Arizona · Sealing · A.R.S. 13-911
How long you wait to seal a record in Arizona
Between two and ten years, depending on the class of the offense. The part people get wrong is not the number. It is when the clock starts.
The clock starts when you finish, not when you were convicted
The waiting period under A.R.S. 13-911(E) runs from the day you complete every non-monetary condition of your sentence: probation, any jail or prison time, classes, and community service. Someone convicted in 2018 who finished probation in 2023 counts from 2023. People routinely count from the wrong end and petition years too early.
Waiting period by offense class
If you are not sure of your class, your sentencing minute entry states it, and the clerk of the court where your case was heard can give you a copy. The sentence column is a rough cross-check for a first offense.
| Offense | First offense carries | Wait |
|---|---|---|
| class 2 felony | 5 years presumptive (3 years–12.5 years) | 10 years |
| class 3 felony | 3.5 years presumptive (2 years–8.75 years) | 10 years |
| class 4 felony | 2.5 years presumptive (1 year–3.75 years) | 5 years |
| class 5 felony | 1.5 years presumptive (6 months–2.5 years) | 5 years |
| class 6 felony | 1 year presumptive (4 months–2 years) | 5 years |
| class 1 misdemeanor | up to 6 months in jail | 3 years |
| class 2 misdemeanor | up to 4 months in jail | 2 years |
| class 3 misdemeanor | up to 30 days in jail | 2 years |
Waiting periods from A.R.S. 13-911(E). Sentencing ranges from A.R.S. 13-702(D) for felonies and 13-707(A) for misdemeanors, first offense only. Repeat offenses, dangerous offenses and cases with enhancements fall outside that framework.
Two things that push it further out
- Money owed. All fines, fees and restitution ordered by the court must be paid before you can file, however long you have waited. A.R.S. 13-911(G).
- A later felony. A felony conviction after the one you want sealed adds 5 years to whichever period applies, so a class 4 felony becomes ten years rather than five. A.R.S. 13-911(F).
When there is no waiting period at all
If your case was dismissed, you were found not guilty, or you were arrested and never charged, you can petition to seal straight away. A.R.S. 13-911(A)(2) and (3) set no waiting period for those.
When waiting will not help
Some offenses cannot be sealed however much time passes, under A.R.S. 13-911(O):
- Dangerous offensesA.R.S. 13-911(O)(1)
- Dangerous crimes against childrenA.R.S. 13-911(O)(2)
- Serious, violent or aggravated feloniesA.R.S. 13-911(O)(3)
- Offenses involving a deadly weapon, or the knowing infliction of serious physical injuryA.R.S. 13-911(O)(4)
- Sex trafficking convictionsA.R.S. 13-911(O)(5)
- Class 2 through 5 felonies under chapter 14 or 35.1A.R.S. 13-911(O)(6)
The last of those reaches only class 2 through 5 felonies, so a class 6 felony or a misdemeanor is not caught by it.
What you can do while you wait
A set aside under A.R.S. 13-905 has no waiting period. You can apply as soon as you have completed your sentence and been discharged. It vacates the conviction, releases you from its penalties, and restores your right to possess a firearm in most cases. The record stays publicly visible, annotated to show it was set aside, which is why sealing is usually worth waiting for as well. The two are not mutually exclusive.
Check your own dates
The checker applies these rules to your answers and tells you what is open to you now and what is not yet. It runs in your browser, so nothing about your case is sent to us.
This is general information about Arizona law, not legal advice, and it cannot see your court file. Statutes change; verify anything important against the current text of A.R.S. 13-911.