Florida's Expungement vs. Record Sealing: What's the Difference and How to Qualify

In Florida, sealing hides a criminal record from public view while expungement destroys the records, and relief is generally limited to one record per lifetime. ## How Sealing and Expungement Differ Sealing hides your record from public view, but physical files remain accessible to specific government and law-enforcement agencies. Expungement physically destroys records across state and municipal agencies, except one confidential copy held by FDLE. Both require disclosure in specific situations such as Florida Bar admission, certain government employment, and insurance licensure; sealed records must also be disclosed when buying a firearm or applying for a concealed-weapons permit. ## Strict Rules for Clearing Your Name Under Florida Statute 943.0585, expungement applies when charges are dropped, dismissed, or you are acquitted. Sealing applies when you entered a plea but adjudication was withheld. A single prior conviction permanently blocks relief, the state limits relief to one record per lifetime, and the process requires fingerprinting and state fees. ## Timeline and How Shrader Mendez Helps FDLE takes roughly 12 weeks to process the Certificate of Eligibility, and the full process commonly spans six to twelve months. Former prosecutor and Managing Partner Brian Shrader assists with certified dispositions, sworn affidavits, and proper county-court filing.