The “FDLE Wait”: How Long For Sealing or Expunging Your Record?
If you are looking to leave a past mistake behind, the process of sealing or expunging a criminal record in Florida is your most important civil right. The first and often most frustrating hurdle is obtaining the “Certificate of Eligibility” from the Florida Department of Law Enforcement (FDLE).
Currently, we are seeing significant processing delays at FDLE that can stall your progress for months. Clients often ask us if they can “pay extra” to skip the line at FDLE. We have to explain:
“No, FDLE has no way to pay extra to speed up the process. The request for the “certificate of eligibility” is granted by the FDLE on a first come, first serve basis. What we can do as your attorney, is speed up all other steps in the sealing and expunction process so there is no other delay.”
Here is what you need to know about the current timeline and how to ensure your application doesn’t get pushed to the back of the line.
You do not necessarily need an attorney to seal or expunge the record, but this article helps explain why having an attorney might speed up the process by making sure it is done correctly, and all eligible records are sealed or expunged.
The Reality of FDLE Processing Times in 2026
FDLE processes applications strictly in the order they are received. As of March 2026, the referenced turnaround time is over 12 weeks. Part of the reason is because FDLE started secretly using a third party vendor to mail out the certificates, and the third party vendor is causing long delays for unknown reasons. Hopefully, that problem will be fixed within the next year.
It is important to understand that there is no way to expedite this process. Paying an additional fee or making repeated phone calls will not move your application faster. Because FDLE is working through a massive backlog, any error in your initial paperwork can turn a three-month wait into a six-month ordeal.
How to Prevent “Self-Inflicted” Delays
When FDLE finally reaches your file, they will immediately set it aside if any information is missing. By the time they contact you to fix the error, months have already passed. To ensure your application is processed the first time, verify these three critical components.
First, make sure your application to seal or expunge is 100% complete, signed, and notarized. For expungements, page 2 must be completed and authorized by the State Attorney’s Office, listing every specific charge you want cleared.
Second, remember that FDLE will not accept standard copies. You must obtain an original certified copy of the disposition for every single charge from the Clerk of Courts.
Third, you must submit fingerprints through a law enforcement agency. Both you and the official taking the prints must sign the form. Crucially, the agency must include their ORI Number. Without that number, FDLE will not process the card.
What to Do After 12 Weeks
If 12 weeks have passed and you haven’t heard a word, it is time to check in. You can reach the Seal/Expungement division via email at SEinfo@fdle.state.fl.us.
When emailing for a status update, you must include a copy of your Driver’s License or government-issued ID. Without it, FDLE will not release information about your file for security reasons.
Even after FDLE approves your application, a new problem has emerged: mailing delays. We have seen cases where the Certificate of Eligibility was mailed but took months to arrive—or never arrived at all.
This is a serious issue because FDLE Certificates are only valid for 12 months from the date they are issued. If your certificate sits in a mail sorting facility for months and then expires before we can file your petition with the court, the entire process must begin again from scratch, including new fees and new fingerprints.
Hiring an Attorney to Seal or Expunge – Not a Good “Do it Yourself” Project
At Sammis Law Firm, we have experienced attorneys and paralegals monitoring these timelines daily. We help our clients navigate the FDLE backlog by ensuring the application is “bulletproof” before it is ever mailed. If you are tired of waiting on the state and want to ensure your record is cleared as quickly as possible, contact us to discuss your eligibility.
We understand why FDLE is taking so long to issue the “certificate of eligibility,” and how to avoid other common reasons for delays.
Hiring an attorney can also help you make sure all eligible records are sealed or expunged. In some cases, one event or a series of related events are eligible to be sealed or expunged. A person filing the paperwork without an attorney might not realize what case numbers should be included.
Although you can seal or expunge an criminal record in Florida without an attorney, it is not always a good “do it yourself” project.
To find out more, call 813-250-0500.