Florida Statutes 943.0585 and 943.059 require that a person wishing to have his or her criminal history record sealed or expunged must first obtain a Certificate of Eligibility from Florida Department of Law enforcement. With this certificate, the person can then petition the court for an order to seal or expunge his or her record. Effective July 1, 2006, these sections of Florida Statutes are amended to establish a 12 month expiration date for certificates. If the date issued on the certificate is more than 12 months old when the subject files a petition with the court, the certificate is invalid and the applicant must re-apply to FDLE and qualify to obtain a new certificate. This will help to ensure that the subject is still eligible when the court receives the petition. A packet with forms that can be used in this process may be obtained from any of the criminal departments.
Please visit the FDLE website for more information regarding sealing and expunging criminal history records.