Which path you are on depends on how your case ended and what you were convicted of. Note the top group: several records clear with nothing filed at all.
A first offense often ends in a filing. A completed filing expunges itself at the end of the filing period, usually one year, with nothing to file (a domestic-violence filing waits three years, and clears only if you are not charged with a domestic-violence crime in that time, or are acquitted or the complaint is dismissed) — so the five-year row above is not what a typical first offense costs. That row is for a misdemeanor on the first-offender path, and its five years run from the day the sentence is completed, not from the date of the plea or verdict.
Where your case was heard
Rhode Island cases by court.
The District Court sits in four divisions, and which one heard your case is set by where the offense was charged. It is not always the city you live in.
- Providence, Pawtucket, East Providence, Woonsocket, Cumberland — Sixth Division, Providence
- Warwick, Cranston, North Providence, Coventry, Johnston, West Warwick, North Kingstown — Third Division, Warwick
- Newport — Second Division, Newport
- South Kingstown, Westerly — Fourth Division, Wakefield
- Rhode Island Expungement LawyerRhode Island expungement attorney handling sealing and expungement statewide. No court filing fee, and the attorney appears at the hearing for you.
- Clear Your Criminal Record in Rhode IslandRhode Island expungement and sealing: 5 years for one misdemeanor, 10 for one felony, no wait for a dismissal. Every path and what blocks it.
- Expunge a First Offense in Rhode IslandA Rhode Island first offender can expunge a misdemeanor five years after the sentence ends, a felony after ten. Prior probation can take you off this path.
- Expunge Multiple Misdemeanors in Rhode IslandTwo to five misdemeanors can be expunged in Rhode Island ten years after your last sentence, with ten clean years. DUI, refusal and domestic excluded.
- Expunge Multiple Felonies in Rhode IslandSince June 22, 2026, two to four non-violent felonies can be expunged in Rhode Island fifteen years after your last sentence. One successful grant only.
- Crimes of Violence That Cannot Be ExpungedRhode Island's crimes of violence can never be expunged, but the list is closed and narrower than most people are told. Burglary is on it.
- Traffic Tribunal Records Clear on Their OwnRhode Island Traffic Tribunal and municipal violations are expunged automatically after three years, five for a chemical-test refusal. Nothing to file.
- Expunge a DUI in Rhode IslandA DUI that is the only thing on your record can be expunged in Rhode Island after 5 years, from the plea or the end of probation. Otherwise it stays.
- Expunge a Domestic Violence Case in Rhode IslandRhode Island domestic violence expungement: 5 years if it is your first offense, 3 years for a filing, and why other convictions keep it on your record.
- 18 Common Rhode Island Expungement SituationsCommon Rhode Island situations and when each can be expunged or sealed: domestic assault, DUI, felonies, dismissals, deferred sentences and more.
- What an Expungement Does for YouA Rhode Island expungement releases you from the penalties of the crime. Five kinds of application still require disclosure; a later sentence can count it.
- Seal a Dismissed Charge in Rhode IslandNot convicted? Rhode Island seals the case whatever else is on your record. District Court Rule 48(a) dismissals since 2023 are sealed automatically.
- Expunge a Deferred Sentence in Rhode IslandA completed deferred sentence in Rhode Island can be expunged as soon as it ends, with no extra five or ten year wait, unless there is a crime of violence.
- Marijuana Possession Records Clear AutomaticallyRhode Island law required eligible marijuana possession records to be expunged automatically by July 1, 2024, despite priors, pending cases, unpaid fines.
- Expunge an Offense That Is No Longer a CrimeIf the conduct is no longer a crime in Rhode Island, you can move to expunge with no wait once your sentence is done and fines are paid, at no cost.
- Filed Cases Clear on Their OwnA Rhode Island filing with no action taken during the filing period is expunged automatically. A domestic violence filing takes three years.
- Expunge a Prostitution Record in One YearA Rhode Island prostitution record can be expunged one year after your sentence ends, regardless of first-offender status. If decriminalized, no wait.
- Vacate a Conviction Caused by TraffickingA trafficking victim convicted of prostitution or solicitation in Rhode Island can move to vacate the conviction and seal the record, with no wait.
- Look Up Your Rhode Island Court RecordThe Rhode Island Judiciary's public portal searches your own criminal cases. What to type, what to write down, and where it falls short of your BCI record.
- How to File for Expungement in Rhode IslandGet your BCI record, file your motion, give the Attorney General and the police 10 days' notice of the hearing, and go to the hearing. No filing fee.
- What Expungement Costs in Rhode IslandRhode Island charges no fee to file a motion to expunge; the $100 fee ended July 3, 2021. Your BCI record is $5. Money still owed on the case can stop it.
- How Long Expungement Takes in Rhode IslandRhode Island sets one deadline: 10 days' notice of the hearing to the Attorney General and police. There is no deadline for the court to hear or decide.
- Get Your Rhode Island BCI RecordYour Rhode Island BCI record costs $5 at 4 Howard Avenue, Cranston, weekdays 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Bring one photo ID, or request it by mail.
- Expungement and Getting a Job in Rhode IslandRhode Island employers cannot ask about your record on the application, but may ask at the interview. What an expungement adds, and the five exceptions.
- Expungement and Renting in Rhode IslandRhode Island fair housing law does not protect a criminal record. An expungement tells the record keeper not to disclose it. What that means for renting.
- Expungement and Professional Licenses in Rhode IslandA Rhode Island licensing board may not use an expunged conviction, and cannot disqualify you for another unless it substantially relates to the job.
See where you stand
Every answer names the statute it comes from. If you appear eligible, you can send your answers to a Rhode Island expungement attorney at the end — the same questions, no second form.
Check my eligibility → Contact the attorney