Expungements & Pardons · Governor's Pardon
A pardon doesn't erase a conviction by itself — but since 2024, the expungement that follows it is automatic.
For convictions that fall outside every other relief mechanism — not eligible for expungement, not eligible for Clean Slate sealing, and old enough that the person has genuinely moved past it — a governor's pardon is often the only remaining option. It's also the slowest one. The process runs through the Board of Pardons under Pa. Const. art. IV, § 9: an application, a merit review, in many cases a public hearing, and ultimately a written recommendation that requires a majority of the Board before the Governor can even consider granting clemency. Once a pardon is granted, Act 36 of 2023 changed what happens next: under 18 Pa.C.S. § 9122(a.1), effective June 11, 2024, the pardoned case is expunged automatically through a quarterly transmission process rather than a petition you have to file yourself. I help people across Dauphin, Cumberland, York, and Adams counties evaluate whether a pardon is realistic for their situation and prepare an application that actually gives the Board something to work with.
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How the remedy works
The Pennsylvania Governor's Pardon Process.
Authority: Pa. Const. art. IV, § 9[1] [2]
Record relief, in context
A pardon is a years-long process with no guaranteed outcome, but for a conviction that's otherwise permanent, it's often the only door left — and it's worth starting early rather than waiting until the consequence becomes urgent.
expungement & pardon lawyer · pardon vs. expungement · DUI expungement
Pennsylvania's pardon power sits with the Governor under Pa. Const. art. IV, § 9, but it isn't exercised unilaterally. The Board of Pardons — made up of the Lieutenant Governor, the Attorney General, and three other members appointed under the constitution — reviews every application first. The Board's regulations set out the application requirements, the merit-review screening stage, and, for applications that pass that screening, a public hearing where the applicant, and sometimes victims or objectors, can be heard.
After the hearing, the Board votes, and Pa. Const. art. IV, § 9 requires a majority recommendation in favor of clemency before the application can even go to the Governor. Only then does the Governor decide whether to actually sign the pardon. That structure means an applicant has to persuade the Board first — the Governor never sees an application the Board didn't recommend by majority vote.
A pardon, once granted, does not itself erase the conviction from the record — but you no longer have to petition for the expungement that follows it. Act 36 of 2023 added 18 Pa.C.S. § 9122(a.1), effective June 11, 2024, which makes expungement of a pardoned conviction automatic: the Board of Pardons transmits pardoned cases to the Administrative Office of Pennsylvania Courts on a quarterly basis, the AOPC forwards them to the court where the conviction was entered, and that court orders the expungement without a separate petition from the person pardoned. In practical terms: pardon first, then an automatic expungement that arrives on the courts' quarterly cycle rather than on a filing schedule you control.
Timelines here are measured in years, not months, and applicants should plan for that reality rather than a quick turnaround. The Board has, however, established an expedited review track for certain non-violent marijuana-possession convictions, recognizing the high volume of otherwise-similar low-level cases and shortening at least the initial screening stage for applicants who qualify. What a pardon does not do is worth stating plainly: it does not restore firearm rights automatically, it does not vacate a conviction the way an appeal would, and it does not guarantee approval — the Governor's decision remains discretionary even after a favorable Board recommendation.
Eligibility at a glance
What qualifies — and what does not.
| Situation | What the law allows | Condition |
|---|---|---|
| Old conviction not eligible for expungement or Clean Slate sealing | Pardon is often the only remaining avenue | Typically applies to felony convictions or repeat-offense records that don't qualify under § 9122 or the Clean Slate Act on their own |
| Demonstrated rehabilitation over a substantial period | Central to the Board's merit review and hearing evaluation | Employment history, community involvement, and time elapsed since the conviction all factor into the Board's assessment |
| Non-violent, small-amount marijuana possession conviction | May qualify for the Board's expedited review track | Designed to move a high volume of otherwise-similar low-level cases through initial screening faster than the standard process |
| Conviction with a specific, articulable collateral consequence | Strengthens the application's stated purpose | Professional licensing barriers, employment restrictions, or housing consequences give the Board a concrete reason tied to the request |
| Multiple convictions across different cases | Each conviction generally requires its own pardon application | A person with several old convictions may need to apply for, and receive, a pardon for each one separately — automatic expungement under § 9122(a.1) then follows each pardon that is granted |
| Active supervision or unresolved case | Not a realistic candidate for pardon review | The Board generally expects sentences to be fully completed, with a period of stability afterward, before an application is likely to be considered favorably |
| Victim objection or contested facts underlying the conviction | Doesn't automatically disqualify, but complicates the hearing | The Board weighs victim input where it's presented, alongside the applicant's record since the conviction |
Eligibility categories are statutory, but how a specific docket is graded and disposed controls which category applies. Nothing here is a prediction about a particular record.
