The Pennsylvania Board of Pardons is the gateway to clemency for anyone convicted in a Pennsylvania state court: you file an application with the Board, and if it recommends you favorably after investigation and hearing, the Governor decides whether to grant a pardon or commutation. The Governor cannot act without that written recommendation, so the Board is where every case begins.
Pardon or Commutation
The two forms of clemency answer different problems. A pardon forgives a conviction after you have finished your sentence, including probation and parole. It removes legal barriers to employment, professional licensing, and other opportunities tied to a clean record, and since a 2023 amendment, an unconditional pardon also triggers automatic expungement of the underlying conviction.
A commutation reduces a sentence for someone still incarcerated. It is the route for people serving life or other lengthy terms who can show they no longer pose a danger. Commutations of life or death sentences require a unanimous five-member Board vote rather than a simple majority.1FindLaw. Pennsylvania Constitution Art. IV, 9 – Pardoning Power; Board of Pardons
Who Can Apply
Anyone convicted of a criminal offense by a Pennsylvania court can apply. The Board’s authority stops at the state line: federal convictions and convictions from other states fall outside its reach, and no Pennsylvania pardon can touch them.2Commonwealth of Pennsylvania. About the Board of Pardons There is no mandatory waiting period after your sentence, but applicants who can show years of law-abiding life since the conviction are in a far stronger position.
For commutation applicants, the Board looks closely at how much of the sentence has been served, disciplinary record in prison, program participation, and whether the crime involved violence.
Expedited Review for Non-Violent Cases
The Board operates an expedited review track for applicants with non-violent convictions and minimal criminal histories. Originally limited to marijuana offenses, it has been expanded to cover other non-violent crimes. Board staff screen filed applications and move qualifying cases into the expedited pipeline; you do not need to request it separately.3Commonwealth of Pennsylvania. Pennsylvania Board of Pardons Updates and Expands Eligibility for Expedited Review Program for Pardon Applicants
Filing the Application
The application is on the Board of Pardons website and can be completed online.4Commonwealth of Pennsylvania. Board of Pardons – Apply for Clemency The form asks for personal details plus specifics on each conviction: date of the incident, county, docket number, plea or verdict, sentence date, and the final sentence imposed.5Commonwealth of Pennsylvania. Board of Pardons Clemency Application You also need the Offense Tracking Number (OTN), which appears on court paperwork and criminal history reports.
Two parts of the application carry the most weight. First, you describe the incident in your own words, including your involvement. Second, you write a personal statement explaining how your life has changed since the arrest, why you are seeking clemency, and why you believe you are a strong candidate. Honesty matters more than polish. Board members read thousands of applications, and generic language about learning from mistakes without specifics will not stand out.
Court Documents You Must Attach
The application must include PDF uploads of:
- The criminal complaint and affidavit of probable cause
- The criminal information or indictment
- The final plea or verdict
- The sentencing order
- Documentation of financial obligations, showing whether fines, costs, and restitution have been paid
Applications submitted without these documents will be rejected.5Commonwealth of Pennsylvania. Board of Pardons Clemency Application If you cannot locate your records, contact the Clerk of Courts in the county where you were convicted. You should also obtain your Pennsylvania criminal history report through PATCH, which costs $22 for an individual check.6Commonwealth of Pennsylvania. Request a Criminal History Background Check Cross-check the PATCH report against your application. Catching discrepancies in dates, charges, or docket numbers before the Board does can save your case.
What Happens After You File
Three stages sit between your application and the Governor’s desk.
Investigation
A parole auditor from the Department of Corrections investigates your case and conducts a phone interview covering your current employment, housing, community involvement, and any contact with the criminal justice system since your conviction.7Commonwealth of Pennsylvania. Board of Pardons – Investigations Process Victims registered with the Office of the Victim Advocate may be contacted for input. The results go into a report each Board member reviews.
