In Florida, sealing and expungement both limit public access to qualifying criminal history records, but they are not identical.
The Florida Department of Law Enforcement explains the distinction in its official seal-and-expunge guidance.
What happens when a record is sealed
When a record is sealed, the general public does not have access to it. Certain governmental and related entities identified by Florida law may still access the sealed record.
What happens when a record is expunged
When a record is expunged, most entities that could access a sealed record are instead told that a record has been expunged and generally cannot see the record itself without a court order.
Neither happens automatically
For standard court-ordered relief, an applicant generally starts by seeking an FDLE Certificate of Eligibility and then petitions the proper court.
Eligibility is case-specific
The disposition, prior criminal history, offense type, and previous use of relief can all matter.
This is general public information, not legal advice. People should review current FDLE guidance and seek qualified legal help when the record or eligibility is unclear.
