Colorado Expungement | Colorado Clean Slate Law
30 March 2026
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Key Takeaways
- The Colorado Clean Slate Act is a fully implemented system that automatically seals records of arrests that did not result in a conviction, as well as many older criminal convictions and civil judgments.
- The act prohibits employers from asking about sealed records and prohibits CRAs from providing these records to employers.
- Expungement in Colorado is primarily limited to juvenile records and arrests with no conviction, though 2025 reforms have expanded access for those currently completing court-ordered supervision.
Colorado Clean Slate Act
The Colorado Clean Slate Law, which went into full effect in July 2024 and was expanded in 2025, allows several types of records to be automatically sealed:
- Arrest records that didn’t result in a conviction.
- Civil infractions more than four years old.
- Petty offenses and misdemeanors more than seven years old.
- Felonies 10 years after release from prison or the conclusion of the case and completion of all sentence requirements.
- Conduct that has since been legalized (such as specific marijuana-related offenses) is now eligible for streamlined sealing.
Some crimes, including murder, assault, robbery and sex offenses, are not eligible for Clean Slate. Under the Expungement Reform Act of 2025, individuals may now be eligible to seek relief even while currently on probation, removing previous restrictions.
Employers are not allowed to require job applicants to reveal anything contained in sealed records.
Colorado Background Check Laws
Colorado is a “ban the box” state. Employers may not ask about criminal history on an initial job application. When employers do order background checks, they may go back only seven years. There are a handful of exceptions. Their background checks should not show sealed or expunged records, but employers may not use this information if they learn of it.
State and local public employers may not ask about criminal history or order a background check until they have made a conditional offer of employment. If some negative turns up on the check, they may not rescind the offer unless the issue specifically relates to the job duties.
Expungement in Colorado
Expungement destroys records; in the eyes of the law, the incident never occurred. There is limited expungement in Colorado. It’s allowed for juvenile records, arrests that did not result in a conviction, and situations involving a completed diversion program, an informal adjustment, or a deferred judgment.
While "Clean Slate" refers to the automatic sealing of records, the 2025 Reforms have modernized the petition process, allowing for virtual hearings and broader eligibility for non-violent records. Juvenile records will not be expunged if the juvenile was adjudicated as a violent or aggravated offender. Homicides and sex felonies are not expungeable.
What CRAs Need to Know About Clean Slate Laws in Colorado
The Clean Slate Act requires CRAs to exclude from reporting any records sealed under the act, except in limited cases where reporting is required by state or federal law. Because the automated system is now live and has processed over 100,000 records, CRAs must ensure their databases are updated frequently to avoid reporting records that have been recently sealed by the state.
The Bottom Line
Colorado’s automated sealing system is now a standard part of the state’s justice system, providing former offenders a fairer chance for employment. The state seals arrests that did not result in conviction and, with some exceptions, older civil judgments, misdemeanors, and felonies. Expungement, which deletes records, remains available for arrests without conviction and most juvenile offenses.
CRAs are generally not permitted to report sealed or expunged records, and employers may not require job candidates to reveal these.
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