquiry as though that arrest or conviction did not occur. The order to seal records applies only to government agencies. Other records, such as news accounts of an arrest or conviction, are not affected.

After a record is expunged, an agency's sealed records can still be viewed and copied by some government officials, and the court can order the records unsealed under some conditions.

Although the records being expunged are criminal records, the petition to expunge is a civil case. In proceedings to expunge a record, the defendant in the criminal case is the petitioner in the expungement case.

You will need to contact the Bureau of Criminal Identification (BCI) to begin the expungement process.  BCI is a division within the Utah Department of Public Safety.

Utah Department of Public Safety Bureau of Criminal Identification - Expungement Information

Once you have received your Certificate of Eligibility from BCI, you must fill out and file the appropriate forms with the court where your case was filed. 

Instructions to file your expungement
Expungement forms and checklist

Other agency addresses