Clearing an Eviction From Your Record

No. You can only clear an eviction if:   

• A court ordered the eviction five or more years ago and you paid all the money the court ordered you to pay (if any)
• A court ordered the eviction between April 1, 2020 and March 1, 2022 and you paid all the money the court ordered you to pay (if any)
• The court approved an agreement that you made with your landlord, and you followed all parts of the agreement
• You won your eviction case, or the court dismissed the case before making a decision on the eviction

Starting December 2024, courts will automatically clear many eviction records. Check your record. If you don’t see a past eviction on your record, the court probably erased it.  

Important! If the eviction is still on your record, you should apply on your own to clear it. (See next question.) 

Follow these steps: 

1. Fill out this free court form: Motion to Set Aside Residential Eviction Judgment. You will need the case number from your eviction case. If you do not know the case number, you can look up the case using your name or your landlord's name for free at the courthouse. You can also look up your case here for free online. 
2. File the form at the local court or circuit court in the same county where the eviction happened. There is no charge to file this form.  
3. Mail a copy of the filed form to your landlord from the eviction case. 
4. The landlord has 30 days, starting from the date you mail them the form, to tell the court they do not agree about erasing your eviction record.
   1. If the landlord disagrees: There will be a court hearing where a judge will decide if you qualify to clear the eviction from your record. 
   2. If the landlord does not respond: The court will make orders that will clear your eviction record. It will be erased from your record. After the case is erased, you can truthfully answer “no” if an application asks if you have ever been evicted. 

If your eviction order (judgment) incorrectly says you still owe your landlord money, you should: 

1. Talk to the landlord, and 
2. Ask them to sign and file a Satisfaction of Money Award.

Yes. If you paid all of the judgment, your landlord is required to sign a Satisfaction of Money Award and file it at the court. 

Even if you owe the landlord money for other reasons, the landlord still must sign the Satisfaction of Money Award. 

Important! When you pay your landlord money you owe them, make a copy of your check or money order, and any other papers you send the landlord (including the envelope). This makes it easy for you to prove that you paid your landlord, if you need proof.