Not sure when you become eligible?
That date depends on your sentence completion, not your conviction date. We can work it out for you.
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Canadian Pardon
Record Suspension
What a Canadian pardon actually does
A Canadian pardon is an official act by the Government of Canada that seals your criminal record. Since 2012, pardons have officially been known as record suspensions. Once granted, your record is set apart from the active Canadian Police Information Centre (CPIC) database and kept sealed — it can only be reopened with the written approval of the Minister of Public Safety Canada.
In practical terms, that means a routine criminal record check will no longer turn up your conviction, and you are no longer required to disclose it in the situations where a record would previously have counted against you.
A point of accuracy: a record suspension seals and segregates your record — it does not erase or destroy it. The record still exists, and in narrow circumstances (such as certain vulnerable-sector checks, or if the suspension is later revoked) it can be disclosed again.
Pardon eligibility
You must complete all of your court conditions and then serve out a waiting period before you become eligible. Court conditions may include:
- Jail time
- House arrest
- Community service
- Fines, surcharges and restitution
- Counselling
- Probation or parole
Every one of these has to be finished — including paying any outstanding fine in full — before the waiting-period clock begins.
Waiting periods
After completing all court requirements, the clock starts on your waiting period. During that time you must remain free of further criminal behaviour and show that you are living as a law-abiding citizen. How long you wait depends on the outcome of your court case.
| Outcome of the court appearance | Waiting period |
|---|---|
| Summary offence — conviction | 5 years |
| Indictable offence — conviction | 10 years |
| Absolute discharge | 1 year |
| Conditional discharge | 3 years |
| Not guilty / withdrawn / stayed | Typically 1 year or less |
Court appearances that did not result in a conviction still leave a trace: the charge and your fingerprint record remain searchable until the file is sealed. That is why acquittals, withdrawals and discharges have their own, shorter waiting periods.
Why apply for a pardon?
A criminal record touches nearly every part of your life. Sealing it opens up:
- Peace of mind
- Better job opportunities and promotions
- The ability to be bonded
- The ability to volunteer
- The ability to adopt a child
- Housing and rental applications
- Loan, mortgage and credit approvals
- Fewer travel restrictions
Who cannot apply
Two categories of applicant are barred outright:
- Anyone convicted of a sexual offence involving a minor, subject to limited exceptions set out in the Criminal Records Act.
- Anyone convicted of an indictable offence on four or more separate occasions, each carrying a sentence of two years or more.
We are here to help
A record suspension is a new lease on life — a chance to take past indiscretions off your permanent record so you can enjoy the same freedoms as everyone else. If you are looking for a trustworthy firm to help you with your application, contact us today or complete the eligibility form on this page.
Check If You Are Eligible
Fill out the form below and one of our specialists will review your situation.
Start about a year early
If you want your record sealed as soon as you are eligible, begin the application roughly 12 months before your eligibility date. Collecting RCMP and court records is the slow part. Note also that a single application covers all of the offences on your record — there is no need to apply separately for each one.