Information about requesting a pardon or an expungement:

Be advised that the Governor’s Office cannot offer you legal advice, but we can provide you with information, which we hope you find helpful.

Pardons

In the State of South Carolina, all pardons are granted by a seven-member board, not the Governor. Pursuant to the State Constitution, the Governor may only grant a reprieve and commute a sentence of death to a sentence of life imprisonment. All other pardons are granted by the Board of Probation, Parole and Pardon Services.

To seek assistance and obtain an application for a pardon, please visit the South Carolina Department of Probation, Parole and Pardon Services. For further assistance, you may call Wanda Wingate at the South Carolina Department of Probation, Parole and Pardon Services at 803.734.3295.

A helpful resource with additional information can be found online at the South Carolina Judicial Department.

Expungements

In the State of South Carolina, the Governor has no authority to expunge a criminal record. Pursuant to the South Carolina Code of Laws, a criminal record may only be expunged through an application to the court, which must be signed by a judge.

An individual should contact the solicitor’s office in the area where the charge originated to seek assistance and obtain an application, which does require a fee. A list of solicitor’s offices and contact information can be found here.

Also, please be advised that an individual does not have to have a lawyer to request an expungement but can represent himself or herself pro se.

A helpful resource with additional information can be found online at South Carolina Judicial Department.