Most Nevada records can be sealed — but a specific list can’t. Convictions for felony DUI, sexual offenses, and many crimes against children can never be sealed, no matter how much time passes.
One important exception: this ineligibility applies to convictions. If a charge was dismissed or you were acquitted, it can usually be sealed immediately — even for an offense that would otherwise be off-limits.
Nevada lets most people seal most records. But the law draws a hard line around a specific set of offenses, and if yours is on that list, no amount of waiting or paperwork will change it. Knowing where the line falls saves you from both false hope and needless worry.
The offenses that can’t be sealed
Under Nevada law, a conviction for any of these generally cannot be sealed:
- Felony DUI — including DUI causing death or substantial bodily harm, and certain repeat DUI offenses
- Felony boating under the influence — treated much like felony DUI
- Home invasion with a deadly weapon — though home invasion without a deadly weapon can generally be sealed after five years
- Crimes against a child — such as kidnapping, false imprisonment, involuntary servitude, sex trafficking, or prostitution involving a minor (with limited exceptions for a parent or guardian), including attempts
- Sexual offenses — a broad category covering sexual assault, offenses against children, and related crimes
For most other offenses, Nevada record sealing is available once the applicable waiting period has passed.
The convictions-only catch
This is the distinction that changes everything for a lot of people: the permanent ban applies to convictions, not accusations. If one of these charges was dismissed, dropped, or ended in an acquittal, it can usually still be sealed — often immediately — because you were never convicted. So a charge that sounds hopeless on this list may be perfectly sealable if the case didn’t end in a conviction. (New to this? Start with what record sealing is.)
Even eligible offenses have conditions
Being off the ineligible list isn’t the only requirement. To seal an eligible conviction, you generally must have completed your entire sentence — including probation or parole — and you can’t have criminal charges pending. The waiting period for your offense also has to have run. Meet those, and the door is open.
Not sure where your case falls?
The categories above carry real nuance — which DUI, whether a weapon was involved, exactly how an offense was charged. Two cases that sound identical can land on opposite sides of the line. That’s why it’s worth confirming rather than guessing, and why the myth that sealing is only for serious crimes is so misleading — seriousness is exactly what can disqualify a record, not qualify it.
Being straight with you: if your conviction is genuinely on this list, sealing isn’t available, and no honest lawyer will tell you otherwise. But don’t stop there — a dismissed version of the same charge may be sealable, and a pardon is a separate path worth exploring. At Discount Lawyers, we’ll tell you plainly which situation you’re in, for free.
How we help
At Discount Lawyers, a Nevada record sealing lawyer will pull your record, check it against the ineligible list, and tell you honestly whether sealing is possible — and if it isn’t, what other options exist. We help clients with Las Vegas record sealing and across the state, in English and Spanish.
You’ll get a straight answer about your record, not a sales pitch.
Common questions
What crimes cannot be sealed in Nevada?
Convictions for felony DUI, sexual offenses, most crimes against children, felony boating under the influence, and home invasion with a deadly weapon cannot be sealed in Nevada, regardless of how much time has passed.
Can a dismissed sex-offense or DUI charge be sealed?
Often, yes. The permanent ineligibility applies to convictions. If the charge was dismissed or ended in acquittal, it can usually be sealed — frequently right away — even for offenses that couldn’t be sealed if you had been convicted.
If my conviction can’t be sealed, do I have any options?
Possibly. A pardon is a separate process that may be available in some cases, and the details of your offense sometimes matter more than the category. It’s worth having an attorney review your specific record before assuming nothing can be done.