The process
Step by step.
Step 1
Application and required documentation
The applicant submits a formal application to the Board of Pardons, including personal history, the details of the conviction, and supporting documentation of rehabilitation and current circumstances.
Step 2
Merit review screening
Board staff conduct an initial review to determine whether the application should proceed to a full hearing, screening out applications that don't meet baseline criteria at this stage.
Step 3
Public hearing before the Board
Applications that pass merit review proceed to a public hearing where the applicant can testify, present evidence of rehabilitation, and respond to questions from Board members; victims or other interested parties may also be heard.
Step 4
Board vote and recommendation
Following the hearing, the Board votes on whether to recommend a pardon; a majority vote in favor is constitutionally required before the application can go to the Governor at all.
Step 5
Governor's decision
If the Board recommends clemency by majority vote, the application goes to the Governor, whose decision to grant or deny the pardon is discretionary even at this final stage.
Step 6
Automatic expungement after a granted pardon
Under 18 Pa.C.S. § 9122(a.1), added by Act 36 of 2023 and effective June 11, 2024, the Board of Pardons transmits pardoned cases to the AOPC quarterly; the AOPC passes them to the county court, which orders the expungement without a petition. The step still takes months because it moves on that quarterly cycle, and it is worth confirming afterward that PSP, PennDOT, and the arresting agency actually cleared their copies.
Jurisdiction & venue
Where the petition is filed.
Board of Pardons, Harrisburg
The entire pardon application, merit review, and public hearing process is administered centrally by the Board of Pardons in Harrisburg — it is not a county-by-county process the way expungement petitions are, regardless of where the underlying conviction occurred.
Dauphin County
Once a pardon is granted, the Dauphin County court that originally handled the conviction receives the case through the AOPC's quarterly transmission under § 9122(a.1) and enters the expungement order without a petition from you.
Cumberland County
The same sequence applies: the pardon process itself runs through the statewide Board in Harrisburg, and the expungement is then entered by the Cumberland County court that recorded the original conviction once the case reaches it on the quarterly cycle.
York, Adams, Perry, Franklin, and Lancaster Counties
For applicants whose original convictions were entered in any of these counties, the pardon application still goes exclusively through the Board of Pardons in Harrisburg; the automatic expungement afterward is entered by the local court, so the practical follow-up there is confirming the order issued and the record was actually cleared.
Where these petitions are won or lost.
Build the record before applying, not during the hearing
Employment history, community ties, and evidence of stability since the conviction should be documented and organized well before the application is submitted, not assembled hastily once a hearing date is set.
Be candid about the underlying offense
The Board's hearing process is not the place to minimize or dispute facts already established by the conviction; credibility about what happened matters more than arguing the case was wrongly decided.
Use the expedited track where it genuinely applies
The Board's expedited review for certain non-violent marijuana-possession convictions can meaningfully shorten the process, but only for applicants who actually fit that category — don't assume it applies more broadly.
Set realistic timeline expectations
Pardon applications typically take years from filing to a final decision; applicants should not delay other planning (employment, licensing applications) on the assumption that a pardon will resolve things quickly.
Track the automatic expungement instead of assuming it happened
Since June 11, 2024, § 9122(a.1) expunges a pardoned conviction without a petition, but it moves on the Board's quarterly transmission cycle — the practical work is confirming the court entered the order and that PSP, PennDOT, and the arresting agency cleared their copies.
Understand what a pardon does not restore
A pardon does not automatically restore firearm rights, does not function as an appellate reversal of the conviction, and does not guarantee the Governor will grant it even after a favorable Board recommendation — set expectations accordingly from the outset.
Where we file
Record relief across Central Pennsylvania.
