How Much Does an Expungement Cost? Filing Fees, Attorney Fees & Free Options
Last updated: May 2026
If you've landed here, you've probably already been rejected from a job, an apartment, a loan, or a professional license because of something that happened years ago. You want to know if expungement is realistic — and the very first question is usually: how much is this going to cost me?
Honest answer: less than most people think. Court filing fees range from $0 (Arizona, New Jersey, and any state with automatic Clean Slate sealing) to $750+ in some Texas counties. Attorney fees typically add $400 to $2,500 — and many people qualify for free legal aid clinics, fee waivers, or automatic sealing they don't even have to apply for. The full state-by-state breakdown is below, along with how to qualify for a fee waiver, find a low-cost expungement lawyer near you, and check whether your record is already being auto-sealed for free.
Expungement cost by state (2026)
| State | Court filing fee | Typical attorney fee | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Florida | $75 (sealing/expungement) | $1,200 – $2,500 | Must obtain a Certificate of Eligibility from FDLE ($75) before petitioning. |
| North Carolina | $175 per petition | $600 – $1,800 | Some dismissals are fee-free. Indigency waivers available. |
| Georgia | $25 administrative + court costs | $400 – $1,500 | Called "Record Restriction" in Georgia. Pre-2013 cases may need a separate court order. |
| Michigan | $50 fingerprint + court filing varies | $800 – $2,000 | Clean Slate Act automatic sealing is free. Petition-based set-asides still carry fees. |
| Texas | $280 – $750 (varies by county) | $1,500 – $3,500 | Texas has the widest cost range — Harris County and Travis County run higher. Nondisclosure typically costs less than expunction. |
| Ohio | $50 sealing / $50 expungement | $500 – $1,500 | Indigency waivers available. New Sealing of Records Act (2023) reduced eligibility waiting periods. |
| Washington | $70 – $200 typical | $500 – $1,500 | Vacate-and-seal for misdemeanors and most felonies. Marijuana vacate is free under HB 1041. |
| Arizona | $0 (Set Aside is fee-free) | $500 – $1,500 | Set Aside under ARS 13-905 has no filing fee. Marijuana expungement under Prop 207 is also fee-free. |
| Virginia | $84 per charge + ~$15 service | $800 – $2,000 | Per-charge fee model — costs scale with how many charges are on the petition. |
| Pennsylvania | $132 typical (varies by county) | $800 – $2,500 | Clean Slate automatic sealing is free. Petition-based sealing under Act 5/Act 36 carries court fees. |
| Illinois | $120 typical (waivable) | $800 – $2,500 | Cook County is busier so attorney fees skew higher. Cannabis-related convictions automatically expunged under CRTA. |
| New Jersey | $0 (since 2018) | $800 – $2,500 | New Jersey eliminated expungement filing fees in 2018. Clean Slate (10-year) and recovery court expungement are also fee-free. |
| New York | $0 for automatic Clean Slate sealing; ~$95 motion fee for CPL 160.59 | $1,500 – $4,500 for CPL 160.59 motion; $0 if Clean Slate covers it | Clean Slate Act (eff. Nov 16 2024) auto-seals eligible records — no filing fee, no attorney needed unless cases need correcting. CPL 160.59 motion-based sealing is still available and may be faster for some petitioners. |
| Indiana | $156 per county (waivable in some hardship cases) | $500 – $1,500 for misdemeanor petitions; $1,000 – $3,000 for higher felonies | Indiana's Second Chance Law uses a 365-day window — every eligible conviction across every county has to be filed within 365 days of the first petition or it is permanently locked out, which is why most people file with an attorney even for a single misdemeanor. |
Ranges represent typical pricing observed across ExpungeReady's verified attorney directory and published court fee schedules. Your actual cost may vary based on county, case type, and attorney experience level.
What an expungement really costs (and what drives the price up)
Two people in two different states with the exact same charge can pay wildly different amounts. We've seen $0 expungements in New Jersey and $4,000 expunctions in Harris County, Texas. Three things explain the gap.
1. How your state charges filing fees. Florida is a flat $75. Virginia is $84 per charge — so a record with five charges costs $420 just to file. New Jersey and Arizona dropped filing fees entirely. If you're searching "expungement filing fee near me," look up your state below before you assume the worst.
2. Whether your state auto-seals records. Michigan, Pennsylvania, New Jersey, Illinois, Connecticut, Delaware, and others have passed Clean Slate laws that seal qualifying records automatically after a waiting period. That means free record sealing, with no petition, no court appearance, and no attorney needed. Before you pay a dollar, check whether your record is already being auto-sealed.
3. How restrictive the underlying statute is. Texas Chapter 55 expunction is famously narrow — eligibility is hard, prosecutor objections are common, and that's why Texas expungement lawyers charge more. Compare to Arizona Set Aside or New Jersey Clean Slate, where the petition is straightforward and a flat-fee expungement attorney can finish the matter in a few hours. Statutory complexity is the single biggest driver of attorney fees.
