When can a DUI be removed from your criminal record?

DUI charges are criminal charges and thus if you have been convicted of a DUI, you have a criminal record. This means if you wish to get rid of that criminal record, in most states, you will need to request a DUI record expungement. The rules for when and how such an expungement may be granted vary based on a number of factors:

• Some states will allow for automatic expungement of a DUI record upon successful completion of a court mandated sentence and/or court mandated program of rehabilitation
• If you are a juvenile, you may be able to petition to have your records expunged or sealed when you become an adult
• In some states, after a waiting period, you may be able to petition the court for a DUI record expungement provided you have not been in any trouble since the DUI charges
• In other states, expungement is not an option but instead you may have the record sealed. This is a process similar to expungement

Whether the judge or court will order your record expunged can also depend on several factors, but in most cases, expungement will be possible provided you have not gotten into any additional legal trouble and you completed the terms of your sentence as ordered by the court.