Free Expungement Louisiana: Fee Waivers, Legal Aid, and Low-Cost Options

The Standard $550 Is Not Mandatory for Everyone

Louisiana's $550 expungement filing fee creates a significant barrier — especially for the people most likely to need record relief. But the law provides multiple fee reduction and waiver mechanisms that can reduce the cost to zero for qualifying individuals. Here is every pathway.

The Expedited No-Cost Pathway (HB 435 / 2026)

The 2026 legislature passed House Bill 435, which fundamentally expanded the "expedited expungement" mechanism under Articles 999 and 999.1. Previously, no-cost expedited expungements were limited to people who were exactly 17 years old at the time of arrest.

The 2026 amendment removed the age restriction entirely. Any individual, regardless of age, can qualify for an expedited expungement of their arrest record at no cost if:

1. The District Attorney declined to prosecute all charges from the arrest (including cases resolved through pretrial diversion), or
2. Prosecution was initiated but the case was disposed of by dismissal, a sustained motion to quash, or acquittal at trial.

This is the cleanest path to a free expungement in Louisiana. If your arrest ended without a conviction and the disposition is formal, you may qualify for this streamlined, no-fee process.

In Forma Pauperis (IFP) Fee Waiver

Under Article 983(L), individuals who are indigent can petition the court to waive all filing costs. Qualifying criteria include:

• Receiving SNAP, SSI, or Medicaid benefits
• Earning below 125% of the federal poverty guidelines
• Demonstrating inability to pay without substantial hardship

You submit the standardized IFP affidavit (Appendix 8.0 from the Louisiana Supreme Court) with your expungement packet. The affidavit must be notarized by a licensed notary in the presence of an adult witness. The presiding judge reviews and approves or denies the waiver at their discretion.

If approved, the court waives the Clerk of Court, DA, and Sheriff fees. But one critical exception applies: under Article 983(F), the $250 Louisiana State Police fee cannot be waived if you have any prior felony conviction — even a felony that was previously expunged. An indigent filer with an old felony still owes $250 out of pocket.

DA Certificate of Fee Waiver

The District Attorney can issue a separate fee waiver certificate if your case meets all of the following:

• The charges ended in acquittal, dismissal, or formal refusal
• You have no prior felony convictions anywhere in the country
• You have no pending felony charges
• The case was not resolved through a pretrial diversion program

Diversion completions are specifically excluded from the DA waiver — even though the disposition is technically a dismissal. If you completed a diversion program, you must pay the standard filing fees or qualify through the IFP route.

Legal Aid Organizations

Free legal aid organizations in Louisiana provide expungement assistance, but their resources are limited:

Justice & Accountability Center of Louisiana (JAC) operates statewide expungement programs and offers a $20 online application builder that generates pre-filled forms. Their staff attorneys handle cases for eligible individuals, but waitlists are months long and income thresholds are strict.

Regional legal aid organizations run periodic expungement clinics — free events where attorneys help eligible individuals complete and file paperwork in a single day. These clinics typically operate in major parishes (Orleans, Jefferson, East Baton Rouge, Caddo) and are announced through local bar associations and community organizations.

The challenge with legal aid is capacity. Free clinics are infrequent, and legal aid organizations have income eligibility requirements that exclude working-class individuals who earn above the threshold but still cannot afford $550 in non-refundable filing fees.

The Reduced Marijuana Fee

First-offense misdemeanor marijuana possession convictions qualify for a reduced total fee of $300 under Act 342 of 2023: $150 to the Clerk, $50 to LSP, $50 to the DA, and $50 to the Sheriff. The waiting period is also reduced to just 90 days from conviction. This is not free, but it is $250 less than the standard filing.

Human Trafficking Victims

Victims of human trafficking who were convicted of crimes directly resulting from their victimization qualify for immediate expungement with zero waiting periods and a complete statutory exemption from all filing fees. No IFP affidavit is required — the exemption is automatic upon establishing trafficking victim status.

The Clean Slate Act Is Not Operational

The 2023 Clean Slate Act was designed to create automatic, free record sealing for eligible non-violent offenses. As of August 2026, the legislature has not funded the technology infrastructure, so the system is at a standstill. There is no automatic clearing of records happening in Louisiana. Every eligible person must still file individually.

Filing on a Budget

If you do not qualify for a complete fee waiver but need to minimize costs, self-filing eliminates the $1,500-$2,500 attorney fee. The Louisiana Expungement & Record Sealing Guide provides the step-by-step filing process, form preparation, and fee routing for the cost of the filing fees alone — protecting your $550 investment from a preventable paperwork rejection.

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