DC Expungement Cost: What You'll Pay to Seal Your Record
The Filing Itself Is Free
There is no filing fee to submit a motion to seal a criminal record in DC Superior Court. This sets DC apart from many jurisdictions that charge filing fees ranging from $50 to several hundred dollars. The zero-fee rule applies to both pro se filers and attorney-filed motions.
What You Will Pay For
While the filing is free, the process has associated costs:
| Item | Cost |
|---|---|
| MPD Arrest History Report | $7.00 |
| Court document photocopies | $0.50 per page |
| Public terminal printouts | $0.10 per page |
| Certified copy of court document | $5.00–$12.00 |
| Triple seal / exemplification | $20.00–$24.00 |
| Record search fee (per name) | $10.00–$34.00 |
The MPD Arrest History Report is mandatory — it's your starting document for any sealing petition. You get it at 300 Indiana Avenue NW, Room 1075, with a valid government ID and your Social Security Number. Cash, money order, or credit/debit card accepted.
The other costs depend on your situation. Most straightforward petitions require the $7 MPD report and maybe $5-$15 in copies from the court. If you need certified copies of the final sealing order to send to licensing boards or out-of-state agencies, those run $5-$12 each. Triple-sealed exemplifications for federal agencies cost $20-$24.
Fee waiver option: If you're experiencing financial hardship, you can apply for a fee waiver using Form 7 (Application to Waive Prepayment of Costs). The application must be signed under penalty of perjury, but notarization is not required. If you're represented by a recognized pro bono legal services provider, the court must approve the waiver automatically. The court is required to decide on completed waiver applications within 5 calendar days.
What a Lawyer Would Cost
Private DC criminal defense attorneys typically charge anywhere from $1,500 to $5,000+ for record sealing representation, depending on case complexity. A simple non-conviction sealing on the lower end; multiple contested convictions on the higher end.
That's the trade-off: an attorney navigates the procedural details and handles any prosecutorial objection, but the premium is steep relative to a process that has no filing fee.
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Free Legal Help
Several organizations provide free assistance for DC record sealing:
- Public Defender Service for D.C. (PDS): The Community Defender Division at 1442 Pennsylvania Avenue SE (202-671-6705) provides free representation and runs expungement clinics
- Legal Aid DC: The Reentry Justice Project at 1331 H Street NW (202-628-1161) provides direct legal help and representation — though income eligibility limits apply
- DC Bar Pro Bono Center: Coordinates free advice clinics and matches low-income residents with pro bono counsel (202-780-2575)
The catch with free services: income eligibility requirements exclude many middle-income workers, and waitlists can run weeks or months. If you have a hiring deadline or time-sensitive background check, the intake timeline may not work.
Hidden Costs People Don't Account For
Beyond direct fees and attorney costs, the sealing process has time costs that affect the total bill:
Travel to Room 1075 and Room 4001. Both the MPD records office and the Superior Court Criminal Division require in-person visits during business hours. For someone working a standard schedule, that means taking time off work — once for record gathering, potentially again for in-person filing.
Certified copies for post-sealing use. If you need your sealing order authenticated for an out-of-state agency, federal employer, or professional licensing board, certified copies cost $5-$12 each and triple-sealed exemplifications run $20-$24. These aren't mandatory for the filing itself, but they come up after the order is granted.
Background check dispute costs. If a commercial screening company continues to report a sealed record, you may need to send certified mail for FCRA disputes and potentially file a complaint with the Office of Human Rights. None of these carry formal fees, but they require time and documentation.
The Real Cost of Not Filing
The direct costs of filing pro se in DC are minimal — under $30 in most cases. The indirect cost of leaving a sealable record exposed is harder to quantify but usually far larger: lost job offers, denied apartments, stalled professional licenses. With the right filing toolkit, the process is manageable on your own.
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