--- title: "Record suspension (pardon) in Canada: how to apply" url: "https://canadaservicemap.ca/services/record-suspension" description: "Apply for a record suspension (pardon) in Canada: handled by Parole Board of Canada. The application processing fee is $50. From official sources." site: "Canada Service Map" author: "Mahmoud Halat" publisher: "Space & Story" lastReviewed: "2026-10-13" licence: "Built entirely from public data: open data and official government pages. Each record keeps the licence of its source, listed at https://canadaservicemap.ca/data." --- # Record suspension (pardon) in Canada: how to apply Federal service ยท Justice and safety Compiled by Mahmoud Halat, checked 13 October 2026. Not a government website. The official page always has the final word. ## Short answer A record suspension, once called a pardon, keeps your criminal record separate so it no longer shows in the national police database. Apply to the Parole Board of Canada after you finish your whole sentence and wait 5 to 10 years for offences committed since March 2012. The fee is $50, and you can apply without a lawyer. Who handles it: [Parole Board of Canada](https://canadaservicemap.ca/bodies/parole-board-of-canada). Handles it everywhere in Canada. ## Official links - [Record suspensions](https://www.canada.ca/en/parole-board/services/record-suspensions.html), checked 12 October 2026 ## Who can apply - A record suspension keeps your criminal record separate from other records and removes it from the Canadian Police Information Centre (CPIC) database. It sets the conviction aside but does not erase it. Source: [canada.ca](https://www.canada.ca/en/parole-board/services/record-suspensions/what-is-a-record-suspension.html), checked 13 October 2026. - You can apply if you were convicted as an adult of an offence under a federal law. You do not need one if you only received an absolute or conditional discharge or were only convicted in youth court. Source: [canada.ca](https://www.canada.ca/en/parole-board/services/record-suspensions/who-is-eligible-for-a-record-suspension.html), checked 13 October 2026. - You must first finish every part of your sentence: fines, surcharges, restitution, prison time, parole and probation. The waiting period starts after that. Source: [canada.ca](https://www.canada.ca/en/parole-board/services/record-suspensions/who-is-eligible-for-a-record-suspension.html), checked 13 October 2026. - Under the current rules, you are not eligible if you were convicted of a Schedule 1 offence (a sexual offence involving a child), unless an exception applies, or of more than three indictable offences each with a sentence of two years or more. Source: [canada.ca](https://www.canada.ca/en/parole-board/services/record-suspensions/determining-your-eligibility-for-record-suspension.html), checked 13 October 2026. ## What you need - Your application includes the application form, your RCMP criminal record (from electronic fingerprints), court information forms, local police records checks for everywhere you lived 3 months or more in the last 5 years, a copy of your ID and a measurable benefit form. Source: [canada.ca](https://www.canada.ca/en/parole-board/services/record-suspensions/applying-for-a-record-suspension.html), checked 13 October 2026. ## Cost - The application processing fee is $50. Pay by credit card, certified cheque, money order or bank draft. Fingerprints, court documents and police checks cost extra. Source: [canada.ca](https://www.canada.ca/en/parole-board/services/record-suspensions/applying-for-a-record-suspension.html), checked 13 October 2026. ## How long it takes - If your first offence was on or after March 13, 2012, the waiting period is 10 years for an indictable offence and 5 years for a summary conviction. Earlier first offences have shorter waits under the rules in place at the time. Source: [canada.ca](https://www.canada.ca/en/parole-board/services/record-suspensions/who-is-eligible-for-a-record-suspension.html), checked 13 October 2026. ## Where to go - Mail the originals to the Parole Board of Canada, Clemency and Record Suspension Division, 410 Laurier Avenue West, 5th Floor, Ottawa, Ontario K1A 0R1. Source: [canada.ca](https://www.canada.ca/en/parole-board/services/record-suspensions/applying-for-a-record-suspension.html), checked 13 October 2026. ## Good to know - You can apply directly to the Parole Board. You do not need a lawyer or a paid third-party company. Source: [canada.ca](https://www.canada.ca/en/parole-board/services/record-suspensions/applying-for-a-record-suspension.html), checked 13 October 2026. ## Questions people ask ### How much does a pardon cost in Canada? The Parole Board's application fee is $50. You also pay any costs for fingerprints, copies of your criminal record, court documents and police checks. Source: [canada.ca](https://www.canada.ca/en/parole-board/services/record-suspensions/updates-for-applicants.html), checked 13 October 2026. ### How long do I have to wait to apply for a record suspension? It depends on when your first offence happened. For offences since March 13, 2012, it is 10 years for an indictable offence and 5 years for a summary offence, counted from the end of your sentence. Source: [canada.ca](https://www.canada.ca/en/parole-board/services/record-suspensions/who-is-eligible-for-a-record-suspension.html), checked 13 October 2026. ### Does a record suspension let me travel to the United States? Not necessarily. A record suspension does not guarantee entry or a visa for another country. Check with that country's authorities before you go. Source: [canada.ca](https://www.canada.ca/en/parole-board/services/record-suspensions/applying-for-a-record-suspension.html), checked 13 October 2026. ### Can a record suspension be taken away? Yes. It can be revoked if you are convicted of a new offence, are no longer of good conduct, or gave false or misleading information when you applied. Source: [canada.ca](https://www.canada.ca/en/parole-board/services/record-suspensions/what-is-a-record-suspension.html), checked 13 October 2026. ## More - [Contact the police (non-emergency)](https://canadaservicemap.ca/services/police-non-emergency) - [Get a criminal record check (police check)](https://canadaservicemap.ca/services/criminal-record-check) - [Get a firearms licence (PAL)](https://canadaservicemap.ca/services/firearms-licence) - [Report a scam or fraud](https://canadaservicemap.ca/services/report-fraud) - [Sue for a small amount (small claims)](https://canadaservicemap.ca/services/small-claims) - [Get legal aid](https://canadaservicemap.ca/services/legal-aid) ## Cite this page Canada Service Map, "Record suspension (pardon) in Canada: how to apply", checked 13 October 2026, https://canadaservicemap.ca/services/record-suspension