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Rehabilitation check: can your criminal record be clean again?

Find out whether your conviction will be erased or whether you can apply for rehabilitation, and from what date.

A conviction does not necessarily stay on your criminal record extract for life. Light sentences are erased automatically after a period of time. For other sentences you can apply for rehabilitation ("herstel in eer en rechten"). This tool gives a first indication in a few questions.

Please note: the rules changed on 1 September 2026.

When the new Strafwetboek entered into force, the Wetboek van Strafvordering was amended as well. Which regime applies depends among other things on the date of the offence and on whether the conviction was handed down under the old or the new Strafwetboek. For convictions for offences committed before 1 September 2026 and assessed under the old Strafwetboek, articles 619 to 634 Sv. (old version) remain relevant. The amended regime applies to all other convictions. Always check the transitional provisions and the current text of the statute.

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Your indication

Answer the questions above for a first indication.

Estimate: not legal advice

This tool gives a first indication and not legal advice. The rules on erasure and rehabilitation were substantially amended recently, following the new Strafwetboek. Several of those new provisions have not yet been reviewed by the Constitutional Court and there is no settled case law on them; the transitional regime may lead to a different outcome in your file. The court of appeal also decides sovereignly whether you have shown improvement and good conduct. Have your specific situation checked before you file an application.

Why a clean extract matters

An extract from the criminal record (formerly the "certificate of good conduct") is asked for in job applications, for regulated professions and posts (education, care, security, passenger transport, government), for permits, for volunteering with minors, and often for a visa, residence or nationality application as well. An old conviction can still close doors years later. After erasure or rehabilitation the conviction no longer appears on your extract and the disqualifications attached to it lapse. It matters in criminal law too: the conviction can no longer serve as the basis for a repeat offence, and it no longer stands in the way of a later suspended sentence or a later deferral.

How the procedure works

You address the application to the public prosecutor of your place of residence, listing the convictions and every place of residence during the probation period (art. 628 Sv.). The prosecutor's office carries out an investigation and forwards the file to the prosecutor general. The indictment division of the court of appeal decides. For certain sexual offences against minors a specialised opinion is required (art. 629 Sv.). The effects of rehabilitation are set out in art. 634 Sv.

Which documents you need

A copy of every conviction.

Your application must include a signed (certified) copy of every single judgment in which you were convicted, including the older and lighter ones. You request those copies from the registry of each court that handed down the decision. With several convictions, different courts or old files, that is time-consuming work. I can request and follow this up for you.

Proof of payment.

You have to show for yourself that you have paid your fines, the court costs and the damages to the civil parties in full. Start collecting that evidence now: bank statements, payment receipts from the FPS Finance, a discharge or confirmation from the civil party or its lawyer, and where applicable the bailiff's statement of account. If a piece of evidence is missing, your application is delayed or refused.

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Frequently asked questions

What is the difference between erasure and rehabilitation?

Erasure happens by operation of law, after a period of time and without you doing anything, but only for police sentences. Rehabilitation you have to apply for: the court of appeal assesses your application and can refuse it.

How long does the procedure take?

No statutory period applies. Expect several months, depending on the prosecutor's office and the court.

Does a settlement or an immediate collection appear on my criminal record?

No. That is not a conviction, so it does not appear on your criminal record extract.

Do I need a lawyer?

It is not compulsory. The value lies in putting the file together: requesting copies of all the judgments, collecting the proof of payment and submitting the character references.

Does rehabilitation give me my driving licence back?

The effects of rehabilitation are set out in art. 634 Sv. A driving disqualification is governed by its own rules, in particular a disqualification on grounds of physical unfitness. Have that checked for your file.

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