Clear your Alabama record ○DIY

Step 1: Get Fingerprinted. Visit your local police or sheriff's station and have your fingerprints taken.

Cost: $25.00 (Personal review; $5.00 each additional copy)

Step 2: Request your Record. Complete and submit your application to request an official copy of your Alabama criminal history record. ALEA only accepts a cashier's check or money order.

Cost: $25 (statutory uniform statewide)

Step 3: Review your Record. Confirm there is no disqualifying information in your history. If something is incorrect, follow the process to challenge the issue. If everything is accurate, make a copy for your file and keep the original somewhere safe.

Step 4: Request Certified Documents. Collect certified copies of relevant documents. These include a copy of the disposition and the case action summary from the clerk of court that handled the original case, and the arrest record from the arresting agency. If you had probation or parole, had to take classes, had to pay fees, or had any other obligations, you also need certified proof that you completed each requirement.

Cost: $10.00 to certify; $0.50 per photocopied page

Step 5: Verify the Final Documents. Review each document for accuracy. Confirm each one is certified and clearly shows you completed your obligations. Make copies of every original.

Step 6: Prepare your Petition. Complete the petition based on the type of charge and outcome you are seeking. Note the timing restrictions in Ala. Code § 15-27-1 and § 15-27-2: certain arrest records require 90 days to pass; certain misdemeanor and similar convictions require one year, while others require three years; and certain felony convictions require 180 days after issuance of a pardon.

Step 7: Finalize your Petition. Take the completed petition from Step 6, the documents collected in Step 4, and the criminal history record from Step 2, and put them together in a complete package. Double-check every file in the package is the original, and keep a copy of the complete package for your personal file.

Step 8: File your Expeal Request. Once you have confirmed you can complete service on each party, file the petition with the court that handled the case. Alabama also charges a separate court filing fee, which may vary by county — confirm the amount with your clerk. The petition fee can be waived if you prove substantial hardship. In Alabama, you handle service on every entity that holds relevant records, so keep one complete package per party. Average service cost is around $70.00 per party (per Alabama Process Servers).

Cost: $500.00

Step 9: Work with the Court. After the court confirms it has received your filing, watch for the next instructions — typically a hearing notice or a request for additional documents. Respond promptly to anything the court asks for, and prepare for the hearing if one is scheduled.

Step 10: Receive the Court's Order. Once the judge rules, the court issues a written order either granting or denying your petition. Review the order's terms carefully — they spell out exactly which records are covered. Keep a certified copy for your own files.

Step 11: Verify the Record Update. Alabama law directs the Alabama Law Enforcement Agency and the original arresting agency to remove or restrict the records covered by the order. If a background-check provider later produces an outdated report, your certified copy of the order is your authoritative reference. Under Ala. Code § 15-27-16, you can lawfully decline to disclose the cleared charges in most non-government contexts.