Adams County expungement lawyer
Gettysburg
Cumberland County expungement lawyer
Carlisle
Dauphin County expungement lawyer
Harrisburg
Franklin County expungement lawyer
Chambersburg
Lancaster County expungement lawyer
Lancaster
Perry County expungement lawyer
New Bloomfield
York County expungement lawyer
York
Other record-relief guides.
Expungement Eligibility
18 Pa.C.S. § 9122
Clean Slate & Automatic Sealing
18 Pa.C.S. § 9122.2
Non-Conviction Expungement
18 Pa.C.S. § 9122(a)
ARD Expungement
Pa.R.Crim.P. 320
Summary Offense Expungement
18 Pa.C.S. § 9122(b)(3)
Underage Drinking & Marijuana Expungement
18 Pa.C.S. § 6308(d)
Related: Pennsylvania expungement & pardon overview · expungement vs. Clean Slate sealing · domestic violence record relief · Pennsylvania criminal defense lawyer.
FAQ
Frequently asked questions.
Common questions about governor's pardon in Pennsylvania — eligibility, procedure, and what the order actually changes.
A pardon forgives the conviction as a matter of executive clemency, but it does not by itself erase the record. Since June 11, 2024, 18 Pa.C.S. § 9122(a.1) — added by Act 36 of 2023 — makes the expungement that follows a pardon automatic: the Board of Pardons sends pardoned cases to the AOPC quarterly, and the county court then orders the expungement without a petition.
Realistically, years rather than months. The process includes an application, a merit-review screening stage, in many cases a public hearing, a Board vote, and finally the Governor's own decision — each stage takes time, and there's no fast track for most applications.
Both, in sequence. The Board of Pardons must recommend clemency by majority vote before the application even reaches the Governor, and only then does the Governor decide, at his or her own discretion, whether to actually grant it.
The Board has established an expedited review track for certain non-violent marijuana-possession convictions, which can shorten the initial screening stage for applicants who qualify, though the overall timeline still isn't quick.
Not automatically. A pardon addresses the conviction itself, but firearm-rights restoration involves separate legal requirements and is not a guaranteed byproduct of receiving a pardon.
No — not for pardons handled under the current law. Act 36 of 2023 added § 9122(a.1), effective June 11, 2024, so the Board of Pardons transmits pardoned cases to the AOPC on a quarterly basis and the county court enters the expungement order on its own. Because it runs on that quarterly cycle it still takes months, and it's worth verifying afterward that the state police and PennDOT records were actually cleared.
Yes. A majority Board recommendation is a constitutional prerequisite for the Governor to consider the application, but it does not obligate the Governor to grant the pardon — the final decision remains discretionary.
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Sources & statutory citations
- [1]Pa. Const. art. IV, § 9 — The Governor's pardon and commutation power — exercisable only on the written recommendation of a majority of the Board of Pardons.
- [2]37 Pa. Code Ch. 81 — Board of Pardons regulations — application, merit review, public hearing, and recommendation procedure.
- [3]18 Pa.C.S. § 9122 — Expungement of criminal history record information.
- [4]18 Pa.C.S. § 9122(a.1) — Automatic expungement pursuant to pardon — added by Act 36 of 2023, effective June 11, 2024. The Board of Pardons transmits pardoned cases to the AOPC quarterly, the AOPC forwards them to the county courts, and the court orders expungement without a separate petition.
Statutes are summarized for public reference. Confirm current text at palegis.us. This page is attorney advertising, not legal advice.
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Pardons by county of conviction
Every application goes to Harrisburg. The record lives in your county.
The Board of Pardons has statewide jurisdiction, so where you live does not change where you apply. What does vary by county is the mix of old convictions we see, the collateral consequences that keep surfacing locally, and which court enters the automatic expungement under 18 Pa.C.S. § 9122(a.1) once a pardon is granted. Read how the automatic expungement actually works, or, if you have moved away, how the process works from out of state.
Philadelphia County
Philadelphia
Allegheny County
Pittsburgh
Montgomery County
Norristown
Bucks County
Doylestown
Delaware County
Media
Lancaster County
Lancaster
Chester County
West Chester
York County
York
Berks County
Reading
Luzerne County
Wilkes-Barre