Sections 943.0585 and 943.059, Florida Statutes (F.S.), set forth criteria that must be met in order to be eligible to have an adult or, if so desired, juvenile criminal history record sealed or expunged by a court. In addition, these statutes require a person who wants to petition a court to seal or expunge his/her criminal history record in Florida, to first apply to the Florida Department of Law Enforcement (FDLE) for a Certificate of Eligibility. (As the name implies, this document certifies that the record is statutorily eligible for sealing or expungement.)

The issuance of a Certificate of Eligibility does not mean that your criminal history record will, necessarily, be ordered sealed or expunged by the court. The granting of a petition for sealing or expungement filed by a statutorily-eligible petitioner is at the sole discretion of the court. Under certain specified conditions, criminal history records may be eligible for expungement under other statutory provisions, with different requirements and different effects. The criminal history record of a minor may also be eligible for other forms of expungement.

You can obtain an Florida application for the Certificate of Eligibility by downloading the application from their website, or by emailing the FDLE Expunge Section at Seal-Expunge@fdle.state.fl.us, and requesting an application be mailed or emailed to you.