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Georgia Expungement Laws: Record Restriction Guide (2026)

Independently fact-checkedEditor-reviewedLaw current as of August 20, 2026By Recording Law Editorial TeamReviewed September 2, 20269 min read

Independently fact-checked against primary sources (last audited August 20, 2026). · Reviewed by the RecordingLaw editorial team. · Law checked current as of August 20, 2026. How we verify our legal content

Georgia Expungement Laws: Record Restriction Guide (2026)

Georgia does not call the process "expungement." Since 2013, the state has used the term record restriction, governed by O.C.G.A. § 35-3-37, which limits public access to arrest and court records while keeping them visible to criminal justice agencies.

Information last verified on May 29, 2026. This article has not yet been reviewed by a licensed attorney.

Jurisdiction scope: This article covers Georgia state record restriction law. For a nationwide comparison, see Expungement Laws by State.

What Record Restriction Means in Georgia

Georgia does not have a traditional expungement statute that permanently destroys criminal records. Instead, O.C.G.A. § 35-3-37 authorizes restriction of a criminal history record, which means the record is no longer released for non-criminal-justice purposes such as employment background checks or tenant screening. Law enforcement agencies, courts, and prosecutors retain full access.

an aisle of law library shelves filled with legal volumes

The Georgia Crime Information Center (GCIC), which operates within the Georgia Bureau of Investigation, maintains the state's centralized criminal history repository. When restriction is approved, the GCIC marks the relevant arrest cycle as restricted, removing it from results returned to employers and the public. The underlying data remains in the system.

This distinction matters practically. If a Georgia employer runs a background check through a consumer reporting agency, a restricted record will not appear. But if you apply for a law enforcement position or a professional license requiring fingerprint-based FBI review, the record remains accessible. Restriction is not expungement; it is a form of access control. (O.C.G.A. § 35-3-37(a)(4))

Non-Conviction Records: Dismissals, Acquittals, and Nolle Prosequi

The broadest category of restriction covers arrests that did not result in conviction. Under O.C.G.A. § 35-3-37, when a charge is dismissed, nolle prossed, or results in an acquittal, the arrest record is eligible for restriction.

The process depends on the date of arrest.

Arrests after July 1, 2013: No separate application form is required. Once the court notifies the GCIC that the case closed without conviction, restriction occurs administratively. If restriction has not been applied after case closure, the individual should contact the prosecuting attorney's office for the relevant jurisdiction. The prosecutor reviews and approves restriction for non-criminal-justice purposes. (O.C.G.A. § 35-3-37(h))

Arrests before July 1, 2013: The individual must submit a written application to the arresting agency using the GBI's Request to Restrict Arrest Record form. The arresting agency completes section two of the three-part form and forwards it to the prosecutor for a decision. Processing fees at the arresting agency are capped at $50.00.

Exceptions that block restriction of non-conviction records: Even a dismissed charge cannot be restricted if it was nolle prossed because of a plea agreement resulting in conviction for a related offense, because the prosecutor was barred from introducing material evidence, because the conduct was part of a pattern prosecuted elsewhere, or because the individual had diplomatic immunity. (O.C.G.A. § 35-3-37(i)(1))

SB 288 and the Misdemeanor Conviction Petition (Effective January 1, 2021)

Before January 1, 2021, Georgia allowed restriction of non-conviction records and certain youthful offender convictions but provided essentially no pathway to restrict adult misdemeanor convictions. SB 288 (Ga. L. 2020, p. 753) changed that. Subsection (j) of O.C.G.A. § 35-3-37 already existed; what SB 288 did was rewrite paragraph (j)(4), replacing a narrow pathway that required the person to have been a youthful offender at the time of conviction and to have gone five years without an arrest, with a general adult misdemeanor petition process.

hands typing on a laptop showing a blank application form

To petition successfully, all of the following must be true at the time of filing:

  1. The conviction was for a misdemeanor (or a series of misdemeanors arising from a single incident).
  2. The individual has completed all terms of the sentence, including probation, fines, and restitution.
  3. The individual has not been convicted of any crime in any jurisdiction for at least four years prior to filing the petition, excluding nonserious traffic offenses. This window runs backward from the filing date, so it can already be satisfied by the time the sentence ends.
  4. No criminal charges are currently pending.
  5. The conviction is not for an excluded offense (see the next section).
  6. The individual has not previously had two or more misdemeanor convictions restricted under this paragraph (lifetime cap of two).