Merit Review
Before you get a hearing, the Board holds a merit review session and votes on whether your case warrants one. You do not appear or testify at merit review; the Board works from your application, the investigator’s report, and any victim input. Two out of five members must vote to advance your case to a public hearing. If the conviction involved a violent crime or a firearm, the threshold rises to three out of five.
Denial at merit review is the most common outcome for weak applications. A vague personal statement, incomplete court documents, or concerning findings from the investigation give the Board little reason to spend hearing time on the case.
Public Hearing and the Governor
If you clear merit review, your case is scheduled for a public hearing. Board members may ask about your record, your life since the conviction, and your reasons for seeking clemency. Victims and other interested parties can also testify. At the end of the hearing session, the Board votes again.
For most pardon applications, a majority of three out of five sends a favorable recommendation to the Governor. For commutations of life or death sentences, all five members must vote yes.1FindLaw. Pennsylvania Constitution Art. IV, 9 – Pardoning Power; Board of Pardons A favorable vote is not the finish line. The Governor conducts a separate review and holds the sole power to grant or deny. You receive written notification after the Governor acts.
What a Pardon Actually Does
A Governor’s pardon restores the civil rights you lost because of the conviction, including eligibility for professional licenses and public office. A pardoned conviction cannot be considered in a licensing decision under Pennsylvania law.
Automatic Expungement
Under a 2023 expansion of the Clean Slate law, an unconditional pardon triggers automatic expungement of the conviction record. The Board of Pardons transmits pardon information to the Administrative Office of Pennsylvania Courts on a quarterly basis. The courts forward the record to the county Court of Common Pleas, which orders the criminal history information destroyed.8Pennsylvania General Assembly. Pennsylvania Statutes Title 18 Pa.C.S.A. Crimes and Offenses 9122 Before this change, pardoned individuals had to file a separate court petition and pay county filing fees to erase their records. Because the automatic process runs on a quarterly cycle, there may be a lag of several months between the pardon and the record actually disappearing.
Firearms Rights
Firearms are a separate matter. A felony conviction prohibits you from possessing firearms under Pennsylvania law, and a pardon alone does not automatically lift that ban. A full pardon by the Governor does make you eligible to petition the Court of Common Pleas in your county of residence for restoration of firearms rights. The statute directs the court to grant relief if the conviction “has been the subject of a full pardon by the Governor.”9Pennsylvania General Assembly. Pennsylvania Code Title 18 6105 – Persons Not to Possess, Use, Manufacture, Control, Sell or Transfer Firearms In practice this makes the petition close to automatic, but you still need to file it and appear before a judge. Federal firearms restrictions may also apply separately and are not affected by a state pardon.
If You Are Denied
A denial is not necessarily the end. There are two paths forward.
If you can show a significant change in circumstances or provide compelling new information, you can submit a request for reconsideration without waiting. Simple disagreement with the Board’s decision does not qualify.10Commonwealth of Pennsylvania. Submit a Clemency Reconsideration Request Reconsideration needs something genuinely new: completion of a treatment program, a significant career change, new letters of support, or resolution of outstanding restitution.
If reconsideration does not apply, you can reapply after a waiting period. After a first denial, you must wait 12 months from the date of the decision. After a second denial, the wait doubles to 24 months.10Commonwealth of Pennsylvania. Submit a Clemency Reconsideration Request Use that time. Additional community involvement, education, stable employment, or resolved financial obligations all strengthen a reapplication.
How Long It Takes
Expect the process to take multiple years from filing to final decision.4Commonwealth of Pennsylvania. Board of Pardons – Apply for Clemency It typically takes two to three months after you submit for the application to be formally filed. The investigation, merit review, and hearing scheduling each add time, and the Board operates on set hearing schedules rather than working through cases as they arrive. Applicants who qualify for the expedited track for non-violent offenses may see shorter timelines, though not fast by any everyday measure. The Governor’s review after a favorable vote adds a final stretch. Patience and a complete application are the two things most within your control.