Louisiana Juvenile Expungement: How to Seal a Juvenile Record

Juvenile Records Are Not Automatically Sealed in Louisiana

A common misconception is that juvenile records in Louisiana disappear when you turn 18. They do not. While juvenile proceedings are handled differently than adult cases — they are adjudications rather than convictions, heard in juvenile court rather than criminal court — the records remain on file with the clerk of court, the arresting agency, and the Louisiana State Police unless you affirmatively petition for expungement.

These records can surface on certain background checks, particularly those run by licensing boards, law enforcement agencies, and federal entities. They can also create complications for military enlistment and security clearances. If you have a juvenile record in Louisiana and want it sealed, you need to file for it.

Eligibility for Juvenile Expungement

Louisiana provides expungement for juvenile records under the Children's Code (Title VII) and related provisions. The eligibility rules differ from adult expungement in important ways:

Informal adjustments and counseling dispositions. If the juvenile matter was resolved through informal adjustment (diversion without formal court proceedings), the record is generally eligible for expungement immediately upon completion of the adjustment conditions.

Adjudications of delinquency. If the juvenile was formally adjudicated delinquent (the juvenile equivalent of a conviction), expungement eligibility depends on the nature of the offense and the juvenile's subsequent record. The juvenile must have completed the disposition (the juvenile equivalent of a sentence), and a waiting period may apply depending on the offense category.

Dismissed or refused cases. Juvenile arrest records where the petition was dismissed, refused by the DA, or otherwise resolved without adjudication follow the same general principle as adult non-conviction expungement under Article 976 — they are eligible without a waiting period.

Excluded offenses. Certain serious juvenile adjudications may be ineligible for expungement, particularly those involving offenses that would have been crimes of violence or sex offenses if committed by an adult. The specific exclusions depend on the version of the Children's Code in effect at the time of adjudication.

Fee Exemptions for Juveniles

One of the most significant differences between juvenile and adult expungement is cost. While adult expungement carries a standard $550 filing fee, several juvenile categories qualify for complete fee exemptions:

Juvenile drug court graduates. Juveniles who successfully completed a certified juvenile drug court program are exempt from all filing and processing fees. This includes the State Police fee, Clerk of Court fee, DA fee, and Sheriff fee.

Trafficking victims. Juvenile trafficking victims qualify for the trafficking victim fee waiver described in Article 978, which eliminates all fees and waiting periods.

In Forma Pauperis. Juveniles (or their parents/guardians) who meet the income requirements under Article 983(L) — receiving SNAP, SSI, or Medicaid, or falling below 125% of the federal poverty line — can apply for IFP status to waive court fees.

The Process

Filing for juvenile expungement follows a similar mechanical process to adult expungement, with some differences in the court venue and forms:

1. Obtain records. Request your juvenile records from the parish where the adjudication occurred. Contact the Clerk of Court's juvenile division and the Louisiana State Police BCII for your state-level juvenile record.

2. Determine eligibility. Verify that the offense category is eligible, any required waiting period has elapsed, and there are no subsequent adjudications or adult convictions that would disqualify you.

3. Prepare the petition. The motion to expunge a juvenile record is filed under the Children's Code provisions rather than the adult criminal code. Some parishes use adapted versions of the uniform adult forms; others have parish-specific juvenile expungement forms. Contact the juvenile division of your parish clerk's office to determine which forms they require.

4. File and serve. The petition is filed with the juvenile court in the parish of adjudication. Service goes to the DA, the arresting agency, and LSP BCII, just as with adult filings.

5. Wait for the objection window. Agencies have the opportunity to review and object, though objections to juvenile expungements are less common than in adult cases.

6. Obtain the order. If no objection is filed (or if you prevail at a hearing), the judge signs the order and the agencies seal their records.

Juvenile Records and Adult Consequences

If you committed an offense as a juvenile but were tried as an adult — through transfer or certification to adult court — the adult conviction rules apply, not the juvenile rules. This matters because adult convictions carry different eligibility criteria, longer waiting periods, and the full $550 filing fee.

Also be aware that while juvenile adjudications are not "convictions" under Louisiana state law, federal agencies (immigration, military, ATF) sometimes treat juvenile adjudications differently. A juvenile adjudication for a drug offense could still affect immigration proceedings, and a serious juvenile adjudication could affect federal firearm eligibility. These are areas where the interaction between state juvenile law and federal law creates risk.

Taking Action

If you have a juvenile record in Louisiana that is interfering with your adult life — showing up on background checks, creating complications for professional licensing, or just sitting there as an unresolved piece of your past — filing for expungement is straightforward and often cheaper than the adult process.

For adults who also have juvenile records, it may make sense to expunge both the juvenile and adult records simultaneously. Each requires a separate petition, but they can be filed in parallel.

The Louisiana Expungement & Record Sealing Guide focuses primarily on adult expungement but covers the key differences in juvenile filing requirements and fee exemptions.

See more Louisiana guides →