The petition is filed in the court where the conviction occurred and must be served on the prosecuting attorney. If the prosecutor requests a hearing, the court must schedule it within 90 days of filing. The court grants the petition if it determines that "the harm otherwise resulting to the individual clearly outweighs the public's interest in the criminal history record information being publicly available." (O.C.G.A. § 35-3-37(j)(4)(A))

Once granted, the court transmits the order to the GCIC, which restricts the conviction record. The lifetime cap means an individual may use this pathway at most twice.

Offenses Excluded from Restriction

Georgia's record restriction statute contains firm categorical exclusions. Even if all other criteria are met, the following conviction types cannot be restricted under O.C.G.A. § 35-3-37:

Misdemeanor exclusions under § 35-3-37(j)(4)(B):

  • DUI convictions (O.C.G.A. § 40-6-391)
  • Family violence simple assault, simple battery, and battery, unless the individual was a youthful offender (under 21 years of age at the time of the arrest) (O.C.G.A. § 35-3-37(j)(4)(B)(i)-(iii))
  • Family violence stalking and violating a family violence order, with no youthful offender exception
  • Sexual offenses, including sexual battery, pimping, pandering, and offenses involving supervisory authority
  • Peeping tom
  • Offenses against children and minors
  • Theft offenses under Chapter 8 of Title 16, except that a misdemeanor conviction of shoplifting or refund fraud (O.C.G.A. § 16-8-14 or § 16-8-14.1) remains eligible for restriction, at any age
  • Serious traffic offenses including homicide by vehicle, fleeing or attempting to elude a police officer, and driving a school bus under the influence

Felony exclusions: The statute does not permit restriction of felony convictions based solely on the passage of time. Three narrower felony pathways do exist alongside the First Offender Act.

  • Pardon: a full pardon from the State Board of Pardons and Paroles opens a petition under O.C.G.A. § 35-3-37(j)(7). Pardons are not available for serious violent felonies or sexual offenses.
  • Vacated or reversed conviction: if a conviction was vacated by the trial court or reversed on appeal and the prosecutor has not retried the case within two years of that decision becoming final, the individual may petition under O.C.G.A. § 35-3-37(j)(2).
  • Trafficking victims: a defendant who committed the offense while a victim of trafficking under O.C.G.A. § 16-5-46 may petition to restrict the conviction and sentence under O.C.G.A. § 35-3-37(j)(6). No pardon is required, the petition is filed under seal on a form promulgated by the Attorney General, and no fee may be charged.

Serious violent felonies under O.C.G.A. § 17-10-6.1 include murder, armed robbery, kidnapping, rape, aggravated child molestation, aggravated sodomy, and aggravated sexual battery.

The categorical misdemeanor exclusions listed above are permanent; no waiting period or court discretion overrides them.

Pardoned Felony Convictions and the First Offender Act

Several additional pathways exist for people with Georgia felony records.

Pardoned felony restriction: If the State Board of Pardons and Paroles grants a full pardon, and the pardoned offense was not a serious violent felony or sexual offense, the individual may petition the court under O.C.G.A. § 35-3-37(j)(7) to restrict the felony conviction record. The petitioner must have no subsequent convictions in any jurisdiction and no pending charges. The pardon itself does not automatically restrict the record; a separate court petition is still required.

First Offender Act (O.C.G.A. § 42-8-60 et seq.): First-time felony offenders placed on probation without adjudication of guilt can have their records sealed. Discharge under the Act "completely exonerates" the individual and does not constitute a conviction for most purposes. Under O.C.G.A. § 42-8-62.1, the court now orders sealing of first offender records automatically at the time of sentencing; a petition is required only for people sentenced under the Act before July 1, 2026 who were not already covered by automatic sealing.

