In Minnesota, a petty misdemeanor stays on your public court record indefinitely unless it is sealed. Since January 1, 2025, most non-traffic petty misdemeanors are sealed automatically two years after you finish the sentence under the Clean Slate Act. Traffic-related petty misdemeanors, including speeding tickets, are excluded from that automatic process and remain visible until you petition a court to seal them.
What “On Your Record” Really Means Here
Minnesota law defines a petty misdemeanor as a minor violation that is not a crime, punishable only by a fine of up to $300.1Minnesota Office of the Revisor of Statutes. Minnesota Statutes 609.02 – Definitions Because it isn’t a criminal offense, it shouldn’t appear on the criminal history maintained by the Bureau of Criminal Apprehension.
It does, however, create a case file in the state court system. Minnesota Court Records Online lets anyone search district court cases, and a petty misdemeanor will show up there with the charge, disposition, and sentence. Employers, landlords, and licensing boards that pull court records or use commercial background screeners can see it. Common examples include minor speeding tickets, certain noise or public nuisance violations, and some low-level marijuana possession offenses.
Traffic-related petty misdemeanors carry a second record. A speeding ticket also lands on your driving record with the Department of Public Safety’s Driver and Vehicle Services, and that is a separate system from the court file.
The Two-Year Automatic Seal Under the Clean Slate Act
Minnesota’s Clean Slate Act took effect January 1, 2025, and applies retroactively to older offenses already in the system on that date.2Minnesota Office of the Revisor of Statutes. Minnesota Statutes 609A.015 – Automatic Expungement of Records Eligible petty misdemeanor records are sealed automatically two years after you complete the sentence, which for most petty misdemeanors means two years after you paid the fine.
Two conditions have to hold at the end of that two-year window:
- No new convictions in Minnesota during the waiting period, other than another petty misdemeanor.
- No pending charges against you, other than a petty misdemeanor, when the period ends.
The major exclusion is traffic. Any petty misdemeanor related to the operation or parking of a motor vehicle does not qualify for automatic expungement.2Minnesota Office of the Revisor of Statutes. Minnesota Statutes 609A.015 – Automatic Expungement of Records Speeding tickets, parking violations, and similar infractions stay on the public court record unless you act on your own. Non-traffic petty misdemeanors, like a noise ordinance violation or a minor possession offense, are the ones that clear automatically.
Petitioning the Court to Seal It
If your petty misdemeanor doesn’t qualify for automatic sealing, or you don’t want to wait two years, you can file a petition for expungement in the district court in the county that handled the case. This is the route for traffic petty misdemeanors and for anyone who wants the record sealed sooner.
The petition is signed under oath and covers your identifying information, the offense and court file number, the reasons you’re asking for expungement, your full conviction and charges history in Minnesota and elsewhere, and any prior expungement requests.3Minnesota Office of the Revisor of Statutes. Minnesota Statutes 609A.03 – Petition to Expunge Criminal Records The same form is used for everything from petty misdemeanors to felonies, so sections that feel oversized for a minor fine still need to be filled in.
The filing fee is $310, and the court can waive it for financial hardship.4Minnesota Judicial Branch. Minnesota District Court Fees After filing, you mail copies of the petition and a proposed order to the prosecutorial office that handled the case and to every state or local agency whose records the order would affect, along with their attorneys.3Minnesota Office of the Revisor of Statutes. Minnesota Statutes 609A.03 – Petition to Expunge Criminal Records For a petty misdemeanor, that usually means the county attorney’s office and the law enforcement agency that issued the citation. The court then schedules a hearing.
What Sealing Actually Does
Expungement in Minnesota seals the record rather than destroying it. Once sealed, it isn’t visible to the general public and won’t turn up in standard court record searches or most commercial background checks.5Minnesota Attorney General. Expungement – Frequently Asked Questions
Courts, prosecutors, and law enforcement can still see sealed records for investigations, sentencing, and probation. Some state agencies can also access them when you apply for jobs or occupational licenses that require a background check by law.5Minnesota Attorney General. Expungement – Frequently Asked Questions And if you’re charged with a new offense later, a sealed record can still be used to enhance penalties where the law permits.
Traffic Cases Behave Differently
Traffic petty misdemeanors sit in an awkward spot. They’re excluded from automatic expungement, and they leave records in two systems: the court database and your driving record with the Department of Public Safety.2Minnesota Office of the Revisor of Statutes. Minnesota Statutes 609A.015 – Automatic Expungement of Records
You can petition to seal the court record using the process above, but a successful court expungement doesn’t erase the violation from your driving history. Insurance companies, other states’ motor vehicle agencies, and employers reviewing your driving record will still see it. If you hold a commercial driver’s license, repeated serious traffic violations can lead to CDL suspensions regardless of how the court case is classified.
Why This Matters for Background Checks
Minnesota’s Ban the Box law bars public and private employers from asking about your criminal record on a job application or before an interview.6Minnesota Office of the Revisor of Statutes. Minnesota Statutes 364.021 – Public and Private Employment, Consideration of Criminal Records Because petty misdemeanors aren’t crimes under Minnesota law, they arguably fall outside that category. In practice, many employers don’t draw the distinction. A screening company that pulls court records will report what it finds, and a hiring manager may not tell a petty misdemeanor apart from a misdemeanor.
Employers in regulated fields with a statutory duty to run background checks, such as law enforcement, childcare, healthcare, and financial services, are also exempt from the timing restrictions and can consider your full history earlier.6Minnesota Office of the Revisor of Statutes. Minnesota Statutes 364.021 – Public and Private Employment, Consideration of Criminal Records Getting the record sealed, either automatically after two years or through a petition, is the most reliable way to keep a petty misdemeanor out of the picture.