Seal or Expunge a Criminal Record
The Clerk of Court assists with the process of requesting the sealing or expungement of a criminal record(s).
Sealing a record is securing a record and restricting it from public access. The record may be accessed by any person who has the legal right to the information in the record.
Expungement of a record is the destruction and complete removal of a record from public access. There are several types of sealing or expungement processes authorized by law.
Information and resources about Sealing and Expungement can be found at the Florida Department of Law Enforcement (FDLE) website.
Steps to Request a Record be Sealed or Expunged
- Complete the Application for Certificate of Eligibility at the FDLE website. If you need assistance, email or call (850) 410-7870.
- Once you have a Certificate of Eligibility from FDLE, download the Sealing and Expungement Packet that best suits your circumstance:
- File the following documents at the Office of the County Clerk of Court:
- Original petition
- Affidavit
- Certificate of Eligibility
- Proposed Order to Expunge or Order to Seal
Clerk of the Circuit Court - Sarasota Main Office
2000 Main Street, 1st floor Public Access
Sarasota, FL 34237
Clerk of the Circuit Court - Venice Branch Office
4004 South Tamiami Trail
Venice, FL 34293
- Send a copy of the documents to all law enforcement agencies that have your criminal record on file. Keep a copy of all documents for your records.
Fees for Sealing or Expungement of a Record
These fees are paid to the Sarasota County Clerk and Comptroller:
- $42.00 filing fee
- $1.00 per page for copies
- $2.00 for certification of the Order
Payment Methods
- Cash – accepted for in-person transactions only
- Personal Check, Money Order, Cashier’s Check payable to the Sarasota County Clerk of Court
- Credit Cards – MasterCard, Visa, Discover, American Express (fee + $3.50 surcharge)