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Phoenix, Arizona · A.R.S. § 13-911

Seal a Criminal Record in Phoenix, AZ

Arizona's record-sealing law (A.R.S. § 13-911) lets eligible Phoenix residents petition the Maricopa County Superior Court to hide their criminal record from public view. Once sealed, the record is removed from public access and most employer background checks; you can legally state on most applications that it never happened. Phoenix has the highest volume of record-relief petitions in Arizona. Maricopa County Superior Court alone handled tens of thousands of criminal cases that may now qualify for sealing under § 13-911 (effective Sept 13, 2024).

Check eligibility → Call (480) 923-7570
Arizona record sealing eligibility flowchart A decision tree showing who qualifies to seal a criminal record under A.R.S. § 13-911. The flowchart starts with whether the offense was a serious felony, then asks about waiting period, prior denial status, and outstanding obligations to determine if the petitioner is eligible, must wait, or is barred. Sealing Eligibility (§ 13-911) Arizona Revised Statutes — record sealing pathway Conviction in Arizona court Excluded under § 13-911(O)? Sex offenses, victim under 15 YES → BARRED Not eligible NO ↓ Waiting period elapsed? Class 4-6: 5 yr · Class 2-3: 10 yr · Misd: 2-3 yr measured from absolute discharge NO → WAIT Come back later YES ↓ Probation discharged + restitution paid? No active warrants or pending charges prior denials trigger 3-year wait NO → CURE FIRST Pay, discharge YES ↓ ELIGIBLE TO FILE Petition the original court $0 court filing fee · 60-day window What sealing does • Hides record from public • Hides from most employers • You can legally state on most applications it never happened Exceptions: law enforcement, AZPOST, child / vulnerable adult work

Filing in Phoenix — local details

Where to file

Maricopa County Superior Court

Central Court Complex, Criminal File Counter, 201 W. Jefferson St., Phoenix, AZ 85003

Phone: (602) 372-5375
Hours: 8:00 AM – 5:00 PM, Monday – Friday

E-filing

Available for criminal cases via the separate Clerk's Office portal (NOT through AZTurboCourt — that's civil/tax only in Maricopa County).

Required for: Attorneys (per administrative order). Optional for self-represented filers.

Payment methods

Visa, MasterCard, American Express, money orders, or law-firm/business checks. NO personal checks accepted.

Court filing fee for this service is $0 — no payment is required at the clerk's window.

Prosecutor service

Maricopa County Attorney's Office

301 W. Jefferson St., 8th Floor, Phoenix, AZ 85003

Phone: (602) 506-3411

Alternate filing locations

For Mesa-area residents, the Southeast Regional Court at 222 E. Javelina Ave., Mesa AZ 85210 also accepts filings. For NE Phoenix residents, the Northeast Regional Court Center at 18380 N. 40th St., Suite 120 is closer.

Parking & access

Public parking is available in the underground garage at 1 N. 4th Ave. (entrance off Jefferson St.). Metered street parking is also available throughout the downtown courthouse district.

Processing time

Maricopa County typically processes uncontested petitions within 60-90 days. Contested petitions where the prosecutor objects can take 4-6 months. The 60-day prosecutor-objection window under § 13-911 is the floor — petitions are generally not decided sooner.

Judge assignment

Cases are assigned to the original sentencing judge when possible. If that judge has retired or moved, a different criminal-bench judge will be assigned via the random-assignment system.

After-hours filing

Yes — four exterior 24/7 filing boxes at the Central Court Complex (201 W. Jefferson) for after-hours filing.

What seal a criminal record does

Does

  • Hides the record from public view
  • Removes from most employer background checks
  • You can legally answer "no" to "have you ever been convicted" on most applications
  • Civil rights stay restored (if already restored under § 13-907)

Doesn't

  • Does not affect law-enforcement, AZPOST, or court access to the record
  • Does not seal records used in subsequent criminal cases (priors still apply)
  • Does not seal child-related employment background checks (DCS, DDD, schools)
  • Does not affect immigration consequences of the conviction

The statute, in plain terms

Section 13-911 establishes waiting periods based on offense classification: 2 years for misdemeanors (with a 3-year period for certain offenses), 5 years for Class 4-6 felonies, and 10 years for Class 2-3 felonies. The waiting clock starts from absolute discharge (probation discharge or release from custody, whichever is later). Offenses excluded under subsection (O) — including certain sex offenses, offenses against victims under 15, and select dangerous-offense classifications — cannot be sealed at all.

Note for Phoenix filers: Sealing took on its current form in September 2024 (SB 1639), which removed the prior-felony 5-year extension and increased the prosecutor-response window from 30 to 60 days.

Phoenix Seal a Criminal Record FAQ

Where do Phoenix residents file a § 13-911 sealing petition?

Petitions are filed with the Maricopa County Superior Court. The criminal filing counter is at 201 W. Jefferson St., Phoenix, AZ 85003. Hours are 8:00 AM – 5:00 PM, Monday – Friday. For Mesa-area residents, the Southeast Regional Court at 222 E. Javelina Ave., Mesa AZ 85210 also accepts filings. For NE Phoenix residents, the Northeast Regional Court Center at 18380 N. 40th St., Suite 120 is closer.

Is there a court filing fee in Maricopa County?

No. Arizona courts charge $0 to file a § 13-911 sealing petition. The legislature deliberately removed filing fees so that record-clearing remedies remain accessible. Some attorneys quote "filing fees" but there are none — it's only the service fee for petition preparation.

Can I e-file my petition in Maricopa County?

Available for criminal cases via the separate Clerk's Office portal (NOT through AZTurboCourt — that's civil/tax only in Maricopa County). Attorneys (per administrative order). Optional for self-represented filers.

How long does sealing take in Phoenix?

Maricopa County typically processes uncontested petitions within 60-90 days. Contested petitions where the prosecutor objects can take 4-6 months. The 60-day prosecutor-objection window under § 13-911 is the floor — petitions are generally not decided sooner. The 60-day waiting period is required by statute — the court cannot rule sooner. Sealed orders typically issue within 7-14 days of the 60-day mark if uncontested.

What if the prosecutor objects to my petition?

Maricopa County Attorney's Office has 60 days from filing to object. If they object, the court schedules a hearing. Most petitions in Phoenix are decided on the papers without a hearing — objections are uncommon when the petition is properly prepared and the petitioner is statutorily eligible. The prosecutor's office can be reached at (602) 506-3411.

Ready to seal a criminal record in Phoenix?

Free 3-minute screening tells you exactly whether you qualify under A.R.S. § 13-911.

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