Retroactive First Offender (O.C.G.A. § 42-8-66): Individuals sentenced before the First Offender Act was available to them, or who were eligible but not offered the option, may petition the sentencing court retroactively. Prosecutorial consent or a court hearing is required. No filing fee may be charged for retroactive petitions. This pathway applies to eligible cases going back to 1968.

How to File a Record Restriction Petition in Georgia

The steps differ depending on which type of record is involved.

a clipboard with a blank petition form and a pen

Non-conviction records (post-July 1, 2013 arrests): Contact the prosecuting attorney's office in the county where the arrest occurred and request restriction of the non-conviction record. Bring the case disposition documentation. No court petition is required for most of these cases.

Non-conviction records (pre-July 1, 2013 arrests): Obtain the GBI Request to Restrict Arrest Record form from the GBI website or the arresting agency. Complete section one, submit to the arresting agency (fee up to $50.00), and the form moves to the prosecutor for decision.

Misdemeanor conviction restriction (SB 288 petition): File a petition in the court of conviction, serve a copy on the prosecutor, and provide documentation that the sentence is complete and that you have gone at least four years without a conviction in any jurisdiction immediately before filing. The court may set a hearing. No statewide filing fee is set by statute, but court costs vary by county.

Pardoned felony restriction: Obtain the pardon certificate from the State Board of Pardons and Paroles, then file a petition in the court of conviction under O.C.G.A. § 35-3-37(j)(7).

After any restriction is granted, the GCIC applies the restriction to the Georgia criminal history record, typically within a few weeks of receiving the order or notification.

Disclaimer: This article covers Georgia record restriction law as of May 29, 2026. Georgia's statutes and procedures can change. This article is for general informational purposes only and does not constitute legal advice. Consult a licensed Georgia attorney before taking any action to restrict your criminal record.

Sources

Official sources for this article include the Georgia Bureau of Investigation Criminal History Record Restrictions page (gbi.georgia.gov), the current text of O.C.G.A. § 35-3-37 in the Official Code of Georgia Annotated as amended by SB 288 (Ga. L. 2020, p. 753), the Georgia Courts self-help record restriction resource (georgiacourts.gov), the Georgia Attorney General's Office restriction and vacatur forms page (law.georgia.gov), and the Georgia State Board of Pardons and Paroles (pap.georgia.gov).

This page covers Georgia record restriction law only. For legal advice specific to your situation, consult a licensed Georgia attorney.

More Georgia Laws

Frequently Asked Questions

How do you expunge your record in Georgia?

Georgia does not use the word "expungement." The equivalent process is called record restriction under O.C.G.A. § 35-3-37. Non-conviction records (dismissed charges, acquittals) are typically restricted by contacting the prosecutor. Misdemeanor convictions require a court petition under the SB 288 pathway, effective January 1, 2021, which becomes available once the sentence is complete and the petitioner has gone at least four years without a conviction in any jurisdiction.

What is Georgia record restriction?

Record restriction limits public access to a criminal history record so it does not appear on background checks for employment, housing, or licensing. The record remains accessible to law enforcement, courts, and prosecutors. It is administered by the Georgia Crime Information Center (GCIC) within the Georgia Bureau of Investigation under O.C.G.A. § 35-3-37.

What did Georgia SB 288 change?

SB 288 (Ga. L. 2020, p. 753, effective January 1, 2021) created the first pathway for adult misdemeanor convictions to be restricted in Georgia. Before SB 288, only non-conviction records and limited youthful offender convictions could be restricted. Subsection (j) of O.C.G.A. § 35-3-37 already existed; SB 288 rewrote paragraph (j)(4), replacing a five-year pathway open only to youthful offenders with a general adult pathway. Up to two misdemeanor convictions may be petitioned for restriction once the sentence is complete and four years have passed without a conviction in any jurisdiction.

