A job offer finally lands after weeks of interviews. Then the employer runs a background check, an old case from years ago appears on the screen, and the conversation goes quiet. Scenarios like this play out constantly for people in Columbus and across the county who paid for a past mistake long ago yet still carry it on paper.
A criminal record does not stay inside the courtroom. It follows a person into apartment applications, professional licensing boards, college financial aid forms, and the volunteer paperwork at their child’s school. For many, the frustration is not the original penalty they served in full, but the way a closed case keeps resurfacing long after their life has moved forward.
Ohio law offers a way out of that cycle, and the rules grew far more forgiving in 2023. This guide explains what record sealing and expungement actually mean, who is eligible in Franklin County, how long you have to wait, and the exact steps to petition the court.
What’s the Difference Between Sealing and Expungement in Ohio?
People often use the two words interchangeably, but Ohio treats them as two separate remedies with different outcomes. The line between them grew sharper after Senate Bill 288, the 2023 law that reshaped how the state handles old convictions.
Deciding which one fits your situation is the starting point for everything that follows. For the statewide picture beyond the local process, The Meade Law Group breaks down the Ohio expungement process in more detail.
| Feature | Record Sealing | Expungement |
| What happens to the file | Hidden from public view | Permanently destroyed |
| Who can still see it | Law enforcement and certain agencies | No one, once complete |
| Waiting period | Shorter | Longer |
| Available since | Long-standing in Ohio | New under Senate Bill 288 (2023) |
What Record Sealing Means
Record sealing hides a conviction from public view. The case still exists in the state’s files, and law enforcement, courts, and certain licensing agencies retain access to it under specific circumstances. To the general public, though, including most employers and landlords who run a standard background check, a sealed case no longer appears.
What Expungement Means
Expungement goes a step further. Instead of hiding the file, it destroys the record so that the case is permanently deleted and cannot be retrieved. Before 2023, Ohio did not offer true destruction for adult convictions, and what people casually called expungement was, in practice, sealing.
Senate Bill 288 created genuine expungement as a separate, higher tier of relief, and it carries longer waiting periods than sealing for the same offense.
What About Dismissed Charges and Not-Guilty Findings?
Not every record starts with a conviction. If your case ended in a dismissal, a not-guilty verdict, or a grand jury’s decision not to indict, that outcome can still appear on a background report and raise questions you would rather not answer.
Ohio treats these situations more generously than convictions. In many instances, there is no lengthy wait, and the court can order the record sealed or expunged soon after the case closes. Because the rules turn on how your specific disposition is classified, it is worth confirming that detail before you file anything.
Who Is Eligible to Seal or Expunge a Record in Franklin County?
Eligibility no longer depends on a rigid cap on how many cases you have. Senate Bill 288 removed the old “eligible offender” limit that once disqualified people simply for having several convictions. Today, whether you can seal or expunge a record turns on the level of each offense, the details of your history, and whether enough time has passed since your case concluded. The governing statute, Ohio Revised Code 2953.32, sets out the categories in detail.
Many routine Franklin County cases fall inside those categories, from a low-level theft to a first-time drug possession charge. The presence of one ineligible offense no longer blocks relief for the rest of your record. Because drug cases follow their own rules, our guide to sealing a drug charge in Franklin County covers them in detail.
Waiting Periods by Offense Level
The clock is tied to the seriousness of the offense. The figures below reflect the general waiting period for sealing, measured from final discharge. Expungement, the destruction remedy, runs on a much longer clock for the same offenses.
| Offense level | General waiting period before sealing |
|---|---|
| Minor misdemeanor | 6 months |
| Misdemeanor | 1 year |
| Fourth or fifth-degree felony | 1 year |
| Third-degree felony | 3 years |
First and second-degree felonies generally cannot be sealed at all, a point the next section covers. Expungement waits are far longer, reaching eleven years for fourth and fifth-degree felonies and thirteen years for third-degree felonies.
When Does the Waiting Period Start?
The wait does not begin on your sentencing date. It starts at final discharge, the moment every part of your sentence is complete. That includes any jail or prison time, the full term of probation or community control, any post-release supervision, and payment of all fines, court costs, and restitution. An unpaid balance or an open supervision term can quietly push back your eligibility, so pinning down the exact discharge date matters.
Which Offenses Can’t Be Sealed or Expunged in Ohio?
Ohio keeps a list of convictions that stay on the public record no matter how much time passes. If your case falls into one of these categories, no waiting period will make it eligible, although a few important exceptions are worth checking.
- OVI and most traffic offenses: An OVI conviction is treated as a traffic matter and cannot be sealed or expunged in Ohio. There is a meaningful exception. If the original charge was dismissed, or reduced to a non-traffic offense such as disorderly conduct, the record of that result may qualify. Our guide to expunging an OVI in Franklin County explains exactly what can and cannot be cleared.
- Violent and high-level felonies: Felony offenses of violence, along with most first and second-degree felonies, stay on the record permanently. Which felony levels do qualify is covered in our guide to sealing or expunging a felony in Franklin County.
- Sex offenses that require registration: Convictions tied to sex-offender registration are not eligible.
