How Nevada record sealing works
Sealing a criminal record in Nevada requires a formal petition, prosecutorial review, and a judge's order. Then that order has to be sent to every agency holding your file. The procedure is unforgiving: one error restarts the clock.
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Filing before you meet all four conditions is automatic grounds for denial and triggers the two-year lockout.
The waiting period has passed
The clock starts from the date your case fully closed: sentence served, probation discharged, all fines paid. It's 1 year for most misdemeanors, 2 years for gross misdemeanors and Category E felonies, 5 years for most felonies, 7 years for non-felony DUI and domestic battery. The waiting period does not begin until the case is fully closed.
All fines and fees are paid in full
Court fines, probation supervision fees, jail fees, and any required classes must all be completed. Outstanding balances are a common reason petitions are rejected at the DA review stage.
The offense is eligible for sealing
Certain convictions are permanently ineligible: crimes against children, sexual offenses, felony DUI, DUI causing substantial bodily harm or death, and home invasion with a deadly weapon (NRS 179.245(6)). An ineligible conviction stays on your record, but it does not block sealing of your other eligible convictions.
No open charges or active probation
Pending cases or active probation will block a sealing petition. All criminal matters must be fully resolved and discharged before you can file.
The six steps
Each step must be completed in order. Petitions fail when a stage is skipped or rushed.
Pull your SCOPE report
Contact the police department or sheriff's office where your charges originated and request a SCOPE (Shared Computer Operations for Protection and Enforcement) report. This is Nevada's official criminal history printout. If you were convicted, also get a certified judgment of conviction and discharge from the District Court Clerk. These documents define exactly what gets sealed and which agencies must receive the final order.
Identify the right court
The court that handled your case is generally the one that seals it. If your charges all came from a single court, such as Henderson Justice Court, you file there. If your record spans multiple courts, Nevada law allows a single consolidated petition filed in the Eighth Judicial District Court in Clark County, which has jurisdiction over the lower courts.
Prepare the petition, affidavit, and proposed order
All documents must be typed. Handwritten filings are returned. The petition and affidavit must list every arrest, the arresting agency, the date, the charges, and the final disposition. The proposed order must name every agency holding a copy of your record. Prepare three copies of each document. One omitted agency or incorrect date is enough to get the whole package sent back.
Submit to the District Attorney for review
Deliver the complete package to the DA's Office. The DA reviews for eligibility. In most uncontested cases they sign the stipulation (a written agreement to the sealing) within six to eight weeks. If the DA objects because they believe you are ineligible, you may request a hearing before a judge to argue your eligibility directly. Under NRS 179.2445, the court presumes in favor of sealing. The burden is on the DA to overcome that presumption.
Obtain the judge's signature
Once the DA signs off, the clerk routes the paperwork to the judge. When the prosecutor has already agreed, judges nearly always sign without further review. After the judge signs, get certified copies of the order made. The judge's signature is not the finish line. The next step starts there.
Distribute the order to every named agency
Once the judge signs the order, a copy must be sent to the Central Repository for Nevada Records of Criminal History and to every agency named in it: local police, courts, and any others listed (NRS 179.275). Each agency then seals its records. Michael handles sending the order and following up. The Nevada Criminal History Repository is chronically backlogged, so this last step takes time.
What "sealed" means under Nevada law
Under NRS 179.285, a sealed record is treated as though it never occurred. Here is what that means in practice.
Answer "no" on applications
You may lawfully deny the sealed arrest or conviction on most employment and housing applications.
Private background checks clear
Most commercial background services will return no result for the sealed matter.
Court records restricted
Court clerks are prohibited from allowing public inspection of sealed court files.
Law enforcement records removed
Police departments and the Nevada Criminal History Repository must remove the record from their active databases.
Exception: future sentencing
If you are charged with a new crime, courts and prosecutors may still access sealed records for sentencing purposes.
Exception: Gaming Control Board
Under NRS 179.301, the Nevada Gaming Control Board retains access to sealed records regardless of the order.
Three things that catch people off guard
A denial costs you two years
If a petition is denied, you can ask the court to rehear it, but not sooner than 2 years after the denial. You can also appeal the denial (NRS 179.265). There is no lifetime limit on the number of petitions, but two lost years is reason enough to get the first filing right.
A new arrest can reset the plan
Sealing works conviction by conviction. A conviction that can never be sealed stays on your record, but it does not stop the court from sealing other eligible convictions. What can block sealing is a new conviction, other than a minor traffic offense, or a pending charge during the waiting period (NRS 179.245(5)). Timing has to be planned.
The order has to reach every agency
After the judge signs, a copy of the order must be sent to the Central Repository and every agency named in it (NRS 179.275). An agency left off the order has nothing to act on, and some agencies are slow to update their databases. Michael sends the order and follows up.
Nevada record sealing process: frequently asked questions
Common questions about how the sealing process works in Nevada.
Frequently asked questions
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Michael Mee pulls your SCOPE, identifies every eligible case, prepares the paperwork, handles the DA, and follows up with every agency after the order is signed. Start for $900.
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Page last updated . Written by Michael Mee, Nevada Bar No. 13726.