Real-life cost scenarios
Numbers in a table don't tell you what your situation will actually cost. Here's what we see most often in the directory:
- "I got a single misdemeanor 10 years ago and just want it gone." Typical total cost: $300–$1,200. Most states have straightforward eligibility for old misdemeanors. A flat-fee attorney usually finishes this for $500–$1,000; DIY is realistic in states like Arizona, New Jersey, and North Carolina.
- "I have an old marijuana conviction in a state that legalized it." Typical total cost: $0–$200. Illinois, Arizona, New Jersey, Washington, and several other states either automatically expunge cannabis convictions or charge nothing to petition. Check your state guide first.
- "I have a felony I want sealed so I can pass employer background checks." Typical total cost: $1,200–$3,000. Felony sealing usually requires an attorney, runs into prosecutor objections, and takes longer. Pennsylvania Act 36 sealing and Michigan Set Aside are two of the cleaner felony-sealing paths.
- "I have multiple charges across multiple counties." Typical total cost: $1,500–$5,000+. Per-charge filing fees add up, and each county may require its own petition. An attorney almost always makes economic sense here — they can sometimes consolidate petitions or identify which charges qualify for automatic sealing.
- "I can't afford this at all." Typical total cost: $0. Fee waivers, legal aid expungement clinics, and automatic Clean Slate sealing exist specifically for this. Don't assume cost is the barrier — check below first.
How to get expungement for free (or close to it)
"Free expungement" sounds too good to be true, but for a meaningful number of people it's real. Here's how:
- Fee waivers. Almost every state has an in forma pauperis or indigency affidavit that waives filing fees if your income is at or below ~125% of the federal poverty level. Ask the court clerk for the form — they don't always volunteer it.
- Automatic Clean Slate sealing. If you live in PA, MI, NJ, IL, CT, DE, OK, UT, or VA and your conviction is old enough, the state may already be sealing it for you. You don't file anything. It's free.
- Legal aid expungement clinics. Most major cities run free quarterly expungement clinics through Legal Aid, the ACLU, or local bar associations. They handle eligibility review, paperwork, and sometimes the entire filing.
- Reentry programs. Statewide reentry coalitions (especially in Michigan, Pennsylvania, Illinois, and New York) cover expungement costs for people coming out of incarceration or completing supervision.
- Cannabis-specific expungement. If your record is a marijuana case in a state that has since legalized, your expungement is often automatic and free.
- Pro bono attorneys. Many private expungement attorneys take a few pro bono cases per year. It doesn't hurt to ask, especially if you have a sympathetic situation (single parent, veteran, job offer pending background check).
Filing it yourself vs. hiring an expungement attorney
The biggest mistake we see: people DIY a complicated case to save $1,000, get denied, and can't refile for years. In many states, a denied petition has a mandatory waiting period before you can try again. That's an expensive way to save money.
DIY is realistic when: it's a single charge, the case was dismissed or diverted, you're in a state with a clear pro se filing process (Arizona, North Carolina, Florida sealing), and you have time to read the statute carefully.
Hire an attorney when: you have multiple charges, charges across counties or states, a felony, anything involving a prosecutor's objection, or you need this done quickly because a job offer or housing application is pending. Our DIY expungement guide walks through the decision in more detail, and the consultation prep worksheet organizes exactly what to ask an attorney about cost, scope, and timeline before you sign an engagement letter.
Frequently asked questions
How much does it cost to get an expungement?
Total cost typically runs $400 to $3,500 depending on the state and whether you hire an attorney. Filing fees alone range from $0 (Arizona, New Jersey, automatic Clean Slate states) to $750+ (some Texas counties). Attorney fees usually add $400 to $2,500 on top of court costs.
Can I get an expungement for free?
Yes in several situations. Arizona Set Aside and New Jersey expungements have no filing fee. Many states (Florida, Illinois, Michigan, North Carolina, Ohio, Pennsylvania) offer fee waivers for indigent filers. Automatic sealing under Clean Slate laws in Michigan, Pennsylvania, New Jersey, and (recently) Connecticut is also free.
Do I need an attorney to file an expungement?
Legally no — every state allows pro se (self-represented) filing. Practically it depends on case complexity. Simple single-charge filings in states with clear statutes (Arizona, Florida, North Carolina) are realistic for DIY. Multi-charge petitions, contested cases, and out-of-state record issues almost always benefit from an attorney.
Why are Texas expungement costs so much higher than other states?
Texas charges per-petition court costs that can run $280 in smaller counties to over $750 in Harris and Travis counties, and Texas attorneys charge more for expunction work because the statute is restrictive and the process is more adversarial. Texas Order of Nondisclosure typically costs less than full Expunction under Chapter 55.
Are payment plans available for expungement?
Many attorneys offer payment plans, especially for fees over $1,000. Court filing fees themselves usually must be paid up front unless you qualify for an indigency waiver. Legal aid organizations and reentry programs in most states will help cover or eliminate filing fees for low-income filers.
Does the cost include all charges on my record?
Not always. Several states (including Virginia) charge per charge, so adding more charges to the petition increases cost. Other states (New Jersey, Pennsylvania) treat a petition as a single filing regardless of how many charges are listed. Always confirm with the court clerk before filing.