New Missouri Expungement Law – 2025 Updates You Need to Know

By Eng & Woods

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Carrying criminal offenses on your record can be a heavy burden. From finding work to getting approved for housing to securing a loan, it can be challenging to move forward after you have been arrested, charged or convicted of a crime. However, new Missouri expungement law updates may help you seal your criminal record faster, removing that burden. 

Keep reading to learn more about how expungement works, how the law has changed in 2025 and how an expungement lawyer can help you make the most of your expungement petition.

How Does Expungement Work in Missouri?

Expungement is the ability to seal a number of criminal convictions from Missouri’s records, meaning they are no longer publicly accessible and require a court order to reopen. Once these convictions are sealed, you don’t have to disclose your criminal record in most circumstances (outside of a few exceptions outlined in this article) regarding employment, housing, loan applications and other entities that require a background check. 

Filing a petition includes but is not limited to the following steps:

  • You must file the petition with the court where you were charged or found guilty of criminal activity.
  • The petition must include all crimes that the petitioner wants to expunge and individuals or entities that the petitioner believes have access to the records that are subject to expungement.
  • Once the petition is filed, the court clerk will send the petition to the prosecution from the case and give them 30 days to file an objection. 
  • If an objection is filed, a court hearing will be set within 60 days of the objection, and reasonable notice is given to the entities listed. 
  • At the court hearing, the petitioner and prosecution will provide evidence for and against the petition, and the expungement will be granted or denied.
  • If no objection is filed, the judge will review your case and make a final decision. They may or may not require a hearing.

Before you file a petition, you need to know if the crime you want to expunge is eligible for expungement. You can see a list of ineligible crimes here.  

It’s important to remember that this is a condensed list of steps toward expungement. If you believe you are eligible, contacting an experienced expungement or criminal defense lawyer who can help walk you through each step is a great idea. Now, let’s take a closer look at how the expungement law changed in 2025 and how that could affect your eligibility. 

How Does The New Missouri Expungement Statute Work?

Missouri’s expungement bill was enacted in 2018 and saw a major update in 2021, which modified the waiting period. The original bill required that a petitioner wait seven years from the date of a completed disposition for felonies and three years from the date of a completed disposition for misdemeanors. The 2021 revision lowered the waiting period to three years and one year, respectively. The 2025 Missouri expungement law update made key changes to what can be expunged, the waiting period and other parts of the process. 

Some changes included in Missouri Senate Bill 754 include:

  • The waiting period for the expungement of misdemeanors. A petitioner now only has to wait 18 months after the date of the arrest for a misdemeanor rather than three years after the date of an arrest.
  • Additional offenses cannot be expunged. The new expungement law excludes the following offenses from expungement: sexual conduct with a nursing facility resident in the second degree, use of a child in sexual performance, promoting a sexual performance of a child and cross burning.
  • More discretion for the court. A court can no longer make a determination for an expungement petition solely based on a victim’s testimony and can decide if the continuing impact of the offense on the victim affects the validity of the petition. 
  • An increased limit of offenses for expungement. A petitioner’s maximum number of expungements can now reach two felony offenses and three misdemeanor offenses rather than one and two, respectively. 

Why Should I Seek a Missouri Expungement Lawyer for My Case?

Navigating these changes to the expungement law and filing a petition can be confusing. It helps to have a legal expert in your corner whenever you seek expungement. A Missouri expungement lawyer can help you through every step of filing a petition and can present your case to the court in the event of an expungement hearing. 

Schedule a free consultation with the team at Eng & Woods today. Our team has a proven track record of delivering favorable outcomes for individuals facing criminal charges. Visit our contact page to see if we can help you lift the weight of your criminal offenses and move forward with your life. 

Get the Answers You Need Today.

The best way to answer legal questions is by talking with an experienced attorney. The legal team at Eng & Woods is ready to explore every option to help you find a favorable outcome.

Visit our contact page today to give us a call or send a message to schedule a free consultation.