RecordReset

Source review: September 29, 2026. Information only, not legal advice.

Illinois expungement and sealing

Illinois has separate expungement and sealing routes under 20 ILCS 2630/5.2. The relevant disposition, sentence and offense determine which route and wait, if any, applies. Illinois Courts publishes approved statewide forms that every Illinois court must accept, plus links to a free form-filling interview. A screening alone is not a court order.

Which records can be expunged or sealed?

The Criminal Identification Act, section 5.2 describes categories including arrests without conviction, some supervision outcomes and some convictions, with different restrictions and timing. Get the final disposition for each arrest or charge before selecting a petition. A rule for one offense or disposition cannot be generalized to another.

Where are the current court forms?

The Illinois Courts forms suite says approved statewide forms must be accepted in every Illinois court and links a free Illinois Legal Aid Online Easy Form interview. The court warns to download forms before filling them: entries made in the webpage viewer may be lost, and electronic filing may require a flattened PDF. Use the current court version rather than an unreviewed generic draft.

What happens after preparing the petition?

  1. Gather your criminal-history record, arrest information, case numbers and certified dispositions.
  2. Read the court forms' instructions and identify each case and the proper circuit court. Multiple jurisdictions may mean separate filings.
  3. Check the clerk's current filing fee or fee-waiver route and follow service and notice requirements. Agencies may object under the statute.
  4. Keep the final order and verify the record was updated with the relevant custodians.

What does RecordReset offer in Illinois?

The informational screener may flag a possible route for review. It is not an Illinois petition workbook, an attorney review, or a filing service.

Illinois record-clearing law is primarily under 20 ILCS 2630/5.2 (the unified expungement / sealing statute) and the Cannabis Regulation and Tax Act (P.A. 101-27). The information here is a summary and not a substitute for review by a licensed Illinois attorney.

Questions people ask

Are expungement and sealing identical in Illinois?

No. Expungement and sealing have different legal effects and eligibility categories under 20 ILCS 2630/5.2.

Are there approved statewide forms?

Yes. Illinois Courts says its approved expungement and sealing forms must be accepted by all Illinois courts. The court also links to a free guided Easy Form.

Can one waiting period be used for every Illinois case?

No. Timing depends on disposition, sentence, offense and statutory exceptions; a dismissal is not assessed the same way as a conviction.

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.