Driving Record Expungement in Maryland

When a court dismisses or clears a traffic charge or conviction, you may be able to have it removed from your Maryland driving record. Certain driving record entries are automatically removed or expunged.

What is expungement?

Expungement means the Maryland Motor Vehicle Administration (MVA) removes specific information from your driver history. Once expunged, the record no longer shows charges or convictions that have been cleared by the court.

Expungement does not automatically restore privileges that were lost due to conviction. Expungement also will not erase records held by other state or federal agencies. If other agencies hold copies or separate records, you should consult them about how the expungement order may apply.

Who qualifies?

You may qualify for expungement if:

• the Court advises the MVA a conviction was amended and dismissed or vacated
• an out-of-state conviction was negated or removed by the out-of-state motor vehicle agency
• you meet eligibility requirements specified in Motor Vehicle Law

What to expect after an expungement order 

Expungement takes time to process after a court order is received. After the MVA receives the court order:

• Driver record entries that are eligible to be expunged are removed from your driver history.
• Your official driving record will reflect the updated status.
• There are some entries that are not eligible for expungement under MD Law, such as driving under the influence convictions, convictions or license sanctions that result in higher penalties if they reoccur.
• For commercial driver’s license holders, violations that occurred in a commercial motor vehicle are maintained on your driver history until they are met by Federal Regulations.

For detailed guidance on court processes, you should consult legal resources or the court where your case was heard.

Frequently asked questions