Record Suspension (Pardon) in Canada

Who Grants Record Suspensions?

The Parole Board of Canada (PBC) grants record suspensions under the Criminal Records Act. Provinces cannot grant federal record suspensions — provincial pardons apply only to provincial offences.

Eligibility — Waiting Periods

"Sentence completed" means fines paid, probation served, and any supervised release finished.

Application Steps

1. Obtain your criminal record — request from your local police and the RCMP (fingerprint-based).
2. Get court information — certified copies of court dispositions from every court where you were convicted.
3. Gather local police records checks — from every city/municipality where you lived in the last 5 years.
4. Complete the PBC application package — available at npb-clcc.gc.ca.
5. Pay the application fee — currently $50 (waived for some qualifying individuals).
6. Submit to the Parole Board and await processing (can take 6–12 months).

What a Record Suspension Does and Does Not Do

• Removes your record from the RCMP Canadian Police Information Centre (CPIC) database.
• Most employers and landlords conducting standard CPIC checks will not see the record.
• Does not affect US border crossing — CBSA and US CBP maintain their own databases.
• Does not remove the record from court databases or media archives.
• Can be revoked if you are subsequently convicted of a new offence.