How to Remove an Eviction from Your Record in Ohio

To remove an eviction from your record in Ohio, you file a motion to seal the case in the same court that heard the original eviction. There is no statewide statute that gives tenants an automatic right to sealing. Each municipal or county court decides on its own authority, using whatever local rules it has adopted, so the procedure, the eligibility bar, and the filing fee all depend on which court handled your case.¹

Start With the Court That Handled Your Case

Because Ohio has no uniform law, the first step is finding out what your specific court requires. Some courts have developed detailed written procedures with their own forms. The Cleveland Municipal Court Housing Division and the Bedford Municipal Court, for example, both publish motion-to-seal forms and instructions.²³ Other courts have no formal process, and you must file a general motion asking the judge to seal the record and explain why.

If your court’s website doesn’t say anything about sealing, call the Clerk of Court. Ask whether the court accepts motions to seal eviction records, whether there is a specific form, and whether any local rules govern eligibility. A tenant whose case was in Cleveland follows a completely different path than someone whose case was in a smaller court an hour away.

Are You Eligible to Seal?

Eligibility varies by court, but most follow a similar pattern. The Cleveland Housing Court’s criteria illustrate the general shape of what judges look for.

If the landlord dropped the case or the court ruled in your favor, the record is typically eligible for sealing right away.¹
If the landlord won a judgment for possession, you generally must wait at least five years before asking to seal, and you need to explain the unusual or mitigating circumstances that led to the eviction.¹
If the eviction included a money judgment for unpaid rent or damages, courts are far more receptive to sealing once the balance has been paid in full. Attach proof of payment to your motion.

The core question every judge weighs is whether your interest in moving forward with stable housing outweighs the public’s interest in keeping the record accessible. Facts that help: a clean rental history since the eviction, evidence that the circumstances were temporary (job loss, medical emergency), and proof that any financial obligations are satisfied. Facts that hurt: recent eviction filings, unresolved debt, or a pattern of lease violations.

What to Put in the Motion

Pull together the case number, the exact name of the court, the names of all parties, and the date of the final judgment or dismissal. The case number is the primary identifier on every document from the original proceeding.

If your court provides a form, use it. If it doesn’t, draft a general motion to seal that includes the case number, the parties, the outcome, and a written explanation of why sealing is justified.

An affidavit is almost always required. The Cleveland Housing Court will not consider a motion without one.² The affidavit is your sworn statement explaining why the record should be sealed: the circumstances of the eviction, what has changed since, and how the public record is affecting your ability to find housing. Attach every piece of supporting evidence you have — pay stubs, letters from current or former landlords, proof of debt repayment. You may not get a second chance to submit anything.

Filing, Fees, and Serving the Landlord

Make at least two copies of everything before filing: one for the landlord and one for yourself. File the original with the Clerk of Court. Some Ohio courts accept electronic filing; others require you to file in person.

Filing fees vary. The Cleveland Housing Court charges $25 to file a motion to seal.² Other courts may charge more. If you can’t afford the fee, Ohio Revised Code 2323.311 requires a court that determines you qualify as an indigent litigant to waive prepayment.⁴ The poverty affidavit requires you to disclose income, expenses, and assets.

After filing, you have to serve the former landlord (or the landlord’s attorney, if one appeared in the original case) with a copy of the motion and all attachments. Mail or hand delivery both work. Include a certificate of service in your motion where you verify, under penalty of perjury, that you provided the landlord with a copy. Skip this step or fill it out incorrectly and the court may dismiss your motion outright.²

What Happens After You File

Not every motion leads to a hearing. Some courts rule on the paperwork alone, especially for straightforward dismissals. Others schedule a hearing where the judge may ask questions and the landlord has a chance to object. Include your current mailing address so the court can notify you if a hearing is set.²

One detail catches many people off guard. The Cleveland Housing Court typically allows only one motion to seal per case.² If the judge denies it, you likely will not get another chance. Other courts may follow the same approach. This is why you attach every piece of supporting evidence with the original filing rather than holding anything back.

If the judge grants the motion, the court issues an order directing the clerk to redact your name from all public records related to the case, both electronic and paper. Sealing restricts public access to the file; it does not erase the record from the court’s internal systems entirely.⁵ The practical effect is that future landlords and tenant screening companies running a standard search won’t find the case.

Getting the Record Off Tenant Screening Reports

A sealed court record does not automatically vanish from private databases. Tenant screening companies collect court records in bulk and store them independently, so your eviction can keep showing up on background checks after sealing. Eviction records can remain in these reports for up to seven years from the original filing.⁶ You have to dispute the entry to get it removed.

Under the Fair Credit Reporting Act, a screening company that reports sealed information violates its obligation to use reasonable procedures to ensure maximum possible accuracy.⁷ To dispute, contact the screening company in writing. Include a copy of the court’s sealing order and your identifying information. The company must investigate and resolve your dispute within 30 days of receiving it, which can extend to 45 days if you send additional information during the initial 30-day window.⁸

If a screening company ignores your dispute or keeps reporting the sealed record, you can file a complaint with the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau and may have the right to sue under the FCRA.⁹ Keep copies of every dispute letter, every response, and the sealing order itself.

What Sealing Won’t Fix

Sealing doesn’t repair your credit. Eviction case filings don’t appear on standard credit reports in the first place. What does appear is the financial fallout: if you owed rent or fees and the debt went to collections, the collection account can stay on your credit report for up to seven years from the date of the missed payment.⁶ Removing a collection account requires a separate dispute with the credit bureaus or payment arrangements with the collection agency.

Most landlords check both a tenant screening report and a credit report. Sealing addresses the first. Dealing with any related collection debt addresses the second. Ignoring either problem leaves half of the housing barrier in place.

1
Legal Aid Society of Cleveland. How Can I Have My Eviction Record Sealed?
2
Cleveland Municipal Court Housing Division. Motion to Seal Eviction Record Instructions
3
Bedford Municipal Court. Motion to Seal Eviction Instructions
4
Supreme Court of Ohio. Form 20 – Civil Fee Waiver Affidavit and Order
5
Bedford Municipal Court. Motion to Seal Eviction Instructions
6
Experian. How Long Does an Eviction Stay on Your Record
7
Consumer Financial Protection Bureau. Fair Credit Reporting – Background Screening
8
Office of the Law Revision Counsel. 15 USC 1681i
9
Consumer Financial Protection Bureau. Review Your Rental Background Check