Solano County

Contact

Probation Department
North County Office
475 Union Ave.
Fairfield, CA 94533
(707) 784-7600
Map and directions »

Probation Department
South County Office
321 Tuolumne St.
Vallejo, CA 94590
(707) 553-5531
Map and directions »

Application

Not available online

Contact the Solano County Probation Department to with a letter requesting to seal your juvenile record. In the letter, provide your personal information (full name, birthdate, contact information), an account of your offenses, and a detailed list of agencies that may have records of contact with you. You must also include your personal account of your progress since you completed probation and why you want to seal your juvenile record. Send this letter and the $150 application fee to the Probation Department.

Download request letter

Fee

$150

$0 for those currently under age 26.

Waiver

Request one from the Probation Department

Time frame

4-6 weeks

Process

After turning in your application

After receiving your letter, a probation officer will contact you over the phone to ask some follow up questions. Then the 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 rehabiliation. 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.

Tracking your application

Contact the Probation Department to check on the status of your application.

Learn more about the sealing process »

Outcome

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 also direct them to respond to anyone asking about your juvenile record to say, “The applicant has no record.” These agencies have 60 days to comply with the sealing order from the court. 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

You will be notified by mail and will receive a copy of the judge's order denying your petition to seal your juvenile records. If you have been denied "without prejudice" you may resubmit your application once you have resolved the issues blocking the seal on your record, such as paying restitution or waiting a longer period of time to show rehabilitation. You will need to repay the sealing fee and will not be refunded for the payment you previously made for the seal. If you do not receive the order, you should check in with your probation officer.

Center on Juvenile and Criminal Justice

Seal It is a project from the Center on Juvenile and Criminal Justice, with generous support from the Zellerbach Family Foundation.

To report an error, contact cjcjmedia@cjcj.org or (415) 621-5661 x121.