1. Check to see if you are eligible
Question & Answer
How do I get a pardon or a record suspension?The rules to get a sometimes change. When deciding your application, the Parole Board will use the rules that were in place when you committed your first .
You must serve your whole , including , before you can apply for a record suspension. This includes paying fines, except fines for cannabis possession convictions.
After you've served your sentence, you'll have to wait some more time before you can apply. The amount of time you have to wait depends on when you committed your offence and what the offence was:
| Date of your first offence | Waiting time after you've served your sentence |
| Before June 29, 2010 |
|
| Between June 29, 2010 and March 12, 2012 |
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| After March 13, 2012 |
|
Convictions for cannabis possession don't count towards your waiting time. If the first offence you committed was possession of cannabis, your waiting time is calculated using the date that you committed your second offence.
Sexual assault offences against children
To get a record suspension for a sexual assault offence against a child after March 13, 2012, you must apply for an exception using this form. And you can only be approved for an exception if all these statements are true:
- You were not in a position of trust or authority towards the victim of the offence and the victim was not dependent on you.
- You did not use, threaten to use, or try to use violence, intimidation, or coercion in relation to the victim.
- You were less than five years older than the victim.