What does O.C.G.A. § 35-3-37 cover?

O.C.G.A. § 35-3-37 is the primary Georgia record restriction statute. It governs restriction of non-conviction records (dismissed charges, acquittals), misdemeanor conviction restrictions under the SB 288 petition process, restriction of vacated or reversed convictions, restriction for trafficking victims, and restriction of pardoned convictions. It also defines the GCIC's role in maintaining and applying restrictions.

Can a misdemeanor be restricted in Georgia?

Yes, under SB 288 (effective January 1, 2021), qualifying misdemeanor convictions can be restricted by court petition. You must have completed your sentence, have no conviction in any jurisdiction in the four years before you file, and have no pending charges. The offense must not be a DUI, a family violence offense (unless you were under 21 at the time of the arrest), a sexual offense, a crime against a minor, or a serious traffic offense. The lifetime limit is two restricted misdemeanor convictions.

Can a DUI be restricted or expunged in Georgia?

No. DUI convictions under O.C.G.A. § 40-6-391 are serious traffic offenses, and O.C.G.A. § 35-3-37(j)(4)(B)(xviii) bars restriction of any serious traffic offense under Article 15 of Chapter 6 of Title 40. A DUI arrest record that did not result in conviction may be eligible for restriction, but a DUI conviction cannot be restricted under current Georgia law.

How long does Georgia record restriction take?

For non-conviction records after July 1, 2013, restriction is often administrative and can occur within weeks once the prosecutor approves. For SB 288 misdemeanor conviction petitions, the court must schedule a hearing within 90 days if the prosecutor requests one. After an order is entered, the GCIC typically applies the restriction within a few weeks.

Do restricted records show up on a background check in Georgia?

A restricted record does not appear on background checks run for employment, housing, or licensing purposes through consumer reporting agencies or the GCIC non-criminal-justice query. However, restricted records remain accessible to criminal justice agencies, including law enforcement, courts, and certain licensing boards with statutory authority to access full records.

Updates

Corrected the statutory citations and eligibility rules for Georgia record restriction: the misdemeanor petition standard is O.C.G.A. § 35-3-37(j)(4)(A) and its four-year clean-record window is measured backward from the filing date rather than forward from sentence completion, SB 288 rewrote paragraph (j)(4) rather than adding subsection (j), the shoplifting and refund fraud carve-out has no youthful offender condition, and felony restriction is also available for vacated or reversed convictions and for trafficking victims, not only after a pardon.

Independently fact-checked against the cited primary sources; governing law re-checked for recent changes

Updated the First Offender Act sealing description: sealing under O.C.G.A. § 42-8-62.1 is now ordered automatically at sentencing rather than requiring a petition, with petitions remaining only as a transitional path for people sentenced before July 1, 2026.

Governing law re-checked for recent changes

Reviewed and approved by an editor

Sources and References

  1. O.C.G.A. § 35-3-37 — Georgia Criminal History Record Restriction(legis.ga.gov)
  2. SB 288, Ga. L. 2020 p. 753 — Expanding Restriction and Sealing of Convictions(legis.ga.gov)
  3. Georgia Criminal History Record Restrictions — Georgia Bureau of Investigation(gbi.georgia.gov)
  4. Record Restrictions/Expungement — Georgia Courts(georgiacourts.gov)
  5. Restriction and Vacatur Forms — Georgia Attorney General(law.georgia.gov)
  6. Pardons and Restoration of Rights — Georgia State Board of Pardons and Paroles(pap.georgia.gov)
  7. O.C.G.A. § 42-8-60 et seq. — First Offender Act(legis.ga.gov)
  8. O.C.G.A. § 42-8-66 — Retroactive First Offender(legis.ga.gov)
  9. O.C.G.A. § 17-10-6.1 — Serious Violent Felonies(legis.ga.gov)
  10. Official Code of Georgia Annotated, O.C.G.A. § 35-3-37 (current text, official free public access edition)(lexisnexis.com)
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