Minnesota’s Clean Slate Act
Some criminal offenses qualify for automatic expungement under Minnesota’s Clean Slate Act. This law went into effect Jan. 1, 2025.
Expungement seals criminal records from the public. However, records are still accessible to law enforcement, prosecutors, courts and specific licensing agencies like the Minnesota Department of Human Services.
Under this law, certain petty misdemeanors, misdemeanors, gross misdemeanors and felonies are eligible. Crimes of violence, like murder, criminal sexual conduct, assaults and others, do not qualify for automatic expungement.
Victims will be notified by the Dakota County Attorney’s Office if an offense committed by the defendant qualifies for automatic expungement.
How it works
A person is eligible for automatic expungement if they’ve met the mandatory waiting period — ranging from 2–5 years — and if one of the following is true:
- The case was dismissed or the defendant was found not guilty at trial but not for mental illness reasons.
- The defendant successfully completed a diversion program or was ordered and successfully completed a stay of adjudication.
- The defendant was adjudicated delinquent, convicted, or received a stayed sentence for a qualifying offense — see the lists below for more information.
Types of offenses
- Waiting period of two years after the discharge of the sentence.
- All petty misdemeanor offenses other than the violation of a traffic regulation relating to the operation or parking of motor vehicles.
- Waiting period of two years after the discharge of the sentence.
- Not including the following misdemeanor offenses:
- Fourth-degree driving while impaired
- Violation of an order for protection
- Fifth-degree assault
- Domestic assault
- Interference with privacy
- Violation of a harassment restraining order
- Interference with an emergency call
- Obscene or harassing phone calls
- Indecent exposure
- Violation of domestic abuse no contact order (DANCO)
- Waiting period of three years.
- Not including the following gross misdemeanor offenses:
- Reckless driving resulting in great bodily harm or death
- Second-degree driving while impaired
- Third-degree driving while impaired
- Violation of an order for protection
- Criminal vehicular operation
- Fourth-degree assault
- Fifth-degree assault
- Domestic assault
- Criminal neglect
- Fifth-degree criminal sexual conduct
- Malicious punishment of a child
- Escape from custody
- Tampering with witness
- Fourth-degree burglary
- Interference with privacy
- Violation of a harassment restraining order
- Harassment or stalking
- Interference with an emergency call
- Indecent exposure
- Nonconsensual dissemination of private sexual images
- Violation of domestic abuse no contact order (DANCO)
- Waiting period of five years unless noted.
- The following felony offenses are eligible:
- Altering livestock certificate
- Insurance regulations
- Certification for title on watercraft
- Fifth-degree controlled substance (waiting period of four years)
- Sale of simulated controlled substance
- Certificate of title false information
- Accident resulting in great bodily harm
- Voting violations
- False bill of lading
- False declaration in assistance application
- Willful evasion of fuel tax
- Failure to affix stamp on scheduled substances
- Liquor taxation
- Unlawful acts involving liquor
- Precious metal dealers
- Prize notices and solicitations
- Failure to control a regulated animal
- Gambling regulations
- Contempt
- Coercion
- Leaving the state to evade establishment of paternity
- Failure to appear in court
- Theft of $5,000 or less
- Theft of $1,000 or less with risk of bodily harm
- Possession of shoplifting gear
- Bringing stolen goods into the state
- Metal dealer receiving stolen goods
- Possession or use of scanning device or re-encoder
- Possession or sale of stolen or counterfeit check
- Mail theft
- Receiving stolen goods
- Dishonored check over $500
- Embezzlement of public funds $2,500 or less
- Rustling and livestock theft
- Wildfire arson
- Negligent fires
- Third-degree burglary — trespass
- Possession of burglary or theft tools
- Criminal damage to property
- Assaulting or harming a police horse
- Aggravated forgery
- Forgery
- Check forgery and offering forged check, $2,500 or less
- Obtaining signature by false pretense
- Recording, filing forged instrument
- Fraudulent statements
- False certification by notary
- Lottery fraud
- Fraudulent driver's license and identification card
- Discharge of firearm; silencer
- Furnishing firearm to minor
- Duty to render aid
- Tampering with fire alarm
- Interference with cable communications system
- Financial transaction card fraud
- Residential mortgage fraud
- Bribery of participant or official in contest
- Interference with transit operator
- Computer damage
- Computer theft
- Telecommunications and information services fraud
- Cellular counterfeiting
- Counterfeited intellectual property
- Movie pirating
- Transfer pistol to a minor
- Pistol without a permit (subsequent violation)
- Transfer of a pistol to an ineligible person
- Rifle or shotgun in public by a minor
For more information, contact: