If you’re like many people who are considering clearing a criminal record, you want to know whether your cases will ever show up on a background check. Here’s what you need to know.
Do Sealed Records Show Up on Background Checks?
Sealed records may or may not show up on a background check – it depends on who’s doing the checking.
The general public won’t be able to see your criminal record if it’s sealed. For example, if someone pays an attorney to conduct a background check on you when your records have been sealed, that person won’t be able to see what’s on your record.
However, some people can still see sealed records. Those people include law enforcement officers and court officials. That means if law enforcement checks up on you, or if you have a case going through the court system for another issue, your record will show up.
Other people who may be able to see your sealed records are some employers. If you’re applying for a job in healthcare that requires you to have a clean criminal record, for example, those employers may be able to see your record. Likewise, if you’re trying to join the military (including one of the reserve components), there’s a good chance that the background check the military performs will turn up your sealed records.
However, in a general sense, most people won’t be able to see your record. If you’re applying for an apartment or a job, the vast majority of people checking won’t know what’s in your sealed records.
Are You Thinking About Expunging or Sealing Your Criminal Record?
DIY criminal record sealing, or do-it-yourself criminal record sealing, is a process that you do yourself rather than hiring an attorney to do it for you. You can do your own criminal record sealing petition without paying a lawyer. In fact, we have a full suite of tools you can use to seal your criminal record on your own so that you don’t have to pay an attorney.
In our DIY sealing service, you’ll get:
- Instant access to all the forms you need to seal your record ANYWHERE in Illinois
- Step-by-step instructions on how to fill out and file your forms (in video and text formats)
- Directions on where to file your forms for your jurisdiction
- Exclusive access to a messaging system you can use to contact an attorney for free while you’re working through your own sealing case
Ready?
