To get an eviction off your record in Indiana, you rely on Indiana Code 32-31-11-3, which either seals the case automatically or lets you petition the court to seal it. Which path applies depends on how your case ended. Once the court seals the record, you still need to notify tenant screening companies so the eviction stops showing up on background checks.
When the Court Seals the Record Automatically
Since July 1, 2025, Indiana courts have been required to seal eviction records on their own, without a petition, in three situations:
- The case was dismissed, whether the landlord dropped it or the court dismissed it for failure to prosecute.
- You won at trial and judgment was entered in your favor.
- A judgment against you was overturned on appeal, once the appellate opinion becomes final.
The statute directs the court to issue the nondisclosure order without holding an additional hearing.1Indiana General Assembly. Indiana Code Title 32, Article 31, Chapter 11, Section 32-31-11-3 – Right of Tenant to Petition Court for Nondisclosure Order Courts don’t always keep up, though. If your case fits one of these categories and the record is still visible on Indiana’s Odyssey case search or a background check, you can file a petition to prompt the court to act.
When You Have to File a Petition
If you lost your case, the automatic pathway doesn’t apply. Two options exist, and both use mandatory statutory language, meaning the court must grant the order once you meet the criteria.1Indiana General Assembly. Indiana Code Title 32, Article 31, Chapter 11, Section 32-31-11-3 – Right of Tenant to Petition Court for Nondisclosure Order
You Paid Off a Money Judgment
If a money judgment was entered against you and you’ve paid it in full, you’re eligible to petition immediately. There’s no additional waiting period. If you aren’t sure whether a money judgment was entered, check Indiana’s Odyssey case search or contact the clerk of the court that handled the eviction.
Seven Years Have Passed With No Money Judgment
If the court ordered possession but no money judgment was entered, you become eligible seven years after the judgment date.1Indiana General Assembly. Indiana Code Title 32, Article 31, Chapter 11, Section 32-31-11-3 – Right of Tenant to Petition Court for Nondisclosure Order
The Situation With No Current Pathway
If you lost, a money judgment was entered, and you haven’t paid it, sealing isn’t available yet. You’ll need to satisfy the judgment first. If you lost with no money judgment and fewer than seven years have passed, you’ll have to wait for the seven-year mark.
Filing the Petition
Indiana has a standardized packet for this process, available through Indiana Legal Help. It contains three forms: an appearance form, the Verified Petition to Prohibit Disclosure of Eviction Records (Form CCA-EV-1122-8002), and a proposed order for the judge to sign.2Indiana Legal Help. Eviction Sealing Form Instructions
To fill them out, you’ll need the case number from the original eviction, the name of the court, and the names of everyone listed in the case. The caption at the top of each form has to match the original case documents. You sign the petition under penalty of perjury.
File the completed packet with the same court that handled the original eviction, either in person or through Indiana’s e-filing system. Some counties charge a redocketing fee to reopen the closed file, and the amount varies. Call the clerk’s office before you file to ask what it costs and how they accept payment.
You also have to give a copy of every form to every other party in the case, which usually means the landlord or property management company. Certified mail, hand delivery through a sheriff or private process server, and the e-filing system all work. Keep proof of when and how you served the copies. Missing this step can hold up your petition.
What Happens After the Judge Rules
The judge’s role is to confirm you meet the eligibility criteria, not to weigh whether sealing is a good idea. Courts often grant the order without scheduling a hearing. If a hearing is set, you’ll get a chance to show you qualify.
When the order is granted, the clerk permanently seals or redacts the eviction records, and the order reaches any state, regional, or local case management system.1Indiana General Assembly. Indiana Code Title 32, Article 31, Chapter 11, Section 32-31-11-3 – Right of Tenant to Petition Court for Nondisclosure Order After that, court clerks and case management systems can’t disclose the filing, including the landlord’s original complaint for possession. Access requires a separate court order or an authorized law enforcement purpose.
Clearing the Eviction From Background Check Reports
A sealing order controls the government court record. It doesn’t automatically clear the private databases that tenant screening companies build and sell. If a screening company already pulled your eviction data, it can keep reporting it until you make them stop.
Get a certified copy of the sealing order from the clerk and send it to the major screening companies, including TransUnion, Experian RentBureau, and CoreLogic SafeRent. Put your dispute in writing, attach the order, and ask them to remove the record.3Federal Trade Commission. Disputing Errors on Your Tenant Background Check Report You can also dispute the record with the company that originally furnished it; that company then has to correct it and notify every reporting agency it supplied.4Consumer Financial Protection Bureau. Review Your Rental Background Check
Under the Fair Credit Reporting Act, screening companies must investigate a dispute within 30 days, or 45 days if you send additional documents after your initial filing, and the investigation is free.5Office of the Law Revision Counsel. 15 USC 1681i – Procedure in Case of Disputed Accuracy Even without a sealing order, screening companies cannot report civil judgments more than seven years old, and the same limit applies to unpaid rent sent to collections.6Office of the Law Revision Counsel. 15 USC 1681c – Requirements Relating to Information Contained in Consumer Reports An older eviction on a current report can be disputed as outdated.
One boundary to know: sealing removes the record from government court systems, but it doesn’t erase information already published on sites the government doesn’t control, such as news articles or independent data aggregators.7Indiana State Government. Eviction Sealing Instructions
Free Legal Help
Indiana Legal Services provides free legal help to low-income residents and runs eviction sealing clinics in some counties; contact information and intake are at indianalegalservices.org. Indiana Legal Help hosts the official form packet with step-by-step instructions if you’re handling it on your own.