You will file them with the Circuit Clerk in the Missouri County where you were found guilty or convicted. Ask the clerk for copies of your file-stamped petition and summonses for each of the agencies you list as Respondents/Defendants in your case.

Next, you will need to “serve” a copy of your file-stamped petition and the corresponding summons on each of the Defendants you identified. We recommend doing this by certified mail, so you can then file the return-receipts with the court to prove that each agency is served. We recommend doing this because if one can’t prove an agency was served, the court will not order that agency to close their copy of the record. You might also be able to do this by first-class mail with tracking and then file screenshots proving that service was delivered. Both options are available at most post offices.

Once you have filed and completed service, make sure to “Track Your Case” on Missouri’s Case Net to see if there any updates (i.e. the court setting a hearing or a respondent making an objection challenging your right to an expungement).

Once 30 days pass from the date your last defendant agency receives service, you may need to contact the court and ask if a hearing has been scheduled, and if so, when. If a hearing has not been scheduled, you can ask when you can have a hearing on your expungement, and how you can get it scheduled. You may need to file a “notice of hearing” confirming that you want your case heard on that day.

When you go to court for the hearing, be prepared to testify and answer questions from the court about whether you meet the requirements for expungement (Listed as items #1-7 on the Petition for Expungement form). This may include questions about changes you have made in your life since the offense, why you need an expungement, and what you plan to do if the expungement is granted. 

You must “serve” your Petition for Expungement and a Summons (provided by the court upon filing your Petition) on all Missouri state agencies that maintain and report out your Missouri criminal record(s). These should be the same state agencies you identified as Respondents/Defendants in your Petition. If an agency is not served, they will not be obligated to close your record and can continue to report it out. 
Check the box and provide a mailing address for each of your Respondents/Defendants. If you don’t know the address for an agency, you can Google the agency’s address and/or call the agency to confirm. 
Your service instructions should also specify a method for service to be completed. We recommend electing for Service by Certified Mail to Be Completed by the Court, if such an option is available in your filing court. Typically the Court will charge around $10 per respondent, unless you are granted a fee-waiver, in which case you will not be charged.
You can also complete service yourself. After filing your petition, ask the Court for a “summons” for each of your Respondents. Mail each respondent a summons and a copy of your expungement petition. We recommend doing this by certified mail, with reform receipt requested, so you can verify to the Court that all of your agencies were properly served and that any Order of Expungement entered will be effective against them. You can do this at your nearest post office. When you receive the return receipts in the mail, take them to the court to have them filed in your case.

In Missouri, to file for expungement on your own and without an attorney ("pro se"), you will need to file the following forms in the circuit court of the county where you were found guilty of the offense(s) you seek to expunge:

• Petition for Expungement (required)
• Service Instructions (required)
• Application for Fee Waiver (optional)
• Confidential Case Information Filing Sheets (required in some counties)

Under current Missouri law, there is a LIMIT to the number of records you can get expunged over the course of your lifetime. That limit is:

• TWO felonies +THREE misdemeanors

BUT there are some exceptions to this limit!

Missouri’s expungement law under Section 610.140, RSMo is changing starting January 1, 2025. Under the new law, you'll be able to expunge up to three misdemeanors and two felonies—a great opportunity for a fresh start! However, please note that filing before January 1 may impact your eligibility under the new guidelines, so we encourage you to carefully consider your timing.

Expungement is Missouri’s way of “clearing a conviction.” When you get an expungement, the court orders that your conviction be hidden from public view. You may apply for expungement by filing an application in the court where you were found guilty. If the court orders an offense to be expunged, you no longer need to disclose it in most circumstances.

Clearing your record removes many barriers that often come with having a criminal record. An expungement gives you more opportunities to obtain jobs, housing, and educational opportunities. Expungement of an offense allows you to answer “NO” on most applications when asked about that offense.

Many but not all criminal convictions can be expunged. Some crimes that are not eligible are Class A felonies, offenses that require registration as a sex offender, most gun crimes, and felonies where death is an element. Most drug crimes can be expunged. 

The cost of filing a case includes a filing fee (usually about $100), and service fees (usually about $50). If you cannot afford to pay, you may apply to have the court waive these fees. 

In Missouri, the waiting period to become eligible for an expungement begins when you complete all requirements of your sentence. Misdemeanors require a 1 year waiting period before filing an application. Felonies require a 3-year waiting period.

First, you file an application where you were convicted. After the case is filed, all government agencies that might have your records are served (notified). The Prosecutor has 30 days to object. If there is an objection, there will be a hearing. If there is no objection, the judge will likely hold a hearing. Then, the judge makes a decision.

Once your request is filed, you should have a decision within 6 months.

If you are applying on your own, you will need your case information. See what information you will need at https://www.courts.mo.gov/file.jsp?id=56341. Information about how to find your case is on the “Where Can I Get My Case Information” page. If you obtain a lawyer, your lawyer can help get your records. 

Yes, but Missouri limits the number of convictions that can be expunged. Currently, the lifetime limit is 2 felonies and 3 misdemeanors. There are special rules for multiple counts in a single case. 

The CMR Clinic helps clear Missouri records. If your conviction is not in Missouri, we encourage you to check the expungement options in the state where your conviction occurred. Two possible resources are https://www.ncsl.org/research/civil-and-criminal-justice/criminal-records-and-reentry-search-by-state-law.aspx and https://restoration.ccresourcecenter.org/

The Clear My Record team consists of lawyers, coders, and law students who work to help expand access to record clearing services in Missouri. Our individual record clearing services are limited to people who cannot afford a lawyer. If you qualify, you will receive assistance from an attorney and UMKC Law School students working under the supervision of that attorney.

In most cases, expungement is not available for federal convictions. The CMR Clinic can only help with Missouri state crimes and local ordinance violations.

If you have a lawyer, your lawyer will help get your records. The CMR Project does this as well.

If you are seeking an expungement without a lawyer, these are places you may want to try.

Casenet

• Go to https://www.courts.mo.gov/casenet.
• For detailed instructions, click on “Help” in the top left and select “Search Help.” It will take you step by step.
• Not all cases are on Casenet. Older cases and local (muni court) cases often cannot be found on Casenet, but
• It’s good to start there because searches on Casenet are free.

Criminal Records Repository - Missouri State Highway Patrol (MSHP)
     (also known as Missouri Automated Criminal History System (MACHS))

  If you haven’t found everything you are looking for using Casenet, this is the next place to try.

• There are two kinds of searches – name searches and fingerprint searches. You can access either one here: https://www.machs.mo.gov/MACHSFP/home.html.
• To determine which type of search is best for you (including cost, types of information available, and what information you need to provide), we suggest you read the FAQ’s for each type of search.
• Name search FAQ’s: https://www.machs.mo.gov/MocchWebInterface/faq.html
• Fingerprint search FAQ’s: https://www.machs.mo.gov/MACHSFP/faq.html
• Fingerprint searches tend to be more complete and provide you with both open and closed state records, but are more expensive and require you to go for fingerprinting. In order to do a fingerprint search, you need to contact the MACHS office at (573) 526-6153, option 3 for instructions.
• More information about name searches can be found at https://www.machs.mo.gov/MocchWebInterface/about.html. To order a name search, you need to create an account. You can do that at https://www.machs.mo.gov/MocchWebInterface/pidSearch.html. The cost is $15.25. You will need to pay online with a credit or debit card.

If you can’t find what you need from either of these sources, you may have to contact the Criminal Records Department of the Court where you were convicted directly.