---
title: "How long do criminal charges stay on my record in Massachusetts?"
description: "Massachusetts charges stay on your CORI indefinitely unless you seal or expunge. Under M.G.L. c. 276 § 100A, misdemeanors can generally be sealed three years after the case closes, and felonies..."
url: https://bankandmunns.com/faq-items/how-long-do-criminal-charges-stay-on-my-record-in-massachusetts/
date: 2026-04-22
modified: 2026-04-22
author: "Bank and Munns"
type: avada_faq
lang: en
---

# How long do criminal charges stay on my record in Massachusetts?

Massachusetts charges stay on your CORI indefinitely unless you seal or expunge. Under M.G.L. c. 276 § 100A, misdemeanors can generally be sealed three years after the case closes, and felonies seven years after. Sealing hides the record from most employers and landlords but not from law enforcement or certain licensing agencies. Expungement under § 100K is stricter and typically reserved for cases involving fraud on the court, clerical errors, or qualifying offenses for people under 21 at the time. A non-conviction (dismissal, nolle prosequi, not guilty, no probable cause) can often be sealed immediately. Acting on this matters because employers running CORI checks will see the entry even if it did not result in a conviction.