- Certain domestic violence and protection-order cases: The treatment of these convictions shifted under Senate Bill 288 and depends heavily on the degree of the offense, so they call for a careful, case-by-case review.
How to Seal or Expunge Your Record in Franklin County
The process runs through the court that handled your original case, and Franklin County has several. At a high level, the path looks the same for most applicants:
- Confirm the correct court and pull your case records.
- Complete and sign the application to seal or expunge.
- File it and deliver a copy to the prosecutor’s office.
- Appear at the scheduled hearing.
- Receive the judge’s ruling.
Two stages trip people up more than any others, and both deserve a closer look.
Where to File: Municipal Court, Common Pleas, or Mayor’s Court
You file in the same court that decided your case. Misdemeanor cases from the Franklin County Municipal Court are handled there, at the clerk’s office on South High Street in Columbus. Felony cases go to the Franklin County Court of Common Pleas, which publishes its own record sealing instructions for applicants.
If your case was heard in one of the county’s mayor’s courts, such as those in Dublin, Gahanna, Grove City, or Hilliard, you file with that court directly. Mayor’s court cases are easy to forget, yet they still show up on a background check, which makes them worth clearing too.
The Prosecutor’s Objection and Your Hearing
After you file, the prosecutor’s office receives a copy and may object to your request. At the hearing, the judge weighs your interest in moving forward against any government reason for keeping the case public. This is the point where preparation carries the most weight. A petition backed by proof of steady work, completed treatment, or other signs of rehabilitation gives the judge concrete grounds to rule in your favor.
How Much Does It Cost, and How Long Does It Take?
Cost is rarely the obstacle people expect. A filing fee applies, commonly around fifty dollars for a sealing application, and Franklin County provides a fee waiver for applicants who cannot afford it. Attorney fees are separate and vary with the difficulty of the case.
Timing depends on the court’s calendar. Most applicants wait several weeks to a few months between filing and the hearing, and the sealing takes effect once the judge signs the order and the relevant agencies update their systems. A case that draws an objection or involves several convictions tends to land on the longer end of that range.
What Are the Benefits of Sealing Your Record?
A sealed record changes what the public can learn about your past, and that single shift reopens options a visible conviction tends to shut down.
- Employment: A standard background check will no longer show a sealed case, removing a common reason applications get quietly set aside.
- Housing: Landlords and property managers who screen applicants generally will not see the sealed record.
- Professional licensing: Boards that review candidates for licenses and certifications lose access to the case in most situations.
- Education and financial aid: Sealed records typically stop weighing on admissions and aid decisions.
For most people, the practical result is simple. A closed chapter finally stays closed, and everyday applications stop turning into explanations. For a closer look at who can still see a sealed case and how it affects background checks, job questions, and firearm rights, see our guide to what a sealed record actually means.
Talk to Marcus A. Ross Law About Sealing Your Record
Clearing an old record is one of the few genuine second chances the law provides, and the outcome often rests on details in the petition. Marcus A. Ross is a Franklin County criminal defense attorney and a former Assistant City Prosecutor, so he has argued these cases from the other side of the courtroom and understands how a local prosecutor sizes up an objection.
At Marcus A. Ross Law, our team handles the process from the first review to the final order:
- Reviewing your history to confirm which cases qualify and when.
- Preparing and filing a complete, accurate petition in the correct court.
- Responding to any objection raised by the prosecutor’s office.
- Presenting your request to seal or expunge at the hearing.
Contact Marcus A. Ross and our Franklin County team today.
Frequently Asked Questions
| Question | Answer |
| Is record sealing automatic under Ohio’s 2023 law, or do I still need to file? | Ohio began phasing in an automatic sealing process for some eligible records under Senate Bill 288, run by the courts and the state rather than the individual. The rollout is gradual, and not every court applies it to every qualifying case yet. If a conviction that should qualify still appears on your record, you can file a petition instead of waiting. |
| If I have more than one conviction, can I still seal my record? | Often, yes. The 2023 law removed the old limit that disqualified people for having several cases. Eligibility now depends on the type and level of each offense rather than a fixed count, and multiple charges from a single incident are sometimes counted as one for this purpose. |
| Can I own a firearm again after my record is sealed? | Not automatically. Sealing a record and restoring firearm rights are separate questions, and a sealing order does not by itself undo a firearms restriction tied to certain convictions. Whether those rights can be restored depends on the underlying offense and other factors an attorney can review. |
| Will a sealed record still appear on a federal or FBI background check? | Possibly. Ohio sealing controls state and local records, but federal databases follow their own rules and are not always reached by a state court order. Sensitive roles that rely on federal-level screening may still surface the case. |
| Once my record is sealed, do I have to disclose the conviction on job applications? | In most situations, no. Ohio law lets you respond to many questions as though the sealed case did not occur, and a typical private employer will not see it. Certain positions, often in law enforcement, security, or work with vulnerable groups, remain exceptions where disclosure can still be required. |
| Can juvenile records be sealed in Franklin County? | Yes. Juvenile records move through a separate process in the juvenile court, and the rules are generally more forgiving than for adult cases. Many become eligible for sealing, or even for destruction, once the person reaches a set age or enough time has passed. |