Missouri’s Clean Slate law: what automatic expungement actually does.
Missouri is about to start clearing some criminal records automatically, with no petition and no fee. It is a real reform, and it is widely misunderstood. Here is the honest version of Missouri’s new automatic-expungement law, RSMo § 610.141, and what it means for your record.
Effective on the books August 28, 2026, but records start clearing only when the system is ready, no later than January 1, 2027, then on a rolling weekly basis.
Only certain drug possession and paraphernalia convictions, electronic records only, after the waiting period with a clean record since.
Nearly every other eligible offense still needs a petition under § 610.140, the process we handle for a flat fee.
What Missouri’s Clean Slate law changed
In 2026 Missouri passed a wide-ranging crime bill, Senate Bill 1421, signed by Governor Mike Kehoe on July 9, 2026. Inside it was a genuine milestone: a new automatic-expungement statute, RSMo § 610.141. Missouri now joins the small group of states with a “Clean Slate” law that seals some records without asking people to hire a lawyer or file paperwork.
Two things get lost in the headlines, and both matter for real people:
- It is not live the day the law took effect. You will see August 28, 2026 quoted as the effective date. That is when the statute went on the books, not when records begin clearing. Section 610.141 says the automatic process starts when it is “technically feasible” for the Office of State Courts Administrator and the state central repository, and no later than January 1, 2027. The Missouri State Highway Patrol then screens and clears eligible records on a rolling basis, at least once a week.
- It is narrow. The automatic track covers only certain drug possession and drug-paraphernalia convictions. Almost everything else Missouri lets you expunge still runs through the petition process. And it reaches electronic records only, so cases that live in paper files are not touched.
Exactly which drug records qualify
Under § 610.141, the records eligible for automatic expungement are convictions for:
- Possession of a controlled substance, under RSMo § 579.015 (or the older § 195.202).
- Unlawful use or possession of drug paraphernalia, under RSMo § 579.074 (or the older § 195.233).
Even for those offenses, the record clears automatically only when all of this is true:
- The waiting period has passed: one year since final disposition for a misdemeanor, three years for a felony.
- You have no new conviction during that waiting period.
- You have no pending charges and no outstanding warrants.
- The offense is not a Class A felony (those are excluded).
- The record is electronic, in the statewide Case.net system, not a paper-only file.
The automatic track also counts against the same lifetime cap as petition-based expungement: across § 610.141 and § 610.140 combined, a person is limited to three misdemeanor and two felony expungements.
Marijuana is a separate story. Many old marijuana cases were already cleared under Missouri’s 2022 legalization amendment, not this law. If your record is a cannabis offense, start with our Missouri marijuana expungement guide.
Should you wait for automatic expungement, or petition now?
This is the real question, and the honest answer is that it depends on your record and your timeline. Here is how we weigh it.
Petitioning now is usually better if…
- You need certainty now, for a job, a professional license, housing, or a background check that is already underway.
- Your offense is not drug possession or paraphernalia, so the automatic track will never reach it.
- You have a pending charge or an old warrant, which stops the automatic process cold until it is resolved.
- Your case is on paper, or you are not sure it is in Case.net.
- You want a signed court order in hand proving the record is sealed, rather than hoping it happened.
Waiting can make sense if…
- A drug possession or paraphernalia conviction is your only record.
- You have clearly passed the waiting period with nothing since.
- Nothing is urgent, and you are comfortable with no guaranteed date: the state clears records on a rolling schedule, and yours could come sooner or later.
- You would rather pay nothing and let the automatic process do it.
Importantly, § 610.141 does not take anything away. The petition route under § 610.140 stays open, so nobody has to wait for the automatic system if they would rather move now. If you qualify for both, filing simply gets you there faster and with proof.
Will you even know when it happens?
Not directly. The law has the central repository send the Supreme Court of Missouri a weekly list of what was expunged, and it requires the state to publish annual statistics starting in 2028. But there is no letter or alert to you. That uncertainty is one more reason people who need a clear answer choose to petition and get a court order they can actually hold.
What we recommend
Don’t assume your record will clear itself, and don’t assume it can’t be cleared. Both mistakes are common, and both are expensive in lost jobs and opportunities. The fastest way to know where you stand is a free eligibility check: tell us the offense, the year, and the county, and we will tell you whether it is on the automatic track, whether you should petition now, or whether you are not yet eligible. If your record is something other than a drug case, our offenses overview is a good next step.
Common questions
When does Missouri automatic expungement start?
The law (RSMo § 610.141, created by Senate Bill 1421 and signed July 9, 2026) took effect on the books August 28, 2026, but records do not start clearing that day. The automatic process begins when it is technically feasible for the Office of State Courts Administrator and the state central repository, and no later than January 1, 2027. From then, the Missouri State Highway Patrol screens eligible records on a rolling basis, at least once a week.
Which records clear automatically under the Clean Slate law?
Only certain drug convictions: possession of a controlled substance (RSMo § 579.015, formerly § 195.202) and unlawful use or possession of drug paraphernalia (RSMo § 579.074, formerly § 195.233). Class A felonies are excluded. The record must also be electronic (in Case.net), you must have completed the waiting period (one year for a misdemeanor, three years for a felony) with no new convictions, and you must have no pending charges or outstanding warrants.
Should I wait for automatic expungement or file a petition now?
It depends on your record and your timeline. If a drug possession or paraphernalia conviction is your only record, you meet the waiting period, and nothing is urgent, the automatic process may reach it at no cost. But the state clears records on a rolling schedule with no guaranteed date for your case, only electronic records qualify, and a pending charge or warrant stops it. If you need certainty now for a job, license, or apartment, or your offense is not on the narrow automatic list, petitioning under § 610.140 is the faster, surer path. A free review tells you which side you fall on.
Do I have to do anything to get an automatic expungement?
No. That is the point of the Clean Slate law: for eligible drug records, the Highway Patrol and the courts do it without a petition or a fee. The catch is that it is narrow and its timing is not guaranteed for any one person, so many people either do not qualify or should not wait.
Will I be notified when my record is automatically expunged?
There is no direct notice to you built into the law. The central repository sends the Supreme Court of Missouri a weekly list of expungements, and the state must publish annual statistics starting in 2028, but nothing tells you personally that your record cleared. A granted petition, by contrast, gives you a signed court order you can hold and show.
What if my record is only on paper?
The automatic process reaches electronic records in Case.net only. Older cases that live in paper court files are not cleared automatically. If yours is a paper record, a petition is the way to get it sealed.
This page describes Missouri law as we understand it and is general information, not legal advice. The Clean Slate law is new and the state is still building the process to carry it out, so specifics and timing may change. Statutes are linked to the official Missouri Revisor of Statutes; confirm the current text for your situation. For advice about your record, speak with the attorney.
Not sure if your record clears automatically?
Most don’t, but many still qualify by petition. Take the free eligibility check and we’ll tell you exactly where you stand.