If you’ve ever been convicted of drunk driving – or, for that matter, if you’ve ever been arrested for drunk driving (even if you weren’t convicted) – it’ll show up on your criminal record. That means it’ll also show up on a background check. Here’s what you need to know.
Will a Drunk Driving Conviction Show Up On a Background Check?
A drunk driving conviction, even if it was your first offense, will show up on your criminal record. And unfortunately, under Illinois law, you’re not allowed to expunge or seal that conviction. A drunk driving conviction must stay on your criminal record forever. It’ll also stay on your driving record forever.
That means a drunk driving conviction will show up on a background check.
However, if you were arrested and tried but a court found you not guilty of drunk driving, you can ask the court to erase it from your criminal record. Likewise, if you were arrested and the charges against you were dropped (meaning you never went to court) or if your case was dismissed (meaning a judge dismissed your case when you went to court), you can clear the arrest and charges from your criminal record.
Can You Clear a Drunk Driving Arrest From Your Criminal History?
If you were arrested for drunk driving and your case never went anywhere, you can expunge it from your criminal record.
Expungement of DUI Arrests: The Technical Term for a Big, Legal Eraser
The technical term for erasing your criminal record permanently is expungement. You can expunge arrests that never led to a conviction, charges that were dropped, cases that were dismissed, and cases in which you were found not guilty of DUI. If a judge agrees that your record should be expunged, the court will send an order to all the agencies that have your record; the order instructs them to destroy it or return it to you. After that happens, it’s like your record never even existed in the first place.
However, Illinois law prevents you from expunging a DUI conviction. Check out What Criminal Records Cannot Be Expunged in Chicago for more information.
You can’t seal DUI convictions, either; sealing is an alternative to expungement that you can use for many – but not all – criminal convictions. If you have other convictions on your record, though, you may be able to clear them through sealing. You can call us to find out if your record is eligible at 847-920-4540.
Related: Can you expunge or seal a DUI in Illinois?
Do You Need to Talk to an Attorney About Expungement or Sealing?
If you’re tired of your criminal past coming back to bite you, we may be able to help. Call us right now at 847-920-4540 or fill out the form below so we can talk about your case.
Oops! We could not locate your form.
