How to seal a criminal record in Massachusetts

A plain-English guide to who qualifies, how long you wait, what can't be sealed, and how the process actually works — written for people doing this themselves.

1. What "sealing" actually does

Sealing limits public access to your Massachusetts criminal record — your CORI (Criminal Offender Record Information). Once a record is sealed:

• It won't appear on the standard CORI reports that most employers, landlords, and the general public can request.
• On most job and housing applications, you can lawfully answer that you have "no record" as to the sealed case.
• The record still exists. It is not destroyed — that's expungement, which is different (see section 6).

Some entities can still see sealed records in defined circumstances — courts and law enforcement, and certain sensitive employers (for example, positions working with children, the elderly, or people with disabilities, which run a broader level of CORI). Sealing is powerful, but it is not the same as the record never having existed.

2. The two paths: §100A and §100C

Which law applies depends on how your case ended.

§100A — convictions

If you were found guilty (or pleaded guilty), the case is a conviction and is sealed under §100A. This is an administrative, mail-in process handled by the Office of the Commissioner of Probation / Massachusetts Probation Service (1 Ashburton Place, Room 405, Boston, MA 02108). In the ordinary case there is no court hearing — you submit the Petition to Seal and the Probation Service seals qualifying records.

§100C — non-convictions

If your case ended in a dismissal, a nolle prosequi (the prosecutor dropped it), a no-bill, or a not-guilty finding, it is a non-conviction and is sealed under §100C. This is a court process: you petition the District Court or Boston Municipal Court where the case started, and a judge reviews it. When the court requires it, a short public notice period (and sometimes a brief hearing) follows before sealing.

3. Waiting periods for convictions

Non-convictions usually have no waiting period. Convictions do:

The clock runs from the later of: the date you were found guilty, or the date you were released from any incarceration or custody for that offense. A new conviction during the waiting period can restart the clock, so the exact dates matter. This is the single most common place people miscount — confirming the precise eligible date is a big part of what the attorney review does.

4. What can't be sealed

A narrow set of convictions cannot be sealed:

• Certain firearms offenses (for example, the sale of firearms or ammunition without a license).
• Crimes against public justice — such as perjury, witness intimidation, and aiding an escape from custody.
• Violations of the state ethics laws (G.L. c. 268A / 268B).
• Sex offenses, which generally cannot be sealed for 15 years after disposition; anyone classified as a Level 2 or Level 3 sex offender is barred from sealing sex offenses.

Crucial exception: these bars apply to convictions. If one of these charges instead ended in a dismissal, a not-guilty finding, or a nolle prosequi, it can usually still be sealed under §100C. If you're not sure which applies to you, that's exactly what the eligibility review sorts out.

5. The step-by-step process

1. Identify each case and how it ended — conviction (§100A) vs. non-conviction (§100C). Your CORI and court dockets show this.
2. Confirm eligibility and timing — charge level, the waiting-period start date, and any disqualifiers.
3. Complete the correct petition — the Petition to Seal conviction records (Probation Service) or the Petition to Seal for Nolle Prosequi or Dismissal (court).
4. File it — by mail to the Commissioner of Probation for §100A; at the District Court or BMC where the case started for §100C.
5. Court review (§100C) — a judge reviews the petition; when required, a short notice period and possibly a brief hearing follow.
6. Sealing — qualifying records are sealed. There is no government fee to request to seal a record in Massachusetts.

6. Sealing vs. expungement

These are not the same thing, and conflating them causes real mistakes.

• Sealing (§§ 100A–100C) hides a record that continues to exist.
• Expungement (§§ 100E–100U) permanently destroys the record. It is far narrower — eligibility is limited by the type of offense, the number of offenses on your record, and in some cases your age at the time of the offense. It comes in time-based and non-time-based forms, each with its own requirements.

Many people who ask about "expungement" are actually best served by sealing. The eligibility review screens for both and never treats one as the other.

7. After your record is sealed

Once sealed, the record drops off the CORI reports most employers and landlords pull, and you can answer "no record" to most standard questions about it. Keep your sealing confirmation. If you later apply for a position that runs a broader level of CORI, understand that some sealed information can still be visible in those specific contexts.

Sources: M.G.L. c. 276 §§ 100A, 100C, 100E–100U; Mass.gov, "Request to seal your criminal record" and "Find out if you can seal your criminal record." This guide is general information and may not reflect the latest amendments; a licensed Massachusetts attorney confirms how the law applies to your record.