Imperial County

Probation Department
324 Applestill Rd.
El Centro, CA 92243
(760) 339-6547
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Get application

To get an application to seal your juvenile records, contact the Imperial County Probation Department either by phone or by mail to have an application sent to you by mail, or visit in-person to pick one up. After you have reviewed the eligibility requirements for juvenile record sealing, complete the forms and return them to the Probation Department by mail or in person, along with the $40 fee. No additional documents are required, but you may supply any additional documents to help support the case. You will not be notified once your application is received, so you should call the probation department to confirm that they received your application.

$40

$0 for those currently under age 26.

Waiver

None

Payment methods accepted:

Money orders are accepted forms of payment by mail. Cash is accepted if submitting in-person.

About 1 month

The process generally takes a month at most. However, it is important that you provide the correct mailing address and phone number so that you can be reached to complete the process.

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After turning in your application

After receiving the form, a probation officer will run an investigation to decide if you are eligible to have your juvenile record sealed. The investigation will be focused on your basic eligibility, a criminal background check, and evidence of rehabilitation. Based on this investigation, the probation officer will write a report either recommending that your record be sealed, or stating that you are not eligible to have your record sealed and why.

Court hearing

If the probation officer recommends that your record be sealed, the next step is to calendar a juvenile court hearing with a judge, the probation officer and the district attorney. At this hearing, a judge will decide whether or not your juvenile records may be sealed. You do not have to appear at the hearing, but it is highly recommended that you are present to answer any questions the judge may have.

Tracking your application

It is possible to track the application by calling the probation department.

Learn more about the sealing process »

Once a judge reviews your application they will either grant or deny your request to seal your juvenile record. A judge may choose to deny your application for reasons including a lack of rehabilitation, adult charges, and crimes of moral turpitude.

If your application is granted

The Court will send a record sealing order to all of the agencies involved in your case, which includes, but is not limited to, police agencies, probation agencies, and courts. The order will direct the agencies you listed on your application to seal your record and to respond to anyone asking about your juvenile record to say, “The applicant has no record.” Once your record is sealed, you may legally say that you do not have a juvenile record.

Sealing a juvenile record does not affect the ability of insurance companies to access your records through the Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV) in Sacramento, nor will it prevent the Federal Government, including branches of the military service, from accessing your sealed records pursuant to Section 781 of the Welfare and Institutions code.

All juvenile records must be reported even though sealed when applying for a security clearance or employment with a private company that engages in business with the Federal Government.

If your application is denied

If you are not at your hearing, it is unclear how you will be notified if your application is denied. If you do not attend the hearing, you should be sure to call the probation department to check if your application was approved or denied. There is no time limit on reapplying, but you will need to repay the sealing fee and will not be refunded for the payment you previously made for the seal.