Bill > H86

This bill introduces a new provision to North Carolina's criminal record expungement laws that specifically prohibits individuals who are not legal residents or citizens of the United States from obtaining an expunction (legal erasure) of their criminal records. The bill requires courts to verify a petitioner's legal status before granting an expunction, either through direct inquiry with the individual, examination of relevant documents, or by consulting U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement. Importantly, the prohibition does not apply to individuals who have lawfully entered the United States and have either filed an immigrant petition or have an immigrant petition filed on their behalf. The new law will become effective on October 1, 2025, and will apply to all expungement petitions filed on or after that date, meaning that immigration status will be a new mandatory consideration in the expungement process for criminal records in North Carolina.

Justice

https://www.ncleg.gov/BillLookUp